New owner, questions on setup

[mdjudson]

Hi everyone. I recently purchased my first ball python from Petco ( I know I should have done some research first but it is to late and everything seams to be working out well). I currently have a 20 gallon glass tank and I am having some problems with the heat. I have a uth on one side with a 100 watt red light. I am consistently keeping that side at 85 degrees. The other side stays around 75. I keep a wet towel on top of half of the screen top and it keeps the humidity at 60%. I can figure out how to get the temps up any higher. Living in CT my house stays at 65 in the winter (can't go up any higher with the rising oil prices). I am just wondering if these temps are acceptable? Also I heard you can tell if it is a male or female by looking at the tail. Exactly what do you look for? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

[Pandora]

Hi everyone. I recently purchased my first ball python from Petco ( I know I should have done some research first but it is to late and everything seams to be working out well). I currently have a 20 gallon glass tank and I am having some problems with the heat. I have a uth on one side with a 100 watt red light. I am consistently keeping that side at 85 degrees. The other side stays around 75. I keep a wet towel on top of half of the screen top and it keeps the humidity at 60%. I can figure out how to get the temps up any higher. Living in CT my house stays at 65 in the winter (can't go up any higher with the rising oil prices). I am just wondering if these temps are acceptable? Also I heard you can tell if it is a male or female by looking at the tail. Exactly what do you look for? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

What are you using to measure the temps? Hopefully not a stick-on. If it is a stick on, please get a digital thermometer with a probe to put under the substrate on the warm side. The temps should be reading around 92 - no higher.

The wet towel presents a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. If you can, replace it with something more permanent; ie. plexi-glass, aluminum foil covered cardboard or anything that won't allow humidity to escape. You can also mist the substrate lightly once a day to keep the humidity up. Again, monitor with a digital hygrometer with probe.

As for ambient temps, get a small space heater for the room in which you keep your tank. I find that as long as your BP thermoregulates (switches from cool hide to warm hide) on a regular basis, the ambient temps should be fine as long as they don't drop below 75 and your UTH reads around 92.

You cannot tell the gender of a snake by looking at it's tail. They have to be either popped or probed, which can be done at your local reptile store, herp vet, or doing it yourself (videos).

Good luck!

[mdjudson]

I am using two digital thermometers with probes. Is 85 acceptable?

[DutchHerp]

I am using two digital thermometers with probes. Is 85 acceptable?

Maybe bump it up to ~90.

What are the temps on the cool side?

At night, I mean, as you say the house gets down to 65.

[mdjudson]

75.. How can I bump it up a few degrees? More heat lamps? Another UTH?

[DutchHerp]

75.. How can I bump it up a few degrees? More heat lamps? Another UTH?

Insulate your cage with reflectix, I think it's called?
Maybe foam board too...

[mdjudson]

LOL And the house doesn't get down to 65... I keep my thermostat at 65 and thats what it stays at all the time.

[Pandora]

75.. How can I bump it up a few degrees? More heat lamps? Another UTH?

Several heat lamps aren't necessary. I've got a UTH covering half the length of a 20 gallon tank, and the sides insulated with foam core. I've got the top 2/3 of the screen lid covered in aluminum foil pasted to firm card board. I have consistent temps and humidity and only use my space heater for cold nights to bump up the temp a few degrees. If you keep the sides of your tank insulated, your ambient temps inside the tank should be much warmer than in your room.

This might help: http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...d.php?t=78239&

[mdjudson]

Thanks, You guys have been a great help.. i will give it a try.

[nixer]

im going to say this you didnt say if you had a thermostat on that uth you need to have one and you need to measure the temps for that on the glass not on the top of the substrate!