40 gallon Exo Terra heating

[Jcd5v]

Hello! My new lesser mystic ball python (first bal python ever!) will be here in a couple of hours. I am super excited, but the temps in my tank are not 100% ideal. Inside my warm hide is 88.5 so I think that is good, but ambient temp on the hot side is only 76 and the cold side is only 74. With a humidity of 67%. I have a CHE 150w coming in the mail with a dimmable light fixture. So my main questions are does any one else have a 40 gallon Exo Terra and how do you heat it? I have the 30-40 gallon zoo med heat mat in there with a thermostat. The probe rests on the thermostat and I’m having to have the thermostat turned all the way up to 105 to get the 88.6 “basking temp.” Which the heater doesn’t always get to 105. It stays about 103. Also is the screen on top of Exo terras ok to put heating sources on? I would assume so but it looks kind of fragile. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[Jcd5v]

Also can the CHE be left on 24/7?

[royalreilly]

Wait is the heat pad in the enclosure or under it? The way you worded it makes it sound like it's inside. It should be under it and 105 or 103 is wayyyyy too hot, even if it brings the "basking spot" up to temp. The heat mats are not made to raise air temp, they're pretty much strictly for belly heat. Your snake will dig down a little and touch the spot that is 100+ and could get burnt. Above 90 is dangerous for a bp.

It's good that you're getting a che. I have a large exo terra and between a uth and a che my temps are pretty good. I think people do put heat sources directly on the screen top, but I use a lamp stand for mine since the mesh seems kind of weak, plus there's plastic on the lid. And yes the uth can be on all the time. It isn't like a light, that will disturb your snake during the night.

Until you can get the che set up I recommend: moving the uth to under the tank if it's inside and turning the uth down to a temp where the glass directly above it where the snake will sit will be 90. To raise ambient temps you can turn up the heat in your house and cover the top of the tank to trap in heat. If you're misting it to keep up humidity, you can also lessen that until you get the che because misting makes the temps cooler, too.

[Jcd5v]

Wait is the heat pad in the enclosure or under it? The way you worded it makes it sound like it's inside. It should be under it and 105 or 103 is wayyyyy too hot, even if it brings the "basking spot" up to temp. The heat mats are not made to raise air temp, they're pretty much strictly for belly heat. Your snake will dig down a little and touch the spot that is 100+ and could get burnt. Above 90 is dangerous for a bp.

It's good that you're getting a che. I have a large exo terra and between a uth and a che my temps are pretty good. I think people do put heat sources directly on the screen top, but I use a lamp stand for mine since the mesh seems kind of weak, plus there's plastic on the lid. And yes the uth can be on all the time. It isn't like a light, that will disturb your snake during the night.

Until you can get the che set up I recommend: moving the uth to under the tank if it's inside and turning the uth down to a temp where the glass directly above it where the snake will sit will be 90. To raise ambient temps you can turn up the heat in your house and cover the top of the tank to trap in heat. If you're misting it to keep up humidity, you can also lessen that until you get the che because misting makes the temps cooler, too.

Oh no! Sorry, the UTH is under the tank with the thermostat probe in between the heater and the glass. The thermostat probe (temp of the UTH) is at 104, but the temp on the glass is at 89.

[MattEvans]

I keep my two ball python in exo terras . I insulate with foam boards on the back, two sides and the piece of glass right under the doors. I cover 90 percent of the top with the same insulation board. On each enclosure I run two thermostats one for each uth and I run second thermostats on light fixtures for each tank that keeps ambient at 80. On my females tank I have two light fixtures on the same thermostat because her tank is longer because I was finding the temperature gradient to great. I also only use 25 - 50 watt bulbs so the temperature of the screen top doesn't get hotter than 90ish.

[SquirmyPug]

I have the exoterra that's I think 36"x18" and 18"tall. I use an UTH for the hot spot and a RHP for the ambient temp. Ambient stays about 84 on the hot side and 79-80 on the cool side. Hot spot is 88-90.


I tried a CHE but because it heats a smaller area you get a really high hot spot if you want to heat the whole enclosure. Plus because of the really hot spot it dries everything so humidity is harder to keep where you want it.

The RHP spreads the heat out so much more than the CHE I only have to spray the enclosure with water a couple times a week.

[royalreilly]

Okay I'm glad to hear that it's under the tank and the temps aren't too hot. You scared me for a second

[Jcd5v]

I have the exoterra that's I think 36"x18" and 18"tall. I use an UTH for the hot spot and a RHP for the ambient temp. Ambient stays about 84 on the hot side and 79-80 on the cool side. Hot spot is 88-90.


I tried a CHE but because it heats a smaller area you get a really high hot spot if you want to heat the whole enclosure. Plus because of the really hot spot it dries everything so humidity is harder to keep where you want it.

The RHP spreads the heat out so much more than the CHE I only have to spray the enclosure with water a couple times a week.

What is an RHP?

[Jcd5v]

Okay I'm glad to hear that it's under the tank and the temps aren't too hot. You scared me for a second

Yea I watched ALOT of videos on the UTH bc the placement of the thermostat probe seems to be pretty controversial.

[SquirmyPug]

RHP is a radiant heat panel.