Am I being paranoid or is my baby really sick?

[Jeo123]

I've heard the arguments that you don't need a light, but that's how I solved the ambient air temp issue. There was no way a UTH could heat up the air to a reasonable temperature without creating a burn threat.

The way I have things set up is probably a little unusual, but it works. When I first got my tank, the only UTH they had was a small one (suggested for 10g, but I had a 20g tank). It wasn't really warming the area enough. So later I bought a second bigger one.

I now have both of them set up, hooked up to the same thermostat with the bigger one on the side of the lamp. The lamp and the bigger UTH cause the heat gradient because once the thermostat reaches the desired temp, both UTH's turn off. Since the lamp is always on though, the left side is always warmer. Gives me a 90-92 warm and 84 cool on average.

Like I said, a bit unorthodox, but it works. For humidity, I just covered the screen with tin foil everywhere except where the lamp is. I can keep humidity up pretty well with almost no spraying required.

[Marissa Simek]

A thermostat will not make your UTH get hotter. If the UTH doesn't get hot enough to be 90/93 on the surface of the glass as measured by a thermostat probe, then it's not big/powerful enough.

What the thermostat does is keep the UTH from being too hot, and it regulates the temp to stay at whatever you set it at.

As for placement, in a glass enclosure, I always recommend a UTH which takes up 2/3 of the bottom length of the tank. That way, you still have a cool side, but the UTH covers enough area to help keep the enclosure warm. Which is hard to do with an aquarium type enclosure. Place it all the way at one end so it covers 2/3 the tank.

The screen top can be virtually sealed off to hold heat and humidity in. Use duct tape, foil tape, cardboard, aluminum foil, plexiglas, whatever. Just cover all but a couple inches on on end for air circulation.

A heat emitting bulb is a great investment. I have one that I used for 2 years on a QT tank, which I now use on my scorpion viv. They cost a bit more but last at least a few years if not knocked around.

Oh I know that the thermostat won't make the UTH get hotter, what I was saying is that I bought a new bigger and more powerful UTH for my new tank. And if it turns out that that still isn't getting the job done I can add the one that I have on the 5.5 gallon one right now.
And apparently I'm a little confused... is an infrared bulb not a heat emitting bulb?

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

A heat emitter is a ceramic bulb. A solid white ceramic bulb that does not put out any light. They last a very long time and do not wick out as much humidity as a "light" bulb. They also help to keep nocturnal BPs from being stressed due to too much light.

Just look up ceramic heat emitter. 60-100 watts is plenty.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

http://www.petsolutions.com/storefro...n=HeatWaveLamp

This is what I mean.

[Marissa Simek]

A heat emitter is a ceramic bulb. A solid white ceramic bulb that does not put out any light. They last a very long time and do not wick out as much humidity as a "light" bulb. They also help to keep nocturnal BPs from being stressed due to too much light.

Just look up ceramic heat emitter. 60-100 watts is plenty.

oh... so was a nocturnal infared bulb not a good idea then? I thought I read somewhere that they would be less stressful because bps can't see the color red.. or something like that.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Shouldn't be a problem as long as you are able to keep the humidity consistent. That bulb will not last long though. Maybe a few months. That's why I recommend the CHE bulb.

[Marissa Simek]

Shouldn't be a problem as long as you are able to keep the humidity consistent. That bulb will not last long though. Maybe a few months. That's why I recommend the CHE bulb.

Ah okay. well then when it burns out I will get a CHE. And I only spent 3 bucks on the bulb cause it was on sale.. so it was no great loss.

[Marissa Simek]

Okay now I have another possibly stupid question. I'm in the process of trying to find a vet for Demon, not the best day to do it cause they're all closed today, but I left messages with about 6 herp vets that I found. My question is, when I do take him into the vet how do I take him there? Do I just put him in a box or what? Because if he does have a RI wouldn't it be bad for him to get cold and dried out?

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

It's best to take him in a pillow case with one end tied. That way, you can hold him against your body under your coat if it's cold out.

[Boanerges]

I would get black poster board and cover 3 sides of your tank also, it will make your ball python feel more secure.

I also really don't like the half log hides for ball pythons and I wouldn't use them if I were you. While they look nice they are too open, not dark and over all not really good for ball pythons IMO. Some people use them and seem to have sucess but why chance it IMO. If you have the extra money and don't want to make your own something like this is GREAT for hides from Rich at Reptile Basics (you can find them other places also):http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

Some times the opening is in the front of the hide like this:http://www.npicages.com/abs_plastic_hide_boxes.html I don't know this company and I like the ones that open from the sides better (and Rich is great to order from) but I figured I would show you what the abs black hides look like with a front opening look like.

If you don't want to spend the extra mony you can always make your own also. Some great home made hide ideas:http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...0-Hides-my-way

Here is a nice tutorial on how to set up a glass tank (this person opted to use black non-stick shelf liner to cover 3 sides of the tanklk with and that works perfect also): http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...p-w-pics-*DUW*

Good luck with everything