My adopted BP and a few questions

Hi all,

My name is Chris and my BP's name is Memphis. Let me start by saying this is my second BP. My first BP Nikki, female, was just shy of 4 feet when I had to find her a new home. My landlord caught me hiding her, younger single days renting. I had a female friend who had multiple reptiles, so Nikki went to a good home.

That said, I am now older married and living in my own house. My wife does not like sankes, but our 13 year old has wanted one since she was 3. My wife found an ad for Memphis and told me we should adopt him (supposedly a him).

I paid a $50 relocation fee for Memphis, his tank, stand, UTH, 2 hides and a large bowl.\ Well worth it to me. Memphis's old owner had him for about a year and a half. He is somewhere around or over 3 and a half feet long and looks great. I am aadding pics of him and his home. Just brought him last night and he looks pretty relaxed today.

I am wondering if I should replace the hide on the right as it is opened on the back and right side. I am thinking of trying to find another one like the one on the right. I also have to get a thermometer/humidity gauge.

Any suggestions???

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/DSC_0628.jpg

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/DSC_0631.jpg

the hide on the right should be fine. line the rear and left and right side with black posterboard and then insulated it with foam or cork. this will hell keep temps proper and will close off the open rear of that hide ;)

You can replace it, but if you want to cover three sides of the tank that is an option too, and one that I did at the recommendation of others. That way that hide is no longer open and Memphis feels a bit more secure.


Just curious, but what are you using to control the UTH?

Just got home with 2 probed thermometers and a stick humidity gauge. Not alot of choices at either Petco or Petsmart. Tomorrow I will go to the local real pet store, Carol's Critters.

I will find something to cover the back and sides of the tank.


Hot side is 91 under the substrate and cold side is 77 under the substrate, humidity is only 45, but I did just mist and move the water dish over towards the UTH. I will probably plastic wrap the screen top to see if that helps.

I do not have anything controlling the UTH it is plugged straight into the wall. Any Suggestions??? :snake:

You will need a rheostat to control the temps on the uth home depot has a levitron slide lamp dimmer for around $9, that will work, what part of Fl are you in?

btw :welcome:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FL_LeoGek

Just got home with 2 probed thermometers and a stick humidity gauge. Not alot of choices at either Petco or Petsmart. Tomorrow I will go to the local real pet store, Carol's Critters.

I will find something to cover the back and sides of the tank.


Hot side is 91 under the substrate and cold side is 77 under the substrate, humidity is only 45, but I did just mist and move the water dish over towards the UTH. I will probably plastic wrap the screen top to see if that helps.

I do not have anything controlling the UTH it is plugged straight into the wall. Any Suggestions??? :snake:

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Get a thermostat.:gj: If they don't have any at your local reptile store, order one online and use a rheostat (light dimmer) temporarily. I am on my iPod so I don't have my massive link list. ):

I would loose the stick humudity guade they are so inaccurate, home depot also has accurite thermometer/hy
grometer with a probe in their garden dept. around $12, so you could return the sticky and 1 of the other thermometers

or keep them for the next snake ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by llovelace

You will need a rheostat to control the temps on the uth home depot has a levitron slide lamp dimmer for around $9, that will work, what part of Fl are you in?

btw :welcome:

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I'm in North Florida (aka Lower Alabama). I was actually going to replace the stickon with an airtemp/humidity digital, only reason I didn't get it earlier was cause it only measured air temp, now I realize I need air temp.

Guess I need a thermostat and a UTH for the cool side since the temp is dropping now that my AC is on? Can I get away with the smaller ones or do I need the larger one since I am only trying to warm the cool side a little?

And if my hot side is staying between 90 and 92 do I need a thermostat for it?

And does the foam board go inside or outside?

Thanks,
Chris

Foam board on the outside is best so that a moving snake does no damage. For a thermometer/hydrometer I would suggest going to Wal-Mart and getting and indoor/outdoor thermometer combo for like $15. Check here for a thermostat. I just use the $30 one and find it accurate to within 2* F.

If your cold side is getting too cold you could try a two thermostat set up with some 4" flexwatt on the cool side.

Bloodsong

So if my hot side UTH is onlly getting my hot side up to 90 ish, should I get a larger/newer one? I have my probe right on the glass/under the substrate.

I have just over an hour to get back to Petco, it's 2 minutes away. Thanks for all help.

That is a good temp. The problem is that UTHs can get really too hot when unregulated. That is why we recommend t-stats. If that is the temp you are OK for now.

Bloodsong

Another essential piece of gear is an IR Temp gun. It will let you check for hotspots over the UTH.

What part of NW Fla? I grew up in Vernon in Washington Co.

Congrats on the new snake!
My only suggestion would be to add some greenery. It adds security, cover, and it makes it look really nice!:gj:

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Originally Posted by Slim

Another essential piece of gear is an IR Temp gun. It will let you check for hotspots over the UTH.

What part of NW Fla? I grew up in Vernon in Washington Co.

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I have a temp gun. Just gotta find it. I am in Tallahassee.

Here is Memphis stretched out

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/DSC_0657.jpg

He's a good looking Boy!

Do you guys measure Hot side temp on the glass or in the substrate or above the substrate.

Apparently Mmephis knocked my temp probe from the glass to just barely in the substrate. So my awesome consistent 90-92 all day temps on the hotside was false. I just had him out and was cleaning his water dish, when I decided to straighten the wires out. I reset the probe on the glass and reburied it, then noticed the temp climbed to 95, so I unplugged my UTH, and the temp continued to 108.1 before it started cooling off.

So again probe on the glass, or above the substrate for the 90ish degree for hot side and 80ish degree for the cold side???

Guess I will be running to the store in the morning for a thermo or rheostat.

On the glass over the UTH. This way if the snake burrows under or bulldozes the substrate, and get's against the glass it won't get burned. Best way to keep it in place is with a little piece of packing tape.

If you are looking to get the best control you can, I would suggest going with a thermostat. You will likely only be able to find a good rheostat at the pet store if you have the same luck I have here. The route I use for thermostats (my favorite over rheostats, better control) is to go through Bean Farm. Their $30 thermostats work just fine.

Bloodsong

Or you can get a lamp dimmer from home depot for $8

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Originally Posted by llovelace

Or you can get a lamp dimmer from home depot for $8

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Thanks, Home depot in the morning for me.

Any thoughts on if the very smallest UTH could bring my cold side from 75 on the glass to 80, since my ambient temp seems to be staying consistently good?

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Originally Posted by FL_LeoGek

Thanks, Home depot in the morning for me.

Any thoughts on if the very smallest UTH could bring my cold side from 75 on the glass to 80, since my ambient temp seems to be staying consistently good?

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A UTH on a thermostat or dimmer could. :D

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

A UTH on a thermostat or dimmer could. :D

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Right but would the small size be big enough to heat enough to bring the cold side up 5 degrees, or do I need another large UTH like the hot side just to dim it way down?

The small would will do fine for what you are looking to do.

In regards to the rheostat (aka dimmer) vs. thermostat debate, I will tell you that a thermostat will make it a lot easier. With a rheostat you have to adjust it every time there is a temperature fluctuation in your home. With a thermostat you have set it and forget it control no matter what fluctuations happen. If you don't mind checking daily to weekly for any adjustments that need to be made the rheostat will be great, but if you are lazy like me, the thermostat is worth the extra few dollars from the tax return.

Bloodsong

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FL_LeoGek

Right but would the small size be big enough to heat enough to bring the cold side up 5 degrees, or do I need another large UTH like the hot side just to dim it way down?

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The size doesn't have much to do with the heat output. A large UTH uncontrolled can get up to 120* and a small UTH can get just as high.

A small one should be fine, just adjust accordingly. As for the thermostat Vs. Dimmer. I only suggest the dimmer because it is a quick fix. You can almost never find a herp thermostat in stores, so you have to buy them online. Using a dimmer isn't the best, but it will prevent your snake from getting burned.

The thermostat is the most important (and the most expensive) item you can get for your snake, but it is also the most useful.

as far as the uth thing goes its all about the wattage you use. for uth the wattage is a way of determining british thermal units. If you put a heat source on the cool side you may find that insulating the back and sides of the aquarium will do the same thing. Also when you cover the top of the cold side of the tank you will increase the temp on that side of the tank a few suggestions before you spend the money on another uth. On the note of thermostats the dimmer switch will work for now but i would definately check the pet store or maybe 2 to try and find one of those zoomed thermostats i know they carry them at several stores around us. Pet supplies plus usually has a couple of them. Dimmer switches are great if you have absolutely not change in your house temp. Most household thermostats have a 4 degree swing atleast in on and off. For the money though i actually would try a heating and cooling shop and get a johnson controls a 419 thermostat its digital and much easier to make adjustments on. Cost around 50 to 60 bucks. I have several of these and run my adjustable differential at .4 degrees. You can also pick up online a herpstat which is proportional heat control for about 100 bucks. They do help keep your uth in better shape because its constantly on instead of switching off and on. Just my 2 cents I don't pretend to know anyones finances but those are pretty much all your options when it comes to thermostats. Me personally use all of the above currently. I have one of those zoomed 30 dollar ones (pain in the but to adjust in but once its there its good). The above stated johnson control simple to adjust and dial in for optimal husbandry. But if you want the truth i wish i would have bought a herpstat a long time ago. I have a herpstat pro running 4 racks in my snake room. It is truly awsome. I do like the proportional controls the best because you don't have any on and off of the heat source its constantly maintaining a steady heat.

So I am going to go get a dimmer, since there is a lowes very close. Later today I have to go across town to deliver a desk, so I will go to Carol's Critters (local real pet store) and get some food for the boy, so I will see if she has any thermostats. Thanks again for everyone's help and suggestions.

Well, I just got home after a very long day of delivering a desk and yard saleing with the wife. New project is a small solid wood desk.

On to the good stuff, I got 2 Lutron dimmers model # TT-300NLH-WH and a ZooMed UTH 10-20 gallon size. Went with that versus the smallest just to make sure I had enough coverage to bring the cool side up to 82 easily. So it's re-wiring time. I am actually mounting a shelf over my tank where the 3 thermometers will hang, shelf will also hold the dimmer controls and other random reptile accessories.

Back to work... Pics to follow at some point.