Adding a Second Heat Source

Hey everyone,

I got a new hatchling B-P 2 weeks ago. Living in VT its been pretty tough keeping his home up to temp without having to blast the heat in my apartment everyday. I went and bought a second heating pad today for his terrarium. Got a small Zoo Med one. His cage is about 80 degrees throughout. To warm it up/create a better heat gradient I want to put the new one on the back left of the tank. There is already a medium sized one on the bottom on the side of his hidey thing. Also, I bought a terrarium liner similar to this one: http://www.petco.com/product/110024/...ackground.aspx that has a tropical background and I taped that to the inside of the tank. It isn't an adhesive or paper, it's like a plastic-y photo paper. I'm almost positive I should remove it if I'm adding the new heatsource but just wanted to check to see what you guys thought. Do you think the small heat pad will get so hot it will cause the liner to bubble/melt? There's nothing for the snake to climb on on that side except the thermometer but he usually doesn't.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Dev

I have found that the smaller ones get hotter than the bigger ones.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747

Another heat mat will add a heat source but it will barley up the ambient temp in the tank. If you grab a 50w red heat lamp that will do a better job of upping the whole tanks temp. Is your mat currently hooked up to a thermostat? what size tank do you have? wheres the humidity at?( a heat lamp will drop the humidity inside of a tank).
Either way adding a heat bulb will be much more effective then adding a UTH to the back of your tank.

NEVER put tape in a snakes enclosure.

And for the thermometer probe wire I recommend silicon or hot glue. That way he can't get into it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747

Thanks guys! I have some work to do now for sure as the background is indeed taped to the inside of the tank. Its double sided so the paper isnt peeling but nontheless. I only got the damn bg because the tank looked so boring with what I could afford to put in it.

The tank is 10G, average temp (with heat blasted) is 80 throughout the tank, no heat gradient. However if I don't blast the heat it stay around 60-70 degrees. Humidity usually around 20-30%. Pretty broke right now but will buy a bigger tank as soon as possible. Also grabbed a massive aquarium big enough for many, many snakes from my work. Just too big for my apartment right now. Has a big wooden stand and everything. Excited to set it up.. Anyway, back to the point here..

I've read that heat bulbs should be avoided as they can hurt/burn the snake. But I've also read that the basking light is important. Which is it?

I don't have the heat mats hooked to a control yet as I can't afford that piece yet.

Here's a picture of my current set-up:

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8682/mpx.JPG

Your humidity gauge should be a few inches off of the ground and center of tank..u won't ge an accurate reading where u have it and especially near the water bowl..I'd also put my water bowl more to mid tank.

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Originally Posted by MontyPython22

Another heat mat will add a heat source but it will barley up the ambient temp in the tank. If you grab a 50w red heat lamp that will do a better job of upping the whole tanks temp. Is your mat currently hooked up to a thermostat? what size tank do you have? wheres the humidity at?( a heat lamp will drop the humidity inside of a tank).
Either way adding a heat bulb will be much more effective then adding a UTH to the back of your tank.

NEVER put tape in a snakes enclosure.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dev_DeCoste

Thanks guys! I have some work to do now for sure as the background is indeed taped to the inside of the tank. Its double sided so the paper isnt peeling but nontheless. I only got the damn bg because the tank looked so boring with what I could afford to put in it.

The tank is 10G, average temp (with heat blasted) is 80 throughout the tank, no heat gradient. However if I don't blast the heat it stay around 60-70 degrees. Humidity usually around 20-30%. Pretty broke right now but will buy a bigger tank as soon as possible. Also grabbed a massive aquarium big enough for many, many snakes from my work. Just too big for my apartment right now. Has a big wooden stand and everything. Excited to set it up.. Anyway, back to the point here..

I've read that heat bulbs should be avoided as they can hurt/burn the snake. But I've also read that the basking light is important. Which is it?

I don't have the heat mats hooked to a control yet as I can't afford that piece yet.

Here's a picture of my current set-up:

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8682/mpx.JPG

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The gauge on the left is just a temp gauge. Middle is 2-in-1 but I will move it lower once I get some hot glue.

I'm assuming I need to completely clean the tank since I brought same tape in there and have to remove the background... What would be the best way of doing this? Would the solutions sold at PetCo suffice?

For cleaning,there are a lot of ways. Ur best bet is speak to the more experienced about that..go and check husbandry forum ..when I clean my tank,I use some light bleach and alcohol wipes and rinse the hell out of it and let it air dry til completely scent free..

why are u removing the back round? I have reg black construction paper on 3 sides of mine

The background is taped to the inside of the tank, I am putting a heat source behind it (I would get a bulb like recommended but I already have the 2nd mat and can't afford another lamp. The bulb alone is $20, the fixture is another 20. At least where I was looking?

What if I just put the small one on the bottom so I had 2 on the bottom? Would that get too hot?

Also, how long will B-P be okay with slightly less than ideal living conditions? Have to admit I jumped the gun and bought the little guy as soon as I could afford the whole set up, but like the rookie I am didn't think about all the small little pop-up expenses of stuff you need later.

I'm a low-income college student so I have to save up. But Im gonna save up and follow The Serpent Merchants guide: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-With-Pictures!

Thanks!

You're gonna have to keep the room temperature up so the tank is at least 80. To low a temp for too long is an respiratory infection waiting to happen. And a vet is way more expensive

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

Ya... you definitely need a heat gradient!

The setup can get pricey. You'll need a thermostat (if you don't already have one) to keep the UTH around 90F - if you can't afford one right now, because those can be expensive, you can try a rheostat or lamp dimmer for like $5 at any box store and see if that works.
You will also want to get another hide or two! At least one for each side of the heat gradient in the tank. The beautiful thing about this is, hides can be FREE! You can make them from any sort of box (ie. 1/3 of a tissue box) or plastic container upside-down with a hole cut in it (ie. margerine container). Just make sure the edges aren't too sharp and you're good to go!

I use the "free" hides right now, knowing that my BP will grow quickly. I also have a red 50W bulb that I use to keep the ambient temps up, and a UTH with thermostat (Jumpstart thermostat from Amazon, it's on sale right now http://www.amazon.ca/Jumpstart-Digit...art+thermostat).

Definitely check out Kijiji (or Craig's list in you are in the US) for some used things if you are tight for cash. I can totally understand, being in university, living on my own, with 2 snakes :P


It's good that you came here for help though! Good luck!

Thanks! I'm going to be buying this tank http://burlington.craigslist.org/for/4140409288.html for $10 tomorrow or the next day. I can use Bill Me Later to get a few things off Amazon, so I can get the essentials within the next week or so. So the most important things right now are a temp control like you linked and another hide? Right now I have 2 thermostats and a humidity gauge, a basking lamp and a heat mat but no control for it. I have 2 heat mats though so I'm trying to find the best spot for the second one.

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Originally Posted by NH93

Ya... you definitely need a heat gradient!

The setup can get pricey. You'll need a thermostat (if you don't already have one) to keep the UTH around 90F - if you can't afford one right now, because those can be expensive, you can try a rheostat or lamp dimmer for like $5 at any box store and see if that works.
You will also want to get another hide or two! At least one for each side of the heat gradient in the tank. The beautiful thing about this is, hides can be FREE! You can make them from any sort of box (ie. 1/3 of a tissue box) or plastic container upside-down with a hole cut in it (ie. margerine container). Just make sure the edges aren't too sharp and you're good to go!

I use the "free" hides right now, knowing that my BP will grow quickly. I also have a red 50W bulb that I use to keep the ambient temps up, and a UTH with thermostat (Jumpstart thermostat from Amazon, it's on sale right now http://www.amazon.ca/Jumpstart-Digit...art+thermostat).

Definitely check out Kijiji (or Craig's list in you are in the US) for some used things if you are tight for cash. I can totally understand, being in university, living on my own, with 2 snakes :P


It's good that you came here for help though! Good luck!

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Also, how do units like these control humidity? http://www.spyderrobotics.com/produc...12redline.html

If nothing goes in the cage I don't quite get how it changes anything. Just doing some research and want to understand things a bit better. Once I get my school return I want to deck my lil guy out with a nice, big semi-new set up :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dev_DeCoste

Also, how do units like these control humidity? http://www.spyderrobotics.com/produc...12redline.html

If nothing goes in the cage I don't quite get how it changes anything. Just doing some research and want to understand things a bit better. Once I get my school return I want to deck my lil guy out with a nice, big semi-new set up :)

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I don't quite understand your second question.

Also, I don't use that herpstat unit so I am of no help there :P maybe someone else will chime in!

But you ABSOLUTELY need some way to control the heat, because those mats can and will get to above 120F which WILL burn your snake!!
If you don't get anything to regulate the heat output, don't bother even plugging them in until you do. Just make sure to have the heat a constant 80-85F with a bulb until then, and don't feed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NH93

I don't quite understand your second question.

Also, I don't use that herpstat unit so I am of no help there :P maybe someone else will chime in!

But you ABSOLUTELY need some way to control the heat, because those mats can and will get to above 120F which WILL burn your snake!!
If you don't get anything to regulate the heat output, don't bother even plugging them in until you do. Just make sure to have the heat a constant 80-85F with a bulb until then, and don't feed.

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Okay thanks! I'll order one today.

I basically don't get how units regulate humidity.

The product description states:

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·Configurable for Heating, Cooling, Lighting, and Humidity.

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However the unit sits outside the tank and for humidity control you just have to buy a humidity probe and you can then regulate the tanks humidity as well. How it do that? haha

For some reason I cant edit the above post...

The product description states:

"These units can be used for precision temperature control, lighting control and even humidity control."

Ohhhh I think maybe it's for humidity equipment (ex. for frogs or whatnot) to be hooked up to it.
You will have to manually keep an eye on the humidity :P there are many ways to do this of course. If you have questions about that, search some other threads about humidity control :) there's lots!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NH93

Ohhhh I think maybe it's for humidity equipment (ex. for frogs or whatnot) to be hooked up to it.
You will have to manually keep an eye on the humidity :P there are many ways to do this of course. If you have questions about that, search some other threads about humidity control :) there's lots!

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Yeah humidity is also a tricky situation. I've been looking around the forums trying to find a good solution

So I added a second hide to the cool end. Temp is still around 80 throughout. I repositions the hot-hide so that only half the heating pad overlaps it. That way it doesn't just cook inside the hide. Moved the water dish to the center.. Came home and he was exploring the new set up. Have to admit it is pretty cramped in there now.

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/6052/5hx4.jpg