New BP Owner: Housing/Heating Question

[ae88weaver]

Hi there!
I'm a new normal BP owner and am so excited! While I have yet to pick up my 12 week old normal BP, I am getting together everything I need for his cage. I bought a 10 gallon rubbermaid tote (I' going to use newspaper for substrate), thermometer, a mister, and humidity gauge already and am planning on purchasing a under tank heater, a hide box, and a water bowl. My biggest question is how to use an under tank heater with the plastic rubbermaid cage. I've never used a UTH before and using it with plastic is even more confusing. I've tried researching how to set the housing up and I'm just becoming more confused. Any advice or pointers? Pictures would be great too! Thanks for all your help!

[bplover21]

[QUOTE=ae88weaver;1464018]Hi there!
I'm a new normal BP owner and am so excited! While I have yet to pick up my 12 week old normal BP, I am getting together everything I need for his cage. I bought a 10 gallon rubbermaid tote (I' going to use newspaper for substrate), thermometer, a mister, and humidity gauge already and am planning on purchasing a under tank heater, a hide box, and a water bowl. My biggest question is how to use an under tank heater with the plastic rubbermaid cage. I've never used a UTH before and using it with plastic is even more confusing. I've tried researching how to set the housing up and I'm just becoming more confused. Any advice or pointers? Pictures would be great too! Thanks for all your help! [/QUO

Basically when u pick up the uth its going to have 4 spacers to stick on the bottom of ur tub ur using. This spaces the tub from the solid surface for neseccary air flow so it doesn't over heat. Also ur going to need to plug ur uth heater into a thermostat. Also there is a sticky part to the uth u take off the backing to expose the sticky side and then u paste it onto the outside bottom onto one side of the tub u need a hot side and a cool side. Sticking it onto one far end of the tub will give u this outcome. Make sure u get a uth that only takes up about 1/4 of the tub. Anymore questions or any concers post back ill be happy to help u ouht best to my ability

[ae88weaver]

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Also there is a sticky part to the uth u take off the backing to expose the sticky side and then u paste it onto the outside bottom onto one side of the tub u need a hot side and a cool side. Sticking it onto one far end of the tub will give u this outcome. Make sure u get a uth that only takes up about 1/4 of the tub. Anymore questions or any concers post back ill be happy to help u ouht best to my ability

So I can attach the UTH directly onto the plastic rubbermaid container?

[bplover21]

So I can attach the UTH directly onto the plastic rubbermaid container?

Correct on the outside of the tub on the bottom on one side. Make sure to get a thermostat so it doesn't. Overheat the tub and fry ur new friend.

[ae88weaver]

Correct on the outside of the tub on the bottom on one side. Make sure to get a thermostat so it doesn't. Overheat the tub and fry ur new friend.

Just to clarify, I attach the UTH on the outside of the rubbermaid, on the bottom, but only on one said, covering approximately 1/4 of the cage? It won't burn through the plastic?

[bplover21]

Ull want on the hot side a temp of 89-92degrees cool side of about 78-80. Make sure to just put a few holes in the side of the tub to give him some ventilation and to let some of the humidity escape. You want to be around 50-60% humidity.

Also those 90 or so degrees hot side and 80degrees or so cool side ull want it to be on the substrate when u take those measurements with ur infared temp gun from pro logics the pe-2 is awesome. Well wroth the investment trust me. Very important to keep records of feedings, sheds, temps humidity. Also its good so if heaven forbid u need to go to the vet u have records of everything so they can pin point exactly what's wrong with ur scaley friend. Keep posting any questions u might have.

[bplover21]

Just to clarify, I attach the UTH on the outside of the rubbermaid, on the bottom, but only on one said, covering approximately 1/4 of the cage? It won't burn through the plastic?

Yes. It will not b urn through the plastic. If u have the thermostat like a ranco herpstat or helix hooked up to it to keep it from getting too warm. Even if it does get a little warm it won't burn through trust me how do u think I kept my bps for the first year and a half till I got my rack systems.

[bplover21]

Like if ur10 gallon is the same size as a qp gallon aqurium just get an uth for a ten gallon aquarium u know?

[ae88weaver]

Ull want on the hot side a temp of 89-92degrees cool side of about 78-80. Make sure to just put a few holes in the side of the tub to give him some ventilation and to let some of the humidity escape. You want to be around 50-60% humidity.

Also those 90 or so degrees hot side and 80degrees or so cool side ull want it to be on the substrate when u take those measurements with ur infared temp gun from pro logics the pe-2 is awesome. Well wroth the investment trust me. Very important to keep records of feedings, sheds, temps humidity. Also its good so if heaven forbid u need to go to the vet u have records of everything so they can pin point exactly what's wrong with ur scaley friend. Keep posting any questions u might have.

Do I need another light source? I've read conflicting responses... Some say yes while others say that it sucks humidity out of the cage.. I don't know if this matters but I keep my house at 70 degrees...

[bplover21]

Do I need another light source? I've read conflicting responses... Some say yes while others say that it sucks humidity out of the cage.. I don't know if this matters but I keep my house at 70 degrees...

No you do not need a light just make sure you get the uth with a thermostat, make sure you have a hot side of 90 degrees and a cool side of 78-80 degrees substrate floor temp where the ball python lays. And you're all good then.

Some say light for extra heat source which yes it will dry the air up. And some like having a light on there to see there ball python. Its not neseccary to have one and I suggest not getting one. That's just me though everyones different. Everyone has there own way of doing things. I'm just giving you some basics to work off of till you figure out what works best for you. You smell what I'm cooking?