Substrate and ambient temperature questions

[TMacie]

Hi All,
The fiance and I just brought home our new ball friend this weekend from the New England Reptile show. His name is Spot. This is our fist BP, we have a baby corn as well.
My question has to do with substrate and ambient temps. He is in a 48Wx24Dx18H wooden viv that we built. It is sealed inside and out, has a plexiglass front which is also the door.
We are using cypress mulch as substrate. I have 11" flexwatt under plexiglass for heat. This is one strip wide and goes the depth of the viv (11x24). This is just about 1/4 of the viv. I have a Alife thermostat controling the flexwatt, the sensor is secured to the plexiglass right in the center of its area. The temp there is 91, 88 around the edges of the plexi. We have about 1" of cypress on top of the heater setup. The substrate itself right on top of the heater is only measuring about 77. The substrate measures 68ish on the cold side.
Is this an issue? If so, any suggestion on how to fix it?
Also, ambient temps in the viv are about 68 as well. Is this an issue? Any suggestion on fixing that too?
As a note, I think these temps are too low, but I want to hear what people have to say and their solutions.

On a better note, with the cypress we are having no issues with humidity!

Thanks,
Travis

[Ladybugzcrunch]

68 F ambient is way too cold. You need the ambient to be around 80 F or at least in the 70's.

[TMacie]

I was pretty sure that its too cold....do you have any solutions I can try?


Thanks,
Travis

[chapskis1]

If I am understanding your set-up correctly, it sounds very similiar to one that I used to have.

So are you saying that the temp on top of the plexiglass (inside the cage) is about 90 degrees, but on top of the substrate it is only 77? If so...then that is right. If the snake can get to the 90 degree plexiglass then you don't want it any hotter. If he is cold, he will burrow down in the substrate and get warmer.

As far as the ambient temps, that does sound a little low. In my cage I put a radiant heat panel from Reptile Basics on the ceiling of my cool side. That boosted my ambient to 80, so I had a perfect gradient from 80 to 90 degrees.

Hopefully some of this helps...

[TMacie]

George,
You are correct on what you took from my post. Do you remember what size RHP you used?


Thanks,
Travis

[chapskis1]

George,
You are correct on what you took from my post. Do you remember what size RHP you used?


Thanks,
Travis

I used the 28 watt -- but that was because that was the only one that would fit in my cage. Your cage is larger, and you have more space to heat so I would probably go with the 40 watt. But you can always call Rich at Reptile Basics and he should be able to help you out as well.

And if you do get a heat panel this will also need a thermostat or a dimmer switch at the least.

Good luck!!!

[Gungirl]

Hey George
Im Tmacie's Fiance. Thanks for the info, We will look into getting one asap. Where would you suggest putting the sensor for the thermostat?


Thanks
Kat

[chapskis1]

I put my thermostat probe and thermometer probe (I use accurites that you can pick up at WalMart for $12) about 2-3 inches above the floor of the cage (or an inch above the substrate if that is around two inches thick). The reason I put it at that height is because that is where the snake is 95% of the time.

I had these on the back of the cage centered with the heat panel (if you would have drawn an imaginary line from the floor to the ceiling). I attached these to the back wall with painter's tape (I suppose you might be able to use hot glue as well -- just make sure it is completely dry before putting the snake back in). I actually taped the wire just below the probes -- so the probes were actually kind of hanging off the back of the wall toward the front of the cage -- so they were actually taking the air temp.

Hope this helps.

[chapskis1]

If this helps at all here is a thread with pics and a description of the cage I used to use. I never did get that thing sold http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...P-Colubrid-etc.

Now that I think about it...if you can see in the pic -- I actually used a Flukers thermometer that I had velcroed to the back, and then hung the tstat probe off of that....

Anyway...good luck...

[Simple Man]

Always put your thermostat probe directly on or over the heat tape side! If something happens and that probe doesn't register the heat it will spike your heat tape and possibly hurt or kill your snake! Probe should always be on or directly above the heat tape. You can always turn the thermostat up to make up for heat variances. My room and tubs require my Herpstat to be at 97 degrees to get a 90 degree hot spot in my tubs.

Regards,

B