Stupid, fluctuating temperatures..

I keep mine in my tubs 76-79 the hot side are 86-90.

Yeah 70's too low for the cool side. Get it over 75 to decrease the chances of respiratory infections.
1 UTH would work just fine with a thermostat set @ 89-93 degrees. The reason your temps are so high's because you have so many heat sources and that combined with naturally produces FL heat can be a bit much. BP do just fine with belly heat. Regulate the hot side and the cool side should be controlled by the temperature of your house. To keep ambient temps up I use a space heater, but I also use a single tub rack and not a glass tank so keeping temps and humidity right are not a problem.

Before I got my BP reading this really helped.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...%20foil%20tape

Since you already have two UTH's, I would say get a Hydrofarm for each. Set your cool side for 80 and the warm side for about 92-93. Next, insulate the tank. You can use anything like cardboard, polystyrene, styrofoam, or foam core board. I personally like the foam core board because you can get it in different colors. It's available at places like Wal-Mart and Target in the school supplies section next to the poster board. Cut three pieces to fit and tape them to each end and the back. Next, remove the lamp. Cut a piece of whatever you use so that it's the same width as the screen and maybe 1-2 inches shorter in legnth. Wrap this piece in aluminum foil and place it on top so that there is a small opening on each end for ventilation. This should help hold in both heat and humidity. Also, if you are using any wood type substrate, make sure you only have somewhere between 1/2"- 1" thick layer. If this doesn't help and you still need the lamp, just adjust the length of the top panel to accomodate the lamp, making sure that there is about 1" between the panel and lamp...

Well, I think I'm going to switch to plastic tubs instead. What would be the best UTH and thermostat without having to pay too much?

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Originally Posted by Immy

Well, I think I'm going to switch to plastic tubs instead. What would be the best UTH and thermostat without having to pay too much?

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I size my UTH's to cover at least 1/3 but not more than about 1/2 of the floor space of the enclosure. Several people use the Hydrofarm thermostat which is inexpensive and pretty reliable, from what I've heard...

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...1529683&sr=1-7

I just read the reviews on that sucker and half of the comments were reptile owners who use it on their snake cages. They all gave it 5 stars. Hhope they aren't trolls, but i doubt it. When I get some cash, I'm buying that thing..

I had the same issue with the zoo med it when it clicks on has a huge range before it shuts off then it gets low and that same thing happens in reverse the other problem is that as a diligent keeper you are constantly fiddling with the simple thing and causing greater seesawing. I have a cheap idea that may work and a better one that will cost some.

The best solution in my opinion (and I run dual heat too) is a better thermostat like a herpstat 2 but that amps up the cost.

The second solution is easier is to remove the heat source from the tank and attach it to something like 1/4 inch PVCX material or HDPE both are plastics and will buffer the radical swings off it will hold heat and keep temps better during the off swing and heats slowly during the on powered up swing. It may not work will but I have used this exact set up as temporary holding during an emergency rescue I have been involved with (160 animals arrived and needed to be put up for 30 days... with 12 hours notice)

I have never used a hydrofarm but after my experiences with the zoo med I am distrustful of all on/off type controllers.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Immy

I just read the reviews on that sucker and half of the comments were reptile owners who use it on their snake cages. They all gave it 5 stars. Hhope they aren't trolls, but i doubt it. When I get some cash, I'm buying that thing..

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I use the Hydrofarm thermostat and I would give it a 4 out of 5 stars. One or two times I've waken up with the temps a tad bit too high. So I'll adjust the setting and everything's alright. I just wouldn't suggest going on vacation for a week or two w/o supervision. Besides that I would suggest the Hydrofarm for a single tub.

not to intrude but what should be the max heat temp in a tub my rack system? mine flux. and i have a herpstat but it will flux. between 89-96 and thats with 4" flexwatt and whats weird is its only like every other tub? i use the same substrate in all of them like one will be 88 one will be 94 and one will be 90 and some times one or 2 will be 96 and i dont know why my house is always at a constant temp around 74 but the room they are in is useualy 76-78

My rack used to do the same, there is a lot of line loss with cheap wire I re wired all mine with heater cord and that helped some the other thing is if you have a string of flexwatt off a line try running the first to the plug at the bottom and the last at the top the top is always going to be the warmest and bottom the coldest. I actually don't use the top and bottom most drawers. I find the rack to be much more work than the enclosures I have, when I finish some of the reno work I am doing (if I finish it seems like it has been forever now...) I will add some more enclosures and transfer the last 3 snakes to them.