Noob looking for pointers

[Kira]

Hookay. It's unplugged. Once i get thermostats, it's cool to start using that again? I saw a good drawing of how to setup the thermostat and thermometer to get accurate readings.

Yeah you can plug the UTH back in once it's attached to a thermostat That way you never have to worry about it overheating! I've seen pictures of burned snakes and it's painful to look at.

He's a handsome boy! I love the name!

[CALM Pythons]

Thanks for the advice. The UTH is on the warm side. Should i still unplug it? Temp looks perfect at the moment.

Any suggestions for a radiant heat panel?

In a 20 gallon tank your going to have a hard time fitting a RHP. Not sure what the dimensions are of the smaller 40 watt RHPs but I do know people with 3'x12"x12" ovc enclosures order custom sizes and your 20 gallon tank is as small if not smaller than that plus you have a plastic Ring around the top. Id wait on the RHP for when you upgrade the enclosure and get the correct size one at that point. Once you look at the Caging section on here you will see all kinds of different enclosures you like including PVC which start at $190 delivered so take your time and look around. For now Id cover 3/4 with tin foil and leave open the spot where your CHE is. You don't need a CHE above your UTH. The uth will provide the hot spot alone. You will have better luck with humidity without the 2nd heat emitter. Also cover 3 sides of the tank with Cardboard from a old box. Cut it and tape it to the outside ( no tape inside ever) . This will not only insulate the glass some but will give the snake a better feeling of security instead of feeling like things can come at them 365 degrees. It may take a bit for a successful feeding. Dont worry, its a snake not a dog. It might go a month or more especially when its winter time.
Very cute BP. Welcome to the Forum.

[Craiga 01453]

Any suggestions for a radiant heat panel?

It may not be worth investing in a RHP for a 20 gallon enclosure. We're already half way through winter, which is horrible for glass enclosures. Once your UTH and CHEs are properly regulated it will be much easier to maintain proper temps. And as the winter weather starts to change to spring and summer weather temp and humidity control are much easier.

Plus, your snake isn't going to be in a 20 gallon for all that long, so you may be spending decent money on a product you really don't need for more than a few months. Plus, like CALM said, it may be hard to find a RHP that fits a 20 gallon.

My two cents: save your money for a PVC enclosure your snake will be in for his entire adult life. Buy a RHP for that and you'll be good for 20+ years.