Help with New Tank

[emersond]

hello

I just brought home my first snake and have him set up in a 10 gallon tank. I am worried about the temperature levels and need some advice.

The tank is 10 gallon - screen top which I have blocked off most of the area to retain the heat. I am using an uth(repti therm) with no control and not sure if I need additional heating.

I have a digital thermostat installed and it is only measuring ambient temps which I think it to low at 75deg. I need to purchase temp probe under his warm hide I will hit walmart or somewhere today.

The tank has two hides one with uth and the other on the cool side. My understanding is that snakes need hot and cold to thermoregulate. Some posts here talk about exact heat and not sure if this is requried.

Do I need to add a CHE to help bring up the ambient temperature. Snake is staying in the warm hide which should be a good sign he is trying to keep warm.

Any advise would be great.

Thanks
DAve

[Slim]

I have good luck with my ambient temps in the low 80's on the cool side and high 80's on the warm side. Please understand that these are ambient temps measured half way up the side of a 14 inch tall RBI cage. Temps on the floor are 84 deg on the cool side and 94 deg on the warm side. BP's don't spend a lot of time in the air, so the floor temp is more important than the air temp....still, I think your 75 deg might be a little low.

I would advise against a CHE because they suck the humidity worse than a low wattage red bulb. To get the ambient up, I would suggest trying a 40 watt red bulb suspended over the warm side. You say you have most of your tank covered, and that will help keep the heat in.

Also, as soon as you can, get a laser temp gun so you can measure temps on the floor. That's where you'll make your money. If the floor and inside hide temps are right, the ambient can, and prolly will be lower.

[wax32]

... I have a digital thermostat installed and it is only measuring ambient temps which I think it to low at 75deg. I need to purchase temp probe under his warm hide I will hit walmart or somewhere today...

I think you mean thermometer (temp measurer)? You will want to get a thermostat (temp controller) to run your UTH.

[boboso]

Be carefull with the UTH...

I would highly recommend at thermostat for the UTH. Some, like my Zoo Med (small) were keeping the top of the substrate (1" Aspen) at a pleasant 90-92, probe under the substrate was reading 115. Ambient temps were low due to current So Cal temps even with a reading of over 100 on the UTH (low 70s). Currently we are switching enclosures (post shed) to a smaller/lower screen top. The old enclosure had this UTH, which I promptly put a t-stat on, as well as a red build hanging from the top and it was inside of the enclosure. This kept ambient temps up, but also could have caused a burn on the snake. Not sure how he got by with 100+ temps on the UTH, an bulb in the tank and low 60s temps. Humidity was also low when cared for by previous owners as he came to us with a stuck shed.

The new enclosure is lower (12" versus 18") but is the same floor dimensions as the other 24" x 14". We purchased a Exo Terra UTH (4 watt) that is being "readied" at the moment and the under substrate temps are reading 91 (under hide, under substrate). Our ambient temps will require some assistance as our home (yes even in So Cal) is reading 72 and the enclosure is reading 78 mid way up on both sides. Some of this will be helped with some aluminum foil. Humidity in the house is pretty steady but during sheds we need to assist (via moist paper towel)

This is probably going to be it for at least a half a year (we guess our BP to be a early 08) and will be going to an RBI 2 x 3 enclosure at 14" tall with the built belly heat or the 11x17 ultrathern heat mat and a the 80 watt radiant heat panel for ambient temps. This would be his domain...

Goal is:
90-94 Hot Side under substrate reading
80-84 Ambient (measured half way up the enclosure)