Ambient Temps with UTH

[jnmatthews9614]

So I've had this ball python for a little over two weeks. She's only about 63 grams so she's a little baby. I have her on cypress bedding with two hides (one for hot and one for cold side). I have a UTH on the bottom of the hot side with a Hydrofarm Thermostat, with the probe about half a inch buried under the hot side hide. I've that set to 90 degrees, and i have two thermometers. One thermometer on the hot side about 2/3 up the wall, and another one closer to the cooler side about half way up the wall. The one closer to the hot side averages around 86 degrees, while the cooler side averages around 74 degrees. Im keeping her in about a 20 gallon glass tank, with the lid consisting of half metal mesh and half plastic. I also have a 100 watt purple night bulb on the top of the mesh side (which is the got side). Does this setup sound right? Do I have to worry about ambient temps as much if I have the UTH heating to 90 under her hide? Also i have a water dish big enough for her to fit in (the plastic deli cup i got her in) directly under the bulb and I also have sphagnum moss on the hot side.) Thank you for any help!

[Yodawagon]

The probe should be right on the uth surface between it and the tank bottom. You might have too much bedding in there also. Sounds a little deep. Also 20 gallons is big for a 63 gram snake. What is you hummidity at, that's also important.

[PitOnTheProwl]

[Snake Judy]

A couple other things:

-Those stick on thermometers aren't great. They're inaccurate and give you readings of the temperatures halfway up the tank instead of on the ground where your snake is actually spending most of it's time. I suggest picking up an infrared temperature gun. They're really cheap and will give you accurate readings of your surface temperatures.

-I'd switch out that purple night bulb for a ceramic heat emitter. They're more efficient for maintaining ambient temperatures and won't interfere with the snake's day/night cycle since they don't give off any light.

-As another poster said, humidity is important. You need to be able to measure it and maintain it at about 60% RH. This is much easier to do in a tub or PVC enclosure, but if you're set on the tank there's some good advice on here on how to keep it up.


The bedding and tank size sound fine to me. Baby snakes do fine in bigger spaces as long as there is sufficient clutter and appropriately sized hides.

[jnmatthews9614]

The probe should be right on the uth surface between it and the tank bottom. You might have too much bedding in there also. Sounds a little deep. Also 20 gallons is big for a 63 gram snake. What is you hummidity at, that's also important.

Sorry for the late reply! And I've read that you're supposed to put the probe where you said to put it but wouldn't that be inefficient? Wouldn't you want to put it where the snake is most likely to be? I'm not so much questioning you as more as I'm just curious. And the humidity ranges between 50-70 depending on time of day. I keep moist towels on top to regulate it since it is a glass tank. And second question is if I do move the probe to where you recommend, how much do I need to concern myself with the ambient? Because I know ball pythons don't bask necessarily, they get most of their heat from belly heat. But I also understand that the ambient temp cant be like 70 degrees on the hot side either. Thanks for the reply again!

[PitOnTheProwl]

Sorry for the late reply! And I've read that you're supposed to put the probe where you said to put it but wouldn't that be inefficient? Wouldn't you want to put it where the snake is most likely to be? I'm not so much questioning you as more as I'm just curious. And the humidity ranges between 50-70 depending on time of day. I keep moist towels on top to regulate it since it is a glass tank. And second question is if I do move the probe to where you recommend, how much do I need to concern myself with the ambient? Because I know ball pythons don't bask necessarily, they get most of their heat from belly heat. But I also understand that the ambient temp cant be like 70 degrees on the hot side either. Thanks for the reply again!

Thermostat probe goes outside between your UTH and floor of enclosure. The readings then cannot be altered by fluids from inside enclosure.
Your UTH is ONLY for a warm spot to lay and does almost nothing for ambient temperatures when properly regulated.
You have 3 temperatures to worry about: cool side surface, hot side surface and ambient.

[jnmatthews9614]

Thermostat probe goes outside between your UTH and floor of enclosure. The readings then cannot be altered by fluids from inside enclosure.
Your UTH is ONLY for a warm spot to lay and does almost nothing for ambient temperatures when properly regulated.
You have 3 temperatures to worry about: cool side surface, hot side surface and ambient.

Thank you for your time! I didn't reply to you because I just know you've answered these questions a few hundred times already. So what would you recommend for the three? Should the ambient be 90, or should the hot side surface be 90? It seems like a lot of guides say the snake needs a basking spot of 90 and it always confused me because a lot of people on forums say they don't need a basking spot necessarily and that they actually need sufficient belly heat. Again thank you for your time and I'm sorry for my noob questions.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Hot spot surface should be 90ish.
cool side and ambient around 80ish

[jnmatthews9614]

Hot spot surface should be 90ish.
cool side and ambient around 80ish

Okay cool. It's a pain to maintain the snakes environment in a glass tank and I'm planning on getting an AnimalPlastics T8 sometime after Christmas. I've heard it's a lot easier to maintain heat and humidity in those. Again, thanks for the help! I've read your website and it gets to me because I think I really want to get into it.

[enginee837]

I live in az (dry climate) and we keep our house at 73 deg pretty much year round. We use glass tanks and have no issue with temps or humidity. Here are some tips;

Use plexiglass to cover excess screen on the top, the only opening is for the ceramic heat emitter.

We place the ceramic bowl directly under the heat source and have a uth under the water dish.

We use a thick (about 2") of aspen bedding.

Hide is on the cooler side of the tank.

Humidity stays right at 50-60 without misting. Will stay about 70-80 misting 1 time a day.

Water in dish stays at 85

Hot side is about 90

Cold side 80.

Pay attention to your snake, if he/she spends 100% of his/her time in 1 spot (including nighttime) , adjust temps accordingly. Snakes regulate their temp by moving to the appropriate area to suit their needs at the moment.