Heat source in tank isnt good?

So I set up my ball python tank and I just got him yesterday and I see that he has only been right up against the wall of the tank where I have a heat pad. I'm not an expert but I think this means that the air temp in the cage it's too cold. I have a 100w bulb over the tank about 13" above the substrate but I don't think its doing anything besides sucking the humidity out of the air. Is the heat pad good enough? Can he do alright by just being beside the pad when he is cold? I do have a newteck thermostat attached to the tank in case you were concerned about that.

Are you measuring your temperatures in any way? That's the only way to tell if it is too cold. Pics of your setup will also help.

I have a an exo terra thermometer at the top of the tank, a newteck thermostat that turns everything off when it reaches a certain temperature (currently set to turn off at 85 F) and I have an infrared non-contact temperature gun that I use to measure exact spots of the tank

Is the thermometer digital or analog? Either way, it won't do you any good to measure the temps at the top of the tank. You want to measure the temperature where the snake is actually at (ground). The dial thermometers aren't very accurate so a digital style thermometer with a probe will be much better for you to get an idea.

Reading a care sheet will do you a lot of good.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

Something else to get you on the right track. Very easy to follow

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-With-Pictures!

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/show...hp?i=50357&c=3

Picture of my setup. I'm new to this site so I'm doing the best I can, haha

Well, first things first, that heating pad is meant to go underneath of the tank. not on the side. Which heat source do you have hooked up to the thermostat?

I have it taped to the glass where the bigger heat pad is. The instructions that came with the pad said it was ok to put it on the side. It wont heat through the substrate when its on the bottom anyway

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/show...hp?i=50358&c=3

Just to be clear, you only have the one heat pad right?

I don't think it's going to do you any good on the glass. If it were, I don't think the snake would be up against the glass like that. If it doesn't heat through the substrate, you can use less substrate. That looks like a pretty thick layer, I don't think anything would heat through it.

That looks like a 55 gallon to me. I would consider downsizing to a 20 gallon long or something around that size. A 55 gallon is pretty tall to have to heat up and the snake isn't going to use that vertical space. But to answer your original question, no, that heat pad alone is not going to be good enough for that cage, especially if it's on the side like that.

One thing you'll definitely want to do no matter what is get that tape out of the enclosure. Your snake WILL at some point find a way to peel it off and get it stuck to itsself.

I have a 10 gallon heat pad on the side and a 50 gallon heat pad on the back

This is what I would do if I had the materials that you have.

I'm not sure what that substrate is, but personally, I would switch it out for newspaper or paper towel (that's all I really have experience using) and put the larger heat pad underneath of the tank. Situating the probe in between the heat pad and the glass, having both on the outside of the tank. Set the temp on your thermostat to 90, and then use your temp gun and measure the floor of the cage right above the heat pad. Make adjustments to the thermostat until your temp gun is reading between 88 and 92.

I would move the lamp to the middle of the enclosure, and cover the majority of the screen top with aluminum foil. Buy a digital thermometer and put it on one end of the cage, and put the probe for it on the other. If your temperature is too high because of the light, you may need to buy a dimmer switch and adjust it until you get the proper ambient temp of 80 to 83.

i agree with tbowman, the first thing you need to do is get the under tank heater under the tank. heat rises and trust me if the snake feels that warmth there in my experience he/she will burrow down close enough to get warm on it. which is where your probe for the thermostat comes in to make sure it doesnt burn itself.
also as tbowman said on the screen lid take a couple lengths of aluminum foil and cover most but not all of the screen with the reflective side down to keep heat and humidity within the enclosure(this is an adaptation ive also recently made and it has helped immensely) put the light in between thee two strips of foil leaving just enough room between them so your snake can get decent airflow still.
there are a TON of resources on this site as i am finding out myself, i considered myself to be reasonably knowledgeable about BP's and im finding so much more information that these people have shared through their own professions and experience, its made me fall in love with this hobby all over again.
use the Husbandry forum and do independent research on your animal and it will help you greatly.
its a learning process for everyone, this too shall pass.

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Originally Posted by CharlieThePython

I have a 10 gallon heat pad on the side and a 50 gallon heat pad on the back

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No one???? Really???
I see 3 things plugged into that thermostat, I will guess a small heat pad, a larger heat pad and an overhead heat lamp?
You are not properly regulating these. they are not identical and that thermostat is not multi zoned so I know two out of those 3 devices is not running as it should.

The pads are fine the way they are, it would be the same as running back heat BUT it wont be as efficient as belly heat. FYI your snake can burrow and your substrate doesn't need to be that thick anyway.
Your probe should be between the mat and glass, tape is the WORST thing to have inside an enclosure.

So I did some reconstruction on the tank. I removed about an inch of the substrate and put the heat pads under the tank. I put the probe on the glass under the substrate and set it to turn off at 93 F (both pads heat up the same). I also put foil on the hot side of the tank to reflect some heat that touches the top of his hide. I put a small wet rag on the side of the tank and let 1\2 of the rag inside the tank and put the low heat lamp over the screen so it heats up the rag just a bit. The temperature of the tank is now 91 on top of his hide, 85 inside his hide and about a foot of surface outside his hide, 79 on the cool side, 75 inside the cool side habitat, and the humidity stays at around 50%. He started moving around the habitat a lot more so I'm guessing he's a lot happier. Once I run out of the eco earth substrate I might want to switch to some kind of cypress mulch. Do you guys think that's a little better?

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Originally Posted by CharlieThePython

I put the probe on the glass under the substrate / Do you guys think that's a little better?

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No, Thermostat probe should be between the glass and mat.

Sounds better overall to me, but definitely move the thermostat probe. The issue with having it inside the cage is that, your snake will at some point move, or lay on the probe, and this will cause inaccurate readings on your thermostat. The snake could also urinate on it, which will also effect the reading.

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/show...hp?i=50360&c=3

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CharlieThePython

http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/show...hp?i=50360&c=3

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Looks like the thermostat probe is still on the inside of the enclosure.

I put it beside the hide where he can't reach

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CharlieThePython

I put it beside the hide where he can't reach

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Famous last words...

Alright alright, I taped it right on the heat pad under the tank