I would love some assistance, please. :)

[Mery]

Okay, I have a few questions I really wish I could get some clarification on.

I currently do not own a snake. There is an expo in my city of Mississauga, Ontario on June 14th. This is the day I plan on purchasing my snake. (wait, wow, is anyone else going to this particular expo?)
www.reptileexpo.ca/

Anyway, that is the site. Let me know if you know some of the vendors.

I am planning out my setup all throughout this month of May to prevent confusion and trouble AFTER I buy the animal (which seems to be a mistake most people make, being caught up in the excitement of the purchase). I don't want the poor thing to suffer solely due to my irresponsibility and ignorance of not asking the right questions at the times I had the opportunity. So, that's basically why I joined this forum. I know I can get the right help I need.

I must point out now that before posting this thread, I did attempt to ask someone I know personally beforehand and sadly, did not receive much help. What I did learn was that this person was insane and DOES NOT USE A THERMOSTAT?! D:


Which basically raises my first question. I know a thermostat is used to control temperature and to prevent the animal from burning. Can I use one thermostat to control both a cool *and* a hot spot? Or should I use one thermostat for a hot spot and an additional thermostat for the cooler side? Are both methods equally effective? Also, I need a clearer understanding of how and where the probes of a thermostat are placed?

Furthermore, what do I use to maintain a cool spot temperature? A second under tank heating pad or some kind of lamp or heat emitter? I have tried looking into the matter and many have suggested against lamps and how they are humidity killers and not recommended.

Also, is it a safe idea to place a baby BP in a 10L glass tank? I am not certain because I have been told a 10L is a good start for a baby, and then told by others that it is a waste of time to start a snake in a tank that size for such a short period of time, and to start right off the bat with a 20L instead.

I sincerely apologise if these questions have been asked repeatedly. I am just so confused and feeling quite overwhelmed by this point by the mixed flow of information I am getting.


Cost is not an issue for me but I would like to keep it reasonable. I am not looking for "the cheapest price" nor am I hoping to spend large amounts.

Thanks a million for reading. I really appreciate any help from anyone. It just feels very comforting knowing that I can get assistance from this site.

[mxrider42]

A 10 Gallon Tank is fine for a hatchling.
When I used tanks I placed the thermostat probe in between the heat pad and the glass on the bottom of the tank.
If you get the correct size heat mat it should keep the cool side warm enough. Your best option is to set it up then check the temps with a temp gun or accurite. I never needed a second heat pad.
Also when using a screen lid you may want to place a towel over part of the lid to help raise the humidity. But leave part of it uncovered for air circulation.
Trey

[thefnshow66]

if you plan on just getting one snake. You can either A) Buy the Herpstat II thermostat. This thermostat allows you to control two different temperatures with one unit. It's pretty pricey but it'll do the job. B) you can order a regular Herpstat or Helix thermostat. Each thermostat should come with 3 plugs to power up, lets say three heat pads. You can use one heat pad for your hot side. Then using the same type of heat pad, connect that to a dimmer or rheostat. Set the dimmer to either low or medium. Connect that dimmer to the second plug on the thermostat. So your using two heat pads with the same thermostat but one heat pad connected to a dimmer/rheostat to make that one heat pad at a lower temperature.

[kc261]

if you plan on just getting one snake. You can either A) Buy the Herpstat II thermostat. This thermostat allows you to control two different temperatures with one unit. It's pretty pricey but it'll do the job. B) you can order a regular Herpstat or Helix thermostat. Each thermostat should come with 3 plugs to power up, lets say three heat pads. You can use one heat pad for your hot side. Then using the same type of heat pad, connect that to a dimmer or rheostat. Set the dimmer to either low or medium. Connect that dimmer to the second plug on the thermostat. So your using two heat pads with the same thermostat but one heat pad connected to a dimmer/rheostat to make that one heat pad at a lower temperature.

The general idea here is good, except that I believe you can't do this with proportional t-stats, and both herpstat and helix are proportional. Use a johnson controls or similar t-stat and this set-up should work fine.

I don't know why you can't put 2 dimmers in line (and a proportional t-stat is basically an auto-adjusting dimmer), but I've heard it from several different sources so I believe it to be correct information.

[tonymul]

There is a really good caresheet in the Caresheet section that should answer any/all questions you may have.

Tony

[kc261]

10 gallon is fine for your baby and will be big enough for many months. Starting out with a 20 gal is also usually possible, but young BPs can be overwhelmed by all that space, so clutter it up with extra hides or fake greenery. Some BPs would be stressed by even a 10 gallon and do better in a 6 qt shoebox sized plastic tub. You'll just have to figure out what works for you & your snake.

As far as your heating questions, yes you can control a hot side and a cool side with one t-stat, as addressed in the previous posts. The best way for you to do this will depend on the conditions in your house. You may be ok with just one UTH and a well insulated tank. If that does not keep the cool side warm enough, then play around with it until you find out what works for your situation.

Lamps do a better job and UTHs at raising the ambient temp, but the trade off is they can cause humidity issues. If you keep your house somewhat cool, it may be easier to overcome the humidity problems than it is to get the tank warm enough using only UTH.

It is very good you are going to get your enclosure set up ahead of time, because there is no "one size fits all" answer as to how to balance the proper temps and humidity in a tank, so most people have to do some tweaking before they get it right.