New here, and need help!

new here, looking for advice. i set up a 20gal long with 2uth, 2 thermostats, 2 thermometers, 2 hides, water bowl. i put all the probs under the substrate(reptibark) on top of the glass. i got it to 92f on hot side and 82f on cold side according to the thermometer. well after a day of letting it cycle i checked the temp of the top of the substrate with a ir temp gun and it was only at 68f. the ambient is also at the same temp, what am i doing wrong. i have not gotten the bp yet. i wanted to make sure everything is working and temps are good, so i dont hurt the little one. also i have the top screen 80% covered. i think i put too much substrate. i used almost a whole bag, the medium one. please help

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Originally Posted by MUSTANGGTANDGSXR

new here, looking for advice. i set up a 20gal long with 2uth, 2 thermostats, 2 thermometers, 2 hides, water bowl. i put all the probs under the substrate(reptibark) on top of the glass. i got it to 92f on hot side and 82f on cold side according to the thermometer. well after a day of letting it cycle i checked the temp of the top of the substrate with a ir temp gun and it was only at 68f. the ambient is also at the same temp, what am i doing wrong. i have not gotten the bp yet. i wanted to make sure everything is working and temps are good, so i dont hurt the little one. also i have the top screen 80% covered. i think i put too much substrate. i used almost a whole bag, the medium one. please help

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it does sound like you used too much substrate

Kudos on going about things the right way...most newbies get the snake first, lol. It sounds like you are definately headed in the right direction. Less substrate and bump up the tstat. My tstat in my VP rack is set at 110 to keep the tub floor at 90. Keep tinkering, you'll get it.

That's awesome that you're testing out your set-up first! It'll save you a lot of worry in the long run. It might help if you post pics of your set-up (so we can get an idea of just how much substrate there is, etc).

I think it sounds like too much substrate and you could bump up your t-stat a little. Be careful of bumping your t-stat up too much, there have been a few sad posts recently of BPs with burns from burrowing through the substrate to the glass and it being too hot. Hopefully some more experienced folk can tell you how hot is too hot!

i took alot of the substrate out and left just under 1/2 inch of substrate. under the hides it was getting hotter but not hot enough. what im gonna do is take both uth back and get 2 larger ones and see if that will help.

Hi,

I take it the thermostats are set as high as they can go?

I know on mine I had to set the thermostat a wee bit higher to get the temps right inside the tubs.

What kind of UTH and thermostats are you using at the moment?


dr del

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,

I take it the thermostats are set as high as they can go?

I know on mine I had to set the thermostat a wee bit higher to get the temps right inside the tubs.

What kind of UTH and thermostats are you using at the moment?


dr del

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yeah they are as high as they can be.
zoomed uth and a zilla thermostat.

i just went out and exchanged both 10-20gal uth and got 2 30-40gal uth. so we'll see what happens. i probably gonna have to buy a che to get the ambient up so that the rest of the substrate gets hotter. what do you think?

are you using a rheostat?

im using the zilla stat

I had to get a CHE. I put it up there and I was regulated in a few hours ...
HUGE difference! Good Luck with your set up!

im not sure what the zilla one looks like, does it have a digital display or does it have a nob the adjust? if it has a nob that may be the problem, lots of people have problems with those.

yeah its the knob one. i went and got a che. we'll see what happens.

you wanna make sure that the temp on the glass doesnt get much higher than 92 tho for when your snake moves the bedding around and sits right on the glass. my one bp hates to leave his bedding alone on one side of his tank.

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Originally Posted by MUSTANGGTANDGSXR

yeah its the knob one. i went and got a che. we'll see what happens.

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yeah those are the cheap ones, many people have problems with them either crapping out and dropping temps or spiking and cooking their snakes bellies. i would recommend getting an actual thermostat, kinda spendy, but worth it for the quality.

Just remember to check it anytime the weather changes.

got the che and the ambient temp right now is 81.4 and humodity staying at 50%. the substrate temp is reading 93 an hot side under the hide and 84 on the cold side under the hide. measured with ir temp gun. but the temperature on the glass is 100 on the hot side and 93 on the cold side. that was mesured with the dig. therm. probe on the glass.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil..._001_thumb.jpg
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil..._001_thumb.jpg
ok the tank is some what done. my temps under the substrate on hot side is still like 100f. but the actual top of the substrate is 90f. :confused: theres just enough substrate to cover the glass. i had alot more reptibark there but the temps would not go over the 70s on hot side. i still need to up with the humidity a little. but overall i think its good. hopefully everything will be up to par by saturday, so i can get my snake.

You don't want the glass to be hotter then 94. All you have to do at this point is lower the temps a bit and ditch the substrate and newspaper instead.

i went to petsmart to pick up my snake. had it all ready nd i asked her for the feeding report and the poor litthe ball has not eaten in 2 weeks. so i decided to not get it. what do you think i shuld do? i feel bad for him so bad i just want to go get him out of that hell hole. HELP!!!!!! will he be ok. i held him and everything and he was a little shy, he did not curl up into a ball he just made an s with his body. ?????? what should i do??? i feel bad!

Now is your chance to buy a bp from a breeder that will likely have much less chance of feeding problems, parasites and other problems than a captive hatched or imported one from a chain store. If you post your location perhaps someone in your area will PM you.

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Originally Posted by dsirkle

Now is your chance to buy a bp from a breeder that will likely have much less chance of feeding problems, parasites and other problems than a captive hatched or imported one from a chain store. If you post your location perhaps someone in your area will PM you.

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im in davenport, fl. if someone knows a good breeder please let me know. thanks

anyone????

People are busy with the holiday cheer. Someone will respond to you.