heating help

[CherNasty21]

Does anyone have any good ideas that i can fallow to heat my tank i already have a light thats 150watt but the tempatures seem to be falling short. Im looking for some thing to buy to raise the tempature and any basic ideas that i can fallow would be highly accpectable.

thank u

[ChristinaP]

Myself and a few other members gave you some advice in the other thread.

UTH do you have one?? Check the thermostat on it.

Thermometer gun is more accurate than the stick on ones. Your temps could be fine but your gauge off. I would start there.

A 150 watt bulb should give out enough heat considering I only use a 70 watt black light and keep proper temps.

Covering more of the top of the enclosure. I use aluminum foil.

Rheostat? Good suggestion to get one.

*edit* How big is your tank? How old is your snake?

[CherNasty21]

Rheostat? Good suggestion to get one.

what is that? ha

[ChristinaP]

Sci-Tech Encyclopedia: Rheostat
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A variable resistor constructed so that its resistance value may be changed without interrupting the circuit to which it is connected. It is used to vary the current in a circuit. The resistive element of a rheostat may be a metal wire or ribbon, carbon disks, or a conducting liquid. See also Resistor.

The metallic rheostat is the most common. The wire or ribbon is constructed in a coil or a grid, and taps are brought out from different sections of the element to a multicontact switch which can short-circuit any section of the resistor or switch it out of the circuit. For more continuous control, as is needed for laboratory rheostats, a sliding-contact finger bears directly on closely wound coils of resistive wire.

Typical applications of rheostats are for starting or controlling the speed of motors, for adjusting generator characteristics, for controlling storage-battery charging, for dimming lights, and for imposing artificial loads on electrical equipment during tests.

Also was suggested a thermostat. Not a bad idea as well. 150 watts should heat your tank.

[CherNasty21]

i think my gagues are off

[ChristinaP]

I honestly think so too

[dr del]

Hi,

Have you insulated the sides, back and bottom of the tank at all? I know that helped me when I was using glass tanks.


dr del

[Kaorte]

i think my gagues are off

So are you going to do anything about that? You obviously realize your temps are off and you have been getting some excellent advice. You really should read what everyone is saying.

I will break it down once more

You do not need a 150watt bulb to heat your snakes cage. Those get really hot, especially unregulated.

You need a 25watt bulb or maybe a little higher and a under tank heating pad (you can find these at major chain pet stores). This goes on the bottom of the tank. Along with the UTH you MUST run some sort of dimmer or thermostat (the best choice) in order to prevent COOKING your snake. You can find a cheap thermostat called the reptitemp 500r at some pet stores but you best bet is to buy it online. Just go a google shopping search and it should pop up.


You need to get proper thermometers and hygrometers. Go to the home depot and lowes and ask where their indoor/outdoor thermometers are. Look for the accurite thermometer hygrometer combo unit. it looks like this:
https://songbirdgarden.com/store/Pro...URITE00891.jpg

Make sure it has the little black probe attached to the wire.

Now here is how you set all that stuff up:

Put the lamp over the screen on one side of the tank, this will be your cool side. Put the UTH under the tank on the opposite side of the lamp, this will be your hot side. Now take your accurite thermometer and take the black probe and stick it in the middle of where the UTH is in the INSIDE of the enclosure. Stick it right to the glass. This assures that your ball python won't come in contact with heat greater than what the probe reads. Now place the unit on the other side of the tank under the lamp. you can just use the little stand on the back to stand it up in the corner. Now on the accurite, the indoor temperature measures your coolside temps and the outside temperature measures your hotside temps. Plug the UTH into the thermostat and play with the dial until the hot side temp holds at about 92*.