I use a small zoo med heat mat for my one and only tank, and to the touch doesn't feel hot and without my dimmer or thermostat it was reading over 130* full blast ABOVE the glass......you HAVE to get something to monitor the heat in the tank or you're going to end up with an injured snake. Also, I have NEVER seen my bp "dip" in his water on his own. My suggestion is to mist at least 2-3 times a day, and invest in a dimmer that costs $10.00 at Home Depot and a temp gun to check temps. Tempguns.com having a sale on the PE-2 for $35.00.

Here's a pic of what your heat mat can do to your bp...just be prepared for graphic
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-me...(graphic)