Suggestions for Raising Temps in Winter?

[royalreilly]

I'm currently living in a dorm so my family cares for my ball python at home. I've asked my sister to check the temps around his terrarium with a digital thermometer. His temps seem to be a little low. Right now he has a uth that covers half of the bottom of the terrarium. A thermostat keeps the temp at around 90 (the uth itself goes up to ~94, the probe is between the uth and the glass, so the temp under the substrate is about 90). Overhead there is a 150 watt ceramic heat emitter. It's on a lamp stand. I had my family lower the lamp stand a little bit to see if it increases the temperature at all. If that doesn't help they're going to cover part of the top screen. Does anybody have any suggestions for other ways to bring the temperature up? I don't want to turn up the uth and risk burns...

His current temps are:
-Ambient on hot side: 86.5
-Ambient on cold side: 72.3 (this is where I'm most concerned)
-Ambient center: 84.5
-Hot hide: 84.5
-Cold hide: (unmeasured because he's currently in the hide)
-Directly above uth: ~90

I know he must not be too cold yet because he's continuing to use the hide on the cool side lol (for reference: both hides are the same and he uses them equally)

[Phillydubs]

What seems to be the problem...?

i think your temps seem fine. Some may say the 72 is low or on the low side but I wouldn’t go crazy about it.

Thats a nice wide range for the snake to thermo regulate.

I’m no expert and newer to snakes but I see in my snakes that they like the cool sides. Mine have a very similar gradient to yours and I’d say mine are 70/30 cool side to hot

[cletus]

What seems to be the problem...?

i think your temps seem fine. Some may say the 72 is low or on the low side but I wouldn’t go crazy about it.

Thats a nice wide range for the snake to thermo regulate.

I’m no expert and newer to snakes but I see in my snakes that they like the cool sides. Mine have a very similar gradient to yours and I’d say mine are 70/30 cool side to hot

I agree with this. If your snake is spending time on the cool side i think you are fine.

[bcr229]

Covering the screen top will help. Also a 150W CHE will dry out the tank very quickly, and covering the tank will help with retaining humidity.

[ryknoll3]

You can also slide the CHE a bit toward the cool side to bump up the temp there.