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  1. #1
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    About temperatures and my terrarium

    I got myself a BP 4 weeks ago and she seems to be doing just fine. Ate 3 f/t meals for me every 7th day without a problem.

    But I'm stressing myself about his temperatures. I have a 1mx50cmx50cm tank for him, with a heat mat on the right side which is regulated on 32 degrees with a thermostat.

    The hide on the left, cold side seems to only be around 22 to 23,5 degrees during the day. But she is usually chilling on the cold side, only going to the warm hide after eating.

    Isn't 22 degrees a bit too cold? Would she go to the hot side to thermoregulate, slithering through the big tank in the day? Or is she cold and afraid to switch sides?

    The air temperature seems to be a bit higher, about 26 degrees as my UVB light is heating it up a bit.

    Also does anyone see any other problem with my terrarium or something I could optimise?

    Pic of my terrarium:

    https://imgur.com/a/BIydkVH

    (Im too dumb to put a picture in here it seems)


  2. #2
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    Yes, I think 22* C. is too cold, but if your snake doesn't want the heat, that's the only choice there is, so if that were my snake, I'd find a way to raise the cool
    side a bit (maybe raise the light wattage or use CHE)...26* is more like it. Your snake's choice of the cool side may also have to do with feeling secure (hides).
    That's a very attractive set-up, by the way.
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 09-08-2019 at 03:26 PM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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    cMoonrise (09-08-2019),wnateg (09-08-2019)

  4. #3
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    Re: About temperatures and my terrarium

    Im thinking of maybe putting in a second heat mat regulated to 26 degrees. Isnt it hard to get temps in the cave up with the heat lamp? The hides are both pretty dark, so feeling secure should not be a problem I think...

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    Re: About temperatures and my terrarium

    Quote Originally Posted by Bogertophis View Post
    That's a very attractive set-up, by the way.
    Thanks <3

  6. #5
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    That's a better idea, a second heat mat*...it's way more efficient, since heat rises (into the cage). I can't tell from your pix, are the hides open at each end? Snakes
    prefer only one doorway that's just big enough to get thru (with a meal on board), also a low enough ceiling to afford "back pressure" (a snug feeling). Caves look
    very cool to us, but snakes don't feel secure with a wide open end. You can always creatively modify them rather than replace. I know the square black hides aren't
    pretty, but snakes do like them; there's other options sold too, depending on availability where you are. Personally, I'd try modifying what you already have.

    *If you use a second heat mat, make sure the whole floor is NOT heated...leave an unheated corner for safety, "in case". Snakes do need choices, and sometimes in
    shed cycle they prefer lower than normal temperatures too.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

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  8. #6
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    Re: About temperatures and my terrarium

    Your heat mat temp sounds right I believe. But is that the temp of the glass on the inside bottom or is that what it is set on with the thermostat which means the glass temp would be lower.
    Your cold side and ambient need to be higher. 27 C. to 30 C. I believe is what you want. We use Fahrenheit over here so I used a conversion chart and in Fahrenheit I try to be 80 to 86 ambient.
    Do you have access to night heat bulbs using a dome or ceramic heaters or even rhp's ( radiant heat panels)? Something beside your UVB bulb. Ball pythons don't need a UVB bulb and the UVB bulb shouldn't be on in the night
    Whatever you use as a heat source should be on a thermostat but looks like you know this.

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    Re: About temperatures and my terrarium

    Both caves are only open to one end, on the other end the wood flattens out and i put substrate over the ending to make sure it's all covered. I'm going to raise the substrate a bit on the cave entries then, hope it helps . I already ordered a smaller heatmat just for under the cave on the left. the middle would then be without heat mat, should be alright I think?

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  11. #8
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    Re: About temperatures and my terrarium

    The probe of the thermostat is inside of the warm cave, so it should measure the temp which the snake has inside, not the glass temp.

    The Light is off in the night so it creates a day/night cycle. I know that UVB is not necessary but I thought it doesn't hurt and I wanted to create the daily cycle.

    The heat mat is on a thermostat. I will put a small heat mat under the cold cave and regulate it up to 26 to 27 degrees. Thanks for your inputs.

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