Does my UTH need a thermostat? What about Thermometers?

[martin82531]

So, the 90-92 degree hotspot can be belly heat alone...the don't need basking heat from above? Don't have the UTH yet...ordered the wrong size, but going to pick a proper sized one today. Def having problems with humidity. Got a piece of acrylic to cove part of the top, but I need to get it cut to size. I hoped that would help with the humidity issue.

Correct they do not need a basking heat from above. Lamps are typically used to raise ambient temps, the downside is they tend to kill your humidity.

These are the ranges you want to shoot for:

77-81 cool side surface
89-92ºF Warm side surface (were the UTH sits)
77-85º ambient air temps

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...1-Temperatures

[RoseyReps]

So, the 90-92 degree hotspot can be belly heat alone...the don't need basking heat from above? Don't have the UTH yet...ordered the wrong size, but going to pick a proper sized one today. Def having problems with humidity. Got a piece of acrylic to cove part of the top, but I need to get it cut to size. I hoped that would help with the humidity issue.

Ball pythons are nocturnal, so belly heat is preferred over basking. In my glass tank I use an uth and red heat light on a dimmer to achieve the temps. Heat lights suck the humidity out very quickly, so I only use it when I need to boost ambient temps a few degrees.

[SquamishSerpents]

Two things I would like to add as a CON for overhead lamps:

1) the lamp itself is cheap, the bulbs can be very expensive, and do not last very long. They are very sensitive to ANY sort of knocks or bumps. The filaments go very easily, and it can cost $20 or so to replace the bulbs (where I live at least)

2) I would absolutely not recommend using them in a household with small children, or cat(s). If a child yanks on the cord by accident and knocks the lamp over, or if a cat knocks the lamp over on to a carpet, you will have a fire, and QUICKLY.

But a very good, informative write-up. I will for sure be sending future customers to this thread so they can make the decision for themselves!

[The Serpent Merchant]

Two things I would like to add as a CON for overhead lamps:

1) the lamp itself is cheap, the bulbs can be very expensive, and do not last very long. They are very sensitive to ANY sort of knocks or bumps. The filaments go very easily, and it can cost $20 or so to replace the bulbs (where I live at least)

2) I would absolutely not recommend using them in a household with small children, or cat(s). If a child yanks on the cord by accident and knocks the lamp over, or if a cat knocks the lamp over on to a carpet, you will have a fire, and QUICKLY.

But a very good, informative write-up. I will for sure be sending future customers to this thread so they can make the decision for themselves!

$20 for a single bulb? That's crazy. where I live the bulbs cost $9-$15 max

[yellowbelly76]

Correct they do not need a basking heat from above. Lamps are typically used to raise ambient temps, the downside is they tend to kill your humidity.

These are the ranges you want to shoot for:

77-81 cool side surface
89-92ºF Warm side surface (were the UTH sits)
77-85º ambient air temps

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...1-Temperatures

Alright, so I have my UTH in place. I have a HydroFarm brand stat, set at 92. I put one thermometer probe between the carpet and the glass, right above the UTH, and it is reading 91 (although fluctuating between 90-91 with the UTH going on and off). Then there is the probe for the combo thermometer/thermostat about mid-way up the side of the tank on the cool side. That is currently reading 77.5, with 40%. This is all with a 75watt red heat lamp on, over the middle of the hot-spot and middle of the tank. I also have the sheet of acrylic covering half of the tank, over the cool side. I am pretty sure that the humidity is down because of the lamp, but if I turn it off, the cool side temps drop. I really want to get this right, and I have had him for a week. Any advice on what I can attempt in order to get the situation right? Maybe raise the temp on the stat, or use a larger water bowl?

Plan on giving his first meal tomorrow, although I have to still figure out the right size rodent.

[martin82531]

Alright, so I have my UTH in place. I have a HydroFarm brand stat, set at 92. I put one thermometer probe between the carpet and the glass, right above the UTH, and it is reading 91 (although fluctuating between 90-91 with the UTH going on and off). Then there is the probe for the combo thermometer/thermostat about mid-way up the side of the tank on the cool side. That is currently reading 77.5, with 40%. This is all with a 75watt red heat lamp on, over the middle of the hot-spot and middle of the tank. I also have the sheet of acrylic covering half of the tank, over the cool side. I am pretty sure that the humidity is down because of the lamp, but if I turn it off, the cool side temps drop. I really want to get this right, and I have had him for a week. Any advice on what I can attempt in order to get the situation right? Maybe raise the temp on the stat, or use a larger water bowl?

Plan on giving his first meal tomorrow, although I have to still figure out the right size rodent.

Sorry if I mis-read but it sounds like the probe you have from the hydrofram is inside the enclosure? This is the probe you want on the outside attached to your UTH. The probe from the thermometer is the one that goes on the inside above your UTH to give you a temperture reading on your hot spot.

A dimmer might be useful as well so you lamp is not running on full blast, something like this. http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Deluxe.../dp/B000FTEQCY

In terms of rodent size most seem to recomend 10%-15% of your ball pythons weight. A good kitchen scale comes in handy here, so you can weigh your ball and have a good idea of what size prey it should be eating. I like this scale, should be the only one you will ever need.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/my-weigh-7001dx

[yellowbelly76]

Sorry if I mis-read but it sounds like the probe you have from the hydrofram is inside the enclosure? This is the probe you want on the outside attached to your UTH. The probe from the thermometer is the one that goes on the inside above your UTH to give you a temperture reading on your hot spot.

A dimmer might be useful as well so you lamp is not running on full blast, something like this. http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Deluxe.../dp/B000FTEQCY

In terms of rodent size most seem to recomend 10%-15% of your ball pythons weight. A good kitchen scale comes in handy here, so you can weigh your ball and have a good idea of what size prey it should be eating. I like this scale, should be the only one you will ever need.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/my-weigh-7001dx

No, the stat probe is between the glass and UTH, on the outside. The only probes on the inside are for thermometers.hygrometers. Currently have 78.3/41% on the meter/hygro, and 91.2 on the meter between the glass and carpet (above the UTH).

He is about 18 inches long, and about 70 grams, but that is using an old, beat up scale, and may not be accurate.

[martin82531]

No, the stat probe is between the glass and UTH, on the outside. The only probes on the inside are for thermometers.hygrometers. Currently have 78.3/41% on the meter/hygro, and 91.2 on the meter between the glass and carpet (above the UTH).

He is about 18 inches long, and about 70 grams, but that is using an old, beat up scale, and may not be accurate.

Temps look good, seems like its just going to a battle of the humidity . Humidity you want 50%-60%, 60%-70% during a shed cycle. Sounds like you could feed a rat fuzzie or pup. Another good rule of thumb when feeding is the ball python can handle a rat that is the size of the biggest part of the balls body,

[yellowbelly76]

Temps look good, seems like its just going to a battle of the humidity . Humidity you want 50%-60%, 60%-70% during a shed cycle. Sounds like you could feed a rat fuzzie or pup. Another good rule of thumb when feeding is the ball python can handle a rat that is the size of the biggest part of the balls body,

The temps seem to be holding, and the humidity is slowly going up, for now (42% currently). Even the "cool side " climbed to 78.4 degrees. I'm nervous about turning the light off over night, concerned that it will get too cool in the tank. However, maybe the UTH will do ok on it's own overnight, I don't know. Any thoughts on that?

I'll look for a rat pup tomorrow. The breeders were feeding live, and I thought that I would stick with that while he's on the younger rodents. I'll try to switch to f/t a little later on, to avoid injuries.

[yellowbelly76]

I want to thank Martin, as well as the other that have responded to me in this post. I realize that I may have repeated questions, but I am new to BP raising, and I want to make sure that I do things right. So again, thank you to everyone!