Odin checking out his new home.

[tttaylorrr]

also how should i go about attaching the probe to a mat thats already stuck to the tank?

You can peel it back a little bit, very carefully, then slide the probe in and stick it back on.

be VERY CAREFUL! do it slow and steady as you can damage the UTH internals very easily. i'd use aluminum tape over the side you peeled off just to ensure it stays put.

[MrBeeBow]

You shouldn't need to I don't think. You may just need to adjust your dimmer.

If the UTH is affecting the ambient temps then it's way too hot and definitely dangerous to the animal. It really should only affect the temps immediately above it and in the hide/are above it.
So you may need to do a little trial and error and get the ambient right, but regardless of the UTH situation, your lamp should be dialed in to get you the right ambient temps. Once it's dialed in, you can leave it even after you get the UTH set up with a tstat.

You're on your way. I promise it gets much simpler once your setup is right and everything is dialed in. Then it's just maintenance. At that point, just make sure the equipment is running properly and you're good to go.

im sure you guessed but im new to this so sorry for all the questions, but from what i understand your saying to use the lamp to create the heat for the whole tank correct? and if thats the case what do i do when i turn it off at night or do i just leave it on?

[Craiga 01453]

be VERY CAREFUL! do it slow and steady as you can damage the UTH internals very easily. i'd use aluminum tape over the side you peeled off just to ensure it stays put.

Thank you tttaylorrr, I forgot to mention the aluminum tape.


OP:...and yes, be VERY careful. As long as you are careful and take your time you will be fine. I have moved a few through the years and haven't damaged one yet, but I've always been careful. I do know of people that have ruined them though.

[MrBeeBow]

Thank you tttaylorrr, I forgot to mention the aluminum tape.


OP:...and yes, be VERY careful. As long as you are careful and take your time you will be fine. I have moved a few through the years and haven't damaged one yet, but I've always been careful. I do know of people that have ruined them though.

would it be better to remove when warm?

[Craiga 01453]

im sure you guessed but im new to this so sorry for all the questions, but from what i understand your saying to use the lamp to create the heat for the whole tank correct? and if thats the case what do i do when i turn it off at night or do i just leave it on?

No problem at all. That's what makes this forum so great. People from around the world, of all different walks of life, all different experience levels, all here for the same reason: we love snakes!
We were ALL new once upon a time.

Until I can afford to upgrade my enclosures (planning on building a 4 tier PVC enclosure) I run lights on my enclosures as well. I only use the real dark purple ones though. BPs don't need light, they actually prefer the dark, so a typical "white" light isn't recommended anyway. This time of year I can usually get away with ambient room temps during the day and only run my lights at night where I live. But the dark ones are dark enough that they barely look lit up. I sleep in this room (spare bedroom/animal room) most nights because I snore too loud and the lights don't bother me at all.

[MrBeeBow]

also what is the best way to clean the stuff from his cage?

[Craiga 01453]

also what is the best way to clean the stuff from his cage?

If you're just talking "spot cleaning" it's as simple as removing any saturated areas of substrate and cleaning any decorations/hides/water bowl, etc... that came in contact with poop, urine or urates. I just scoop out the pee/poop and the substrate around it. Simple soap and water will be fine for any cleaning.

As for full enclosure cleanings, there are products that can be bought, but I have always used vinegar or a diluted bleach solution. It's as easy as pulling everything out, including the snake (I put the snake in an empty tub or a snake bag depending on which snake), decorations(to be washed) and the substrate (throw it away). Clean the entire enclosure, inside and out, with whichever method you choose, wipe everything down. Then go back and wipe everything down with just water. Let it air out, making sure there are no lingering odors of whatever cleaner I used. Meanwhile, my hides, water bowl, etc... are soaking in a diluted bleach bath. I then clean and rinse everything thoroughly and start putting everything back in...

[MrBeeBow]

i was talking about the hides and that stuff, i have read to use a diluted bleach and have also read to 100% to never use bleach.

[Craiga 01453]

i was talking about the hides and that stuff, i have read to use a diluted bleach and have also read to 100% to never use bleach.

When it comes to hides, just soap and water is fine. I have used a 10% bleach solution for years with no problem. I just make sure there is no trace of it before placing it back in the enclosure

[MrBeeBow]

whats a good thermostat to use, the ones linked in that set up post all but the economy ones have broken links.