Hi, sorry if these questions seem a bit foolish. I've never had a ball python before, and I've been trying to learn as much a I can about caring for them.

So, here's my question. Does anyone have any recommendations on getting a tank to retain heat. It does have a screen top. The room temperature is 60 degrees, possible lower at night. Unfortunately, even if we turn the heat on in the house, it changes nothing. This is due to the fact that I live in the basement.

To people who are worried, Worry not! I have not yet gotten my ball python! I don't plan too until I know I can keep the proper conditions to take care of him/her! I set up the tank as if the ball python were living in it so that I can see how the temperature would work in the basement where we would be staying.

Unfortunately, the temperature is not going up at all! I'm using a Zoo Med UTH on the ten gallon tank. It has not gone up at all since I plugged it in six hours ago. The 'warm' side of the tank is only reaching 61.5 degrees F and the cold side is at 58.5 degrees F. I am also having problems with humidity. I bought a spray bottle so that I can mist the cage. I'm using Zoo Med Eco Earth bricks as substrate. A friend who owns ball pythons recommended it to me. But I haven't really found much reviews about it pertaining to ball pythons online. So if anyone has any experience with it, whether it's good or bad, that would also be appreciated. I picked it because they said it would keep humidity up pretty well. I do have a heat lamp and I had it on for most of the day. It did boost the heat quite a bit, problem is, I read that constant overhead lighting for Ball pythons could stress them out. I was hoping if the lamp heated it up during the day that it could retain that heat throughout the night so that I could give it a rest for the night. Unfortunately, the tank temperature shot down super fast and did not retain heat at all. It's only been a few hours and its back down to 60 degrees.

I did look at night time bulbs for tanks that need constant heat lamps, are those any good? If anyone has any experience on whether they stress ball pythons out or not, it would be appreciated.

Unfortunately I refuse to get my ball python until I figure out a way to get the proper conditions for his enclosure, which saddens me because I'm really excited to own one. My bedroom was originally upstairs, but it's being redone, so there's not much I can do. It won't be done for quite a while. I'm currently living with my Dad, but I plan to move out in September. Luckily, when I move into my own place, I'll actually have a room with proper heat. For now though, if I cannot find a way to retain the heat, I'll try to convince them to let me move into the half-done bedroom until I move out. I'd much rather just stay in the basement though. So if I can find a way to do that, It'd be great. Though, if I cannot find a way to retain the heat and I cannot convince my dad to let me move into the half done bedroom, I'll end up having to wait until September to get my ball python . I just wanna make sure my ball python has everything he/she needs when I get him. Like I said, this'll be my first ball python and I'm super nervous.

Any suggestions would be helpful! Thank you so much!