Rookie BP owner question

Would it be okay or more beneficial to place two under the tank heat mats inside a 20 gallon long tank?

I would place one on one end (for basking 90 degrees) and one on the opposite end (80-82 degrees). I would place her water bowl on top of the 80-82 degree heat mat. I figured this would help with humidity in a glass tank. I would also cover that portion of the mesh screen.

Experts please give me your two cents!

You only need one uth in the tank. It showld be placed under the hide on one end of the tank. You should put another hide on the other end so the animal has a hot spot and a cool one. How old is the snake. I assume it is a ball but I might be assumeing to much.

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Originally Posted by tonkatoyman

You only need one uth in the tank. It showld be placed under the hide on one end of the tank. You should put another hide on the other end so the animal has a hot spot and a cool one. How old is the snake. I assume it is a ball but I might be assumeing to much.

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It does say rookie BP owner question.

And I would do as he said, only one necessary.

Well first off it that's not a typo, you CANNOT place heat pads inside the tank. They will severely burn the snake.

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Originally Posted by PythonBreeder

Well first off it that's not a typo, you CANNOT place heat pads inside the tank. They will severely burn the snake.

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I should have caught his statement about in the tank and yes do not put it in the tank but under it:taz:

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Originally Posted by tonkatoyman

I should have caught his statement about in the tank and yes do not put it in the tank but under it:taz:

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Nice job being the featured comment of the week on snakebytes btw. OT

Yes it is a ball python. Yes I put the uth on the bottom of the outside of the enclosure.

Just wondering if it would be beneficial if I lowered the heat on the cool end to 80 degrees or so. That way I would have the proper heat gradient throughout the cage.

You have answered my questions. I'llstick with one uth.

Can you use two? Yes
Do you need two? No
An ambient temp of 80* is enough for your cool side. They don't necessarily need belly heat on the hot and cold side.

My room stays pretty cool, so I actually did put 2 pieces of flexwatt controlled by different thermostats on opposite ends...My pastel hasn't complained since I did that.

I have two glass tanks and both have a UTH under each end. All four are controlled by a Herpstat Pro.

The temps in the hides are perfect. The snakes move the aspen out of the way and lay directly on the glass. The ambient temps above the hides never get above room temp and ususally stay around the low 70's. It doesn't matter because the BP's ususally stay in the hides.

Overkill? You bet! But I have not bothered with temps or humidity since I set the tanks up this way, so it was well worth it. :gj:

I have two uth's in my enclosure as well. If I didn't, the cool side would be way to low. I live in Minnesota, and it would be impossible to keep the cool side at 80 degrees without an additional uth (or if I wanted to go broke by keeping the house at 80 in the winter).

If you are unsure (hopefully you are getting everything setup before you get the snake) you could check the temps with just one uth, and if that isn't enough, you could always add a second.

-- George

Thank you all for your responses. I currently have my ball python in a 10 gallon enclosure. She will move into a 20 gallon long in a few more days.

I will get the cage setup and monitor it for a day or two prior to setting my ball python in her new home.

Even in my 10 gallon tank the cool side can get down in the 70's. That is why I am considering having two uth in a slightly larger enclosure.