Ambient temperatures?

So I was about to order my cage end everything for my ball python and then my mom said no I couldn't heat my rom 24/7 to keep ambient temperatures up. So what should I do? I don't exactly have the money for an RHP (plus they don't even heat air right?) and I heard that heat lamps dry out a cage... What should I do? No space heaters either. BTW my room can get to like 60 degrees during the night and winter. Thanks for you guys's help in advance.:snake:

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Originally Posted by Mizaniverse

So I was about to order my cage end everything for my ball python and then my mom said no I couldn't heat my rom 24/7 to keep ambient temperatures up. So what should I do? I don't exactly have the money for an RHP (plus they don't even heat air right?) and I heard that heat lamps dry out a cage... What should I do? No space heaters either. BTW my room can get to like 60 degrees during the night and winter. Thanks for you guys's help in advance.:snake:

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What type of enclosure are you getting? You may have to deal with the war on humidity with a heat lamp until you can afford a rhp. Just get some substrate that retain moisture such as cypress mulch or the coconut husks.

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Originally Posted by Jon14

What type of enclosure are you getting? You may have to deal with the war on humidity with a heat lamp until you can afford a rhp. Just get some substrate that retain moisture such as cypress mulch or the coconut husks.

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AP T8 thats why I have like no money left :P. Gonna use eco-earth. So should I buy a screen top circle thing?

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Originally Posted by Mizaniverse

AP T8 thats why I have like no money left :P. Gonna use eco-earth. So should I buy a screen top circle thing?

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Yes buy a screen circle. You will also need no bigger then an 8 inch dome with ceramic socket and a ceramic heat emitter.

Are you using flexwatt or a uth also? You will need a thermostat for both the uth and che. Like a herpstat 2.

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Originally Posted by chrid16371

Yes buy a screen circle. You will also need no bigger then an 8 inch dome with ceramic socket and a ceramic heat emitter.

Are you using flexwatt or a uth also? You will need a thermostat for both the uth and che. Like a herpstat 2.

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Yep also getting the herpstat 2. Gonna get a Ultratherm uth. Already have the dome just no che. Anything else I should do/get?

Hold up.... have you gotten the t8 yet? If not, here is my advice... skip the UTH.... get the T8, a Herpstat 1, and an 80w RHP. That RHP will heat your entire enclosure. With the money you save on heat tape and herpstat 2, you should be able to afford the RHP.

T8's are great... but the second you go cutting holes in them for screens, there goes your humidity.

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Originally Posted by Mizaniverse

Yep also getting the herpstat 2. Gonna get a Ultratherm uth. Already have the dome just no che. Anything else I should do/get?

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Instead of the uth, get the THG heat tape. I recently bought some and it works wonders, and it is cheaper.

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How large is the snake you are getting, or do you already have it?

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Originally Posted by Jon14

Instead of the uth, get the THG heat tape. I recently bought some and it works wonders, and it is cheaper.

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How large is the snake you are getting, or do you already have it?

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He's full grown 8 years old.

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Originally Posted by LittleTreeGuy

Hold up.... have you gotten the t8 yet? If not, here is my advice... skip the UTH.... get the T8, a Herpstat 1, and an 80w RHP. That RHP will heat your entire enclosure. With the money you save on heat tape and herpstat 2, you should be able to afford the RHP.

T8's are great... but the second you go cutting holes in them for screens, there goes your humidity.

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This is exactly what you should do. My previous post is still an option but I didn't think about the $100 you will save getting the herpstat 1 instead of 2, not having to buy 8" screen and a 20$ che and not having to buy a uth. That will save you plenty of money to get the 80w rhp from reptile basics and still have some extra cash.

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Originally Posted by LittleTreeGuy

Hold up.... have you gotten the t8 yet? If not, here is my advice... skip the UTH.... get the T8, a Herpstat 1, and an 80w RHP. That RHP will heat your entire enclosure. With the money you save on heat tape and herpstat 2, you should be able to afford the RHP.

T8's are great... but the second you go cutting holes in them for screens, there goes your humidity.

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Okey. What size tape? Also, don't I need to monitor the heat for the RHP (aaand the heat tape)? So woulnd't I need a herpstat 2? Plus, $90 + $115 is barely less than $195 + $20... Also, the dome would be covering the hole in the cage, and I would be using a humidity substrate as well as misting the cage.
So I have 2 options:
1. Herpsat 1, RHP, and THG Tape $240
2. Herpstat 2, UTH, and CHE $240

Which is better?
(btw humidifier in my room so thats not a problem)

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Originally Posted by Mizaniverse

Okey. What size tape? Also, don't I need to monitor the heat for the RHP (aaand the heat tape)? So woulnd't I need a herpstat 2? Plus, $90 + $115 is barely less than $195 + $20... Also, the dome would be covering the hole in the cage, and I would be using a humidity substrate as well as misting the cage.
So I have 2 options:
1. Herpsat 1, RHP, and THG Tape $240
2. Herpstat 2, UTH, and CHE $240

Which is better?

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You don't need heat tape with rhp. You just use the rhp as your only heat device. You mount the rhp on the hot side and put your herpstat probe on the cool side and set it to 80 and you will have your temp gradient.

Here is all you need:

1- T8 with glass doors - and lock 170 + shipping (add LED lights if you want, you can call for this option $40)
1 - 80w RHP from Reptile basics - 90 + shipping
1 - Herpstat 1 - $100 + shipping
1 - jumbo water bowl (reptile basics - $6)
2 - xlarge hides (reptile basics - $20)
fake plants/vines - dollar store.

So, for everything minus your substrate, you're looking at around $425 plus some shipping. I think that's a pretty good setup that will last you a really long time.

Many people are having great success with their BP's using only an RHP and no UTH or Heat tape. No need for a CHE in the setup either. You just need one thermostat to control your single 80w RHP.

Your shipping will be free from reptile basics also. Mine was when I ordered a 160w rhp and 2 hides. I just checked for an 80w and 2 xl hides and it was free shipping as well. Listen to LittleTreeGuy he is absolutely right, this is the smartest way. The other methods would work but you will lose you humidity. I'm banging my head of the wall for not seeing this more clearly before I posted my first post. Also my male is much happier with his rhp then he was with 2 heat mats. My home gets cold like yours.

Should we start off with what your budget is? Also, do you have some form of income? If so, u could wait a week or 2 since the AP T8 takes like 2-3 weeks to get if I remember correctly.

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Originally Posted by Jon14

Should we start off with what your budget is? Also, do you have some form of income? If so, u could wait a week or 2 since the AP T8 takes like 2-3 weeks to get if I remember correctly.

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Good point. Even though the T8 is a "quick ship" item, it's till going to take 3-4 weeks before they ship out to you. Mine took just a tad over 4 weeks, and that was about 2 months ago.

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Originally Posted by LittleTreeGuy

Good point. Even though the T8 is a "quick ship" item, it's till going to take 3-4 weeks before they ship out to you. Mine took just a tad over 4 weeks, and that was about 2 months ago.

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How is it? I am considering buying one later this year. All depends on how long I want to put up with my glass tank.

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Originally Posted by Jon14

How is it? I am considering buying one later this year. All depends on how long I want to put up with my glass tank.

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I love mine. I couldn't really find a bad review about them. I got white LED's and a divider with mine, as my bp is still a hatchling (7months)... So I'm only using one half of it for now, but she'll grow into it. If/when you go this route, with a smaller bp, you need to get two 40w RHP's instead of one 80, so you have room for the divider.

I thought they needed belly heat?

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Originally Posted by LittleTreeGuy

Here is all you need:

1- T8 with glass doors - and lock 170 + shipping (add LED lights if you want, you can call for this option $40)
1 - 80w RHP from Reptile basics - 90 + shipping
1 - Herpstat 1 - $100 + shipping
1 - jumbo water bowl (reptile basics - $6)
2 - xlarge hides (reptile basics - $20)
fake plants/vines - dollar store.

So, for everything minus your substrate, you're looking at around $425 plus some shipping. I think that's a pretty good setup that will last you a really long time.

Many people are having great success with their BP's using only an RHP and no UTH or Heat tape. No need for a CHE in the setup either. You just need one thermostat to control your single 80w RHP.

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Do you need to get a lock? I don't think anyones gonna steal my BP any time soon.

A lock keeps a snake from working a sliding door open as they explore, squishing themselves between the door and frame. Consider it a door latch, aka inexpensive peace of mind, and keep the key on top of the cage. If you have kids (or childish adults) in the house or visiting, a lock can also help keep unauthorized hands off.


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Originally Posted by Prognathodon

A lock keeps a snake from working a sliding door open as they explore, squishing themselves between the door and frame. Consider it a door latch, aka inexpensive peace of mind, and keep the key on top of the cage. If you have kids (or childish adults) in the house or visiting, a lock can also help keep unauthorized hands off.

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For this reason exactly. Nobody in my family really even goes close to my snake enclosure. My snake is small, and isn't able to move the glass doors on her own. BUT.... what if my son has friends over when I'm not there, and they get curious. What if while cleaning or moving stuff around, I bump it and slide the glass open a little? In my house, there really is no chance of that cage being opened by anyone other than me, but for $20, I have the peace of mind knowing that nobody can get into that cage and no snake can get out without my knowledge.

Just cheap piece of mind.

I was worried about ambient temps too. I am waiting on the shipment of my T8 cage. I have ordered an 80Watt RHP for heat. My ambient temps never fall below 70 degrees in the winter. Do you all think I will be fine for ambient temps inside the cage with an 80W RHP heating it??

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Originally Posted by chrid16371

You don't need heat tape with rhp. You just use the rhp as your only heat device. You mount the rhp on the hot side and put your herpstat probe on the cool side and set it to 80 and you will have your temp gradient.

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will that make an effective heat gradient? why do I set it to 80?

Also, my room can drop below 60 😬. Will one 80w rhp be enough to heat it?

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Originally Posted by Mizaniverse

will that make an effective heat gradient? why do I set it to 80?

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Your putting the probe on the cool side so the probe won't be under the rhp so the rhp will heat up hotter to get the cool side to 80 and the hot spot right under the rhp will be around 90. Your other option is to mount the thermostat probe under the rhp around ground level and set it to 90 so that way you know your hot spot will be right and the heat from the rhp will radiat toward the cool side making it around 80. You want to mount the rhp a few inches from the right or left wall whichever side you want to be your hot spot also since there 12.5 inches wide you should mount it so its not all the way to the back of the cage and not all the way to the glass door but an equal distance between. The 80w should be enough, radiant heat panels are really good at heating and at 22.5 inches that's half the cage and a t8 is not very tall so you should be fine. Objects absorb the heat from the rhp. I would say you could upgrade to the 120 but its a little to long for the t8 IMO. You wouldn't be left with much of a cool side with the 120. Also about the lock. You don't have to buy the $20, Lowes sells what's called a showcase lock for $6. I use them on my vision cages. You should be able to use them with t8 with sliding door. You could ask someone on here or call and ask animal plastics.

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Originally Posted by chrid16371

Your putting the probe on the cool side so the probe won't be under the rhp so the rhp will heat up hotter to get the cool side to 80 and the hot spot right under the rhp will be around 90. Your other option is to mount the thermostat probe under the rhp around ground level and set it to 90 so that way you know your hot spot will be right and the heat from the rhp will radiat toward the cool side making it around 80. You want to mount the rhp a few inches from the right or left wall whichever side you want to be your hot spot also since there 12.5 inches wide you should mount it so its not all the way to the back of the cage and not all the way to the glass door but an equal distance between. The 80w should be enough, radiant heat panels are really good at heating and at 22.5 inches that's half the cage and a t8 is not very tall so you should be fine. Objects absorb the heat from the rhp. I would say you could upgrade to the 120 but its a little to long for the t8 IMO. You wouldn't be left with much of a cool side with the 120. Also about the lock. You don't have to buy the $20, Lowes sells what's called a showcase lock for $6. I use them on my vision cages. You should be able to use them with t8 with sliding door. You could ask someone on here or call and ask animal plastics.

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Thats great. thanks for the information :D

It has been my experience that heat lamps are not the culprit for killing humidity. Too much ventilation is. Mind you we keep our snakes in Arizona where ambient humidity is in the 30'same. We use glass tanks with screen lids (covered with plexi).
Manage your ventilation and keep the water bowl (a big one) under the heat lamps and use it to your advantage and you should be fine. Doing this our tanks stay about 60 %.