Trouble on the cool side

I've spent the past couple of days trying to get my temps dialed in before my snake arrives Tuesday and I'm having trouble keeping the cool side in the low 80s during the day. My current setup is a 36x23x14 pro-line cage from Constrictors Northwest and a 55 watt Pro-Products RHP on a Hydrofarm thermostat (upgrading in the near future). I'm also using the AcuRite thermometer. The thermometer body sits on the cool side and the thermometer and thermostat probes are hanging 3/4 of the way down the wall closest to the RHP. With the thermostat set to 90°, the warm side fluctuates between 88 and 90 day and night. During the day the cool side stays around 86 and drops to 83 late at night. The ambient room temperatures are 75 late at night and 78-82 during the day. The humidity in the enclosure stays between 55% and 60% constantly. I don't currently have a temp gun, but I can order one via Amazon and have it here in two days. Any recommendations?

Here are my current readings
Warm side: 90
Cool side: 87
Humidity: 57%
Room: 80

Should I add a couple of vent holes on the cool side? If so, where? Top, bottom, middle, etc. This will be my first snake and I want to have everything as close to perfect as possible before he gets here, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Everything sounds great so far, so well done :)

I would add some ventilation to the set up, near the top to let the warmer air flow out. You may have to mist your viv as the humidity may go a little below desired, but that might not even happen! Hope it goes well for ya!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by George1994

Everything sounds great so far, so well done :)

I would add some ventilation to the set up, near the top to let the warmer air flow out. You may have to mist your viv as the humidity may go a little below desired, but that might not even happen! Hope it goes well for ya!

---

Thanks! I did months of research, mostly on this forum, before ordering any supplies. Now it's all done and I'm really excited for Tuesday.

Which side do I add the holes to? Cool, warm, both? It stays pretty humid here this time of the year and I run a humidifier all winter, so that shouldn't be a problem.

It is nice to see, I was the same before I got mine! I still look up information all the time regarding reptiles :)

Id them to both, that should allow some airflow. Remember, you can always add more holes, it will be difficult to plug holes though. So take it slow until you reach a good temp!

Your terrarium is way too hot.

Your ambient temp in the enclosure should be 78-82. If you want to create a hot spot for your BP, you should do it with heat tape. Most breeders however have been very successful in just keeping the ambient temps at the suggested temperature without providing a hot spot.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

Your terrarium is way too hot.

Your ambient temp in the enclosure should be 78-82. If you want to create a hot spot for your BP, you should do it with heat tape. Most breeders however have been very successful in just keeping the ambient temps at the suggested temperature without providing a hot spot.

---

Okay. I was under the impression that I needed a temperature gradient, which is what I was aiming to provide. So would you suggest that I skip the ventilation holes and lower the thermostat to try and get the whole enclosure in the lower 80° range instead of having a warm/cool side?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by callie

Okay. I was under the impression that I needed a temperature gradient, which is what I was aiming to provide. So would you suggest that I skip the ventilation holes and lower the thermostat to try and get the whole enclosure in the lower 80° range instead of having a warm/cool side?

---

You should have a temp gradient. Allowing the snake to thermoregulate is natural. Vent holes will lower your ambient temps. That is what I was assuming you meant to be honest.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/07/21/zumy2uqu.jpg

Aim for this as your ambient, with a warm side of 32c/90f

How are you heating the viv? A heat mat shouldnt heat the air that much...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by callie

Okay. I was under the impression that I needed a temperature gradient, which is what I was aiming to provide. So would you suggest that I skip the ventilation holes and lower the thermostat to try and get the whole enclosure in the lower 80° range instead of having a warm/cool side?

---

I'd definitely suggest to lower the temp for right now. If you want to create a temp gradient, you can buy a peice of heat tape (reptilebasics.com even connects it for you)and put it under a third or half of your enclosure (regulated with a thermostat) and that will create a temp gradient for your enclosure.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

I'd definitely suggest to lower the temp for right now. If you want to create a temp gradient, you can buy a peice of heat tape (reptilebasics.com even connects it for you)and put it under a third or half of your enclosure (regulated with a thermostat) and that will create a temp gradient for your enclosure.

---

In accordance with this, purchace a infrared heat gun and find out the temps of the heat tape you are using. Make sure your thermostat isnt faulty.

It's being heated by a RHP connected to a thermostat. The thermostat is set to 90 and the side below the RHP holds out between 88 and 90 day and night, but the cool side/ambient temp is staying at 86. So I need to go ahead with the ventilation holes, correct? I'm sorry if I'm confusing! I know I've confused the hell out of myself.

Edit: The snake won't be here until this week, so I have a few days to get everything sorted out. I don't want anyone thinking I'm cooking a snake while trying to get everything adjusted.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by callie

It's being heated by a RHP connected to a thermostat. The thermostat is set to 90 and the side below the RHP holds out between 88 and 90 day and night, but the cool side/ambient temp is staying at 86. So I need to go ahead with the ventilation holes, correct? I'm sorry if I'm confusing! I know I've confused the hell out of myself.

---

As Mr. Misha said, lower the temps for now, don't allow the snake to get too hot. Just keep both sides warm for now. Get some heat tape, test the temps of the tape and see how the ambient is then :)

Also, don't stress, you seem to know what are doing and this is easily sorted. My temps were too cold for the forst 3 weeks I had my male BP. He is fine :)

I would not add vent holes now. That is going to drop your humidity and you honestly don't even know the needed information on your setup to make the correct change. You cant un-add holes, and covering them with tape will not look great. Venting is more of a humidity fix and I would worry about that last especially since you don't have the snake yet. Wait until you get the temp gun.

Being that your using a rhp and the side temps at the probe are reaching 90 I bet the center surface temp directly under the rhp is much higher than desired. This is what you need the IR temp gun for. You need to know the surface temp. If it were me I would drop the temp a few degrees until you get the temp gun and can check the surface temps. Then once you get that dialed in you can worry about vent holes for your humidity, 50-60 should be great if you can maintain that. As it stands I think you are going to need to drop your temps and the current venting will be fine.

As for a gradient. As long as you have a hotspot surface temp around 88-90 and the rest of the cage has a ambient temp around 78-80 you are good.

I think KMG wrote out the best solution for you right here.

As for the temp gradient, it's definitely what a lot of people prefer (including myself) but not required as long as your ambient temps in the right range.

Thanks for all of the replies. It can get kind of confusing trying to understand multiple replies, so I appreciate everyone being patient and helping. I haven't added any holes and I've lowered the thermostat from 90 to 84. Does that sound okay? I'm also looking at temp guns right now. Is the Pro Exotics PE2 a good choice or do you have better suggestions?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006V4...5883192&sr=8-2

I own that and it is perfect! Slightly cheaper :)

That temp should be okay for the snake to go straight into, both sides should be good for him.

I got this one from Amazon. I actually got it for $9 but they have gone up just a tad to $16. I got this one because it takes a regular 9volt battery and not some expensive specialty battery. It has been awesome for me and I have had it a couple years now. It also has a built in laser that is tons of fun for my bulldog to chase.

http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Accuracy-N...ds=ir+temp+gun

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KMG

I got this one from Amazon. I actually got it for $9 but they have gone up just a tad to $16. I got this one because it takes a regular 9volt battery and not some expensive specialty battery. It has been awesome for me and I have had it a couple years now. It also has a built in laser that is tons of fun for my bulldog to chase.

http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Accuracy-N...ds=ir+temp+gun

---

Same one I linked to, for some reason the link is messed up... Maybe it is a mobile site or something.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KMG

I got this one from Amazon. I actually got it for $9 but they have gone up just a tad to $16. I got this one because it takes a regular 9volt battery and not some expensive specialty battery. It has been awesome for me and I have had it a couple years now. It also has a built in laser that is tons of fun for my bulldog to chase.

http://www.amazon.com/HDE-Accuracy-N...ds=ir+temp+gun

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by George1994

Same one I linked to, for some reason the link is messed up... Maybe it is a mobile site or something.

---

Thanks! I ordered it and got one day shipping, so I'll have it Tuesday.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by callie

Thanks! I ordered it and got one day shipping, so I'll have it Tuesday.

---

Good stuff :)

You will spend an hour shooting random things around the house with it haha!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by callie

Thanks! I ordered it and got one day shipping, so I'll have it Tuesday.

---

Good deal! Once you get it you will be able to dial in the setup quick.

Okay, picking up where I left off now that I've received the temp gun. I've had the thermostat set at 84 and repositioned the thermostat and thermometer probes so that they are centered underneath the RHP. Humidity has been holding out between 60 and 65%.

Thermostat is set to 84
Thermometer body & probe say 83
Temp gun is reading 81 on the bedding inside both hides and on the bedding outside
Surface temperature of the RHP (taken with temp gun) is 82.5
Ambient room temperature is 84

What should my next step be? I just want to double check everything with you guys, especially now that the snake is here. The last thing I want to do is hurt or stress the little guy. Thanks again.

How are the probes centered under the rhp? Post a pic.

Also check out this thread and see post 2, its how I mount my probes to rhp. Works very well.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...932&viewfull=1

I just want to make sure the probe is not in a position that would allow the snake to block the heat from reaching the probe. If that happens the rhp will run hot.

I'm sorry, it's the thermometer probe that is centered. It's resting on a branch under the RHP. I actually used the photo you posted in that thread to reposition the thermostat probe using a zip tie and hot glue.

http://i.imgur.com/NdrVKO2.jpg

I would watch the setup and monitor the numbers over the next day or two and see if and when you get any temp swings either surface or ambient.

If any adjustment is needed do it very slowly. As in 1/2 a degree at a time with a few hours in between so the numbers will again stabilize.

With the ambient temp already kinda high I dont think you are going go be able go raise the rhp much more. You may end up needing a uth too, or in place of the rhp. I have some rhp in four of my cages but I really only like it for the gtp. They just don't heat the cage well enough so I use uth with a oil filled heater to heat the entire room. I do still have the rhp running but they are set lower to give just a tad of heat from above.

Another issue I started to have is when they were cranked up to give the proper hotspot the heat from the rhp was going through the cage and adding more heat to the cage floor above it causing the hotspot to be to warm. I have three stacked and they have a gap but the heat was still building which is one main reason I had to turn them down and use uth as my primary source.

Keeping the thermostat at 84 for the next day or so while I monitor temps will be okay for the snake, right? I just want to make sure. The room usually drops to about 75 late at night and that's when I get the biggest change in the temperatures inside the tank. I'll record the temps when it cools down in here tonight and again during the hottest part of the day tomorrow and see what should be done then.