tub heating

Hey guys, I'm trying to get everything set up for a bp in the near future and have a couple questions. I'm going the tub route and every thread has suggested a uth on 1/3 to 1/2 of the tub. So what about the other side? Do I just have to get a separate uth and thermostat for it? Temps in the room will be 70-75 for the most part. I'm about to head to petsmart to pick up an uth. Do they sell a thermometer worth getting? I'd rather not have to order it.

Thanks!

The UTH is just to create a hot spot. When measuring temps, the warm side should be 88-92. And cool side should be around 80 and no less than 75 minimum. (Below 75 and your snake risks upper respiratory infection.)
This allows the snake to thermoregulate itself so both sides don't need to be warmed up.
I have my rooms at 70-75. My tub hot sides are at 91. The cool side is perfect at 80 naturally, so no need for anything extra.
And you would still need a thermostat for the one UTH you are getting.
If you can't properly warm up the tubs, you may have to buy a space heater and heat the room a little extra.

If you're going to buy a thermometer, get a digital one. The stick on dial ones are worthless. The petstore kind is decent. If you want a more accurate reader, get an infrared temp gun from Amazon or a hardware store. Those are really the best.

Thank you for doing your research and setting up your enclosure before getting your new snake! Not many people prepare these days anymore.
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Make sure to order your thermostat first.
You'll probably have to order one online since most petsmarts/petco's charge $45-$50 for a cheap repti-temp that can be ordered for $30 online.

I would suggest setting up the tub UTH, substrate, hides, thermometers, water bowl with water and T-stat before you get the snake. Well before, I have personally never had a tub hold more than a 2-3 degrees over the ambient air temp, this is with your low end still very cold and it may take more figuring to keep the correct cool end temps. This is ALWAYS best done with out the snake in there. Patience Royal Pythons are a long lived animal there is no point to rushing in and having the animal suffer. Take your time and get it right before the snake is added into the mix.

Cool thanks for the help. I picked up some stuff today. Do you guys think this uth will be enough for this tub?
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0571.jpg

It is the one rated for 30-40 gallon tanks.

Also what thermostat do y'all recommend?

Yup that one should be fine, is it a rainforest or desert?

Yes, but the Uth needs to be on the outside of the tub.

A good thermostat is a herpstat, but they're costly. Definitely worth it though, I love mine.

On amazon, you can find a cheaper one called a hydrofarm

Sweet. And yea I just put it in there for the pic.

Not sure if its a rainforest or desert. Here's a pic of the package it came in.

http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0572.jpg

sorry wrong company i was thinking of exo terra. my mistake.

Got the thermostat in today. Is the uth going to melt the plastic if it gets too hot?

thats why you got the thermostat:D

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Originally Posted by stanton3

Got the thermostat in today. Is the uth going to melt the plastic if it gets too hot?

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As long as you hook up the thermostat to the UTH and set it up, it will not melt the plastic. Your UTH shouldn't get hotter than 94 IMO.

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Your UTH shouldn't get hotter than 94 IMO.

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This is about right ^^
If you use a on/off thermostat follow it's cycle from on to off to back on again and try to make it so it's hottest point is about 94 degrees.
This should get you temps like:

78 cool end
86-87 warm end
90-92 directly on the hot spot.

Depending on how cool your rooms ambient temp is of course.

Let's see how it looks when you're finished :gj:

Cool thanks! Slowly getting the temp up now. Still looking for some hides and a water bowl. Went to walmart but couldn't find anything like the ones in the stickies. Going to try a few other places now.

Try goodwill or value village. :)

You can order the black plastic hides from ReptileBasics.com. Or, you can get some plastic bowls from most any dollar store and melt or cut holes in them for hides...

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Most plastic tubs can take plenty of heat unless you've bought the absolute cheapest one. I have a Sterilite and it's about 1/8" thick. My UTH/thermostat has to be set on 100 for 88-90 on the hot side. Doesn't feel like much heat at all to the touch, so I know it will last as long as the UTH holds up.

Went to another store and found some small buckets and cut them down. Also bought a plastic water bowl.
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0581.jpg
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0582.jpg
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0585.jpg

Just a general set up. Will pick up some aspen chips tomorrow to finish it out. The humidity naturally is in the mid 40's so it shouldn't be hard to get it up a little more with some misting. The only thing concerning me is this.

http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0587.jpg

Which should I trust? Both are basically in the same spot.

I've put 6 pen size holes in the front and back. Should I go ahead and add more?

I have a larger tub for my boa and what I use is the UTH with a dimmer switch from Home Depot with a warm spot at 91. I also use a CHE above the tub a few inches just to bump the ambient temp to low 80's. They also have great thermostats with humidity gauges at Wall Mart for $12 that comes with two heat probes and the hunidity gauge so it works perfect to measure your hot spot and ambient temps at the same time with a digital display. Hope this helps!

Yea, I think i have what you're talking about on the left. It measures the hot spot by a probe(big numbers) then ambient and humidity below.

Yeah, I saw that after I posted lol. I was thinking about posting a "oops I'm way late" post because I commented before I went to page two. Looks like you have a pretty good set up. With your gages I would err on the side of caution and drop the temp 3-4 degrees and that would put you in range on both instruments and should be just fine. I would also go ahead and put the subsrate in and monitor the temps for a day that way as well. Welcome to the forum, I'm pretty new also and there is a wealth of good advice and feedback from the members!

Hydrofarms are not known for accuracy.

I have 7 now (work related and failsafes) and not one is correct, they all read high some by as much as 4ºF. Accurites are also not particularly accurate I have owned 3 and the best was 2ºF in error. The problem with cheap thermostats they are not accurate and same for cheap thermometers, accuracy is suspect. My advise is to trust neither. I always recommend buying 3-5 thermometers and testing them all against each other typically some will be reading the same and few few will be of of this point. I discard the ones that read away from the group. I use the cheapest thermometers I can find I usually only pay a dollar or two for them. ESU make a cheap one. most digital thermometers have an accuracy range, the most common is +/-2ºF I believe accurite is actually +/-2ºC (4ºF) making it greater than most. The hydrofarms tstats are also rated at 2ºC so it is very easy for one to be 4º high of correct and the other to be 4º low of correct and that is if they are acting as the manufacturer designed them.

http://images58.fotki.com/v85/photos...CA_0373-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

The large dial under my hand is a scientific thermometer it is very accurate (traced) and very costly... It is clear that 23.4ºC is correct and the majority are in that 23.2-23.6 range basically correct. the fluckers and exoterras clearly are wrong and the ir gun is way way wrong (reflecting issues) at a whopping 13ºF high. (illustrating that IR guns do reflect off glossy surfaces and can be exceptionally incorrect when not understood.)

http://images114.fotki.com/v1605/pho...CA_9509-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

Same science grade thermometer (26.9ºC = 80.42ºF) The hydrofarms read 83.8,82.4 and 81.6. Clearly in error. I had returned two of my accurites because they were beyond the designed specs (2ºC+/-) my third replacement was just inside the specs at 1.6ºC (about 2ºF) I gave it to my father as I will not 'live' with two degrees in error.

Hmm. Guess I need another thermometer. Here is the general setup as of now. Still needs a little tweaking.

http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0590.jpg
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0591.jpg
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0593.jpg

This is obviously going to be a problem. Should I just bring the wires in from the bottom?
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0594.jpg
http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0595.jpg

Thoughts?

I don't fasten wires in the enclosure I keep one end loose so they can't be broken. My idea about this is not to be bothered the ability to be tangled is low.


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Looks like way too much substrate. I think you have the right idea with the wires. Maybe drill the hole closer to the bottom but still through the side? I hot glued mine in a few spots to keep the wires along the bottom so it's harder for my snakes to get under them and get tangled.

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Whats the best way to DECREASE humidity? I've put some more holes in it but it's still a little too high.

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Originally Posted by stanton3

Whats the best way to DECREASE humidity? I've put some more holes in it but it's still a little too high.

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More holes. More air flow in the room. Smaller water dish.
I have 2 rows of 1 inch apart holes that go around my tubs and I get perfect sheds. The natural humidity in my area is ~50% anyway though. Some people have more or less holes than me so it really depends on your room humidity too.

But honestly, as long as there's no standing moisture or condensation on the sides, I wouldn't worry about humidity being too high. Hygrometers aren't that accurate unless it's science or musical instrument grade so the reading could be off.

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Well guys, don't be mad, but...I went to a expo this weekend and didn't come home with a bp!

http://i1013.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMAG0608.jpg

He's a hypo brooks king. I saw him and just couldn't help myself. I'll still be around just in the king forum a little more. :)

That is beautiful! Great first snake, and you won't be frustrated with feeding issues! He will be even brighter and prettier after he sheds! Congrats!

The brooks kings are easier to heat lower cool ambients and hot spots. Nice looking snake!

Congrats on the new snake! He's lovely.

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Thanks guys! Maybe a bp next time.

What would you suggest for the most accurate thermometer that doesn't cost a fortune? I need an accurate way to measure the temp at the level of the substrate.

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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGuy

Most plastic tubs can take plenty of heat unless you've bought the absolute cheapest one. I have a Sterilite and it's about 1/8" thick. My UTH/thermostat has to be set on 100 for 88-90 on the hot side. Doesn't feel like much heat at all to the touch, so I know it will last as long as the UTH holds up.

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just out of pure curiosity where did your steralites come from I have a number but mine are all between 1/32 and 1/16 depending on where it is measured... I would love heavier for the new hatchling rack I am designing...