Temperature Question

[HauntedBanshee]

I've been reading different care sheets and a book to help me provide the best care for my Pewter Ball Python. I've noticed differences in all of them. Mainly with the night time temperature. I also read there's no need for a temperature drop at night. In this book I bought, it says the temperature should be reduced to 68-73 degrees at night. That sounds a little too cold to me. My room temperature rarely falls below 75, with an average temperature of 79 degrees. My snake does great with the temperature, but I'm curious. I like the caresheet provided by this site. But with all of the info out there, it makes you wonder what is right. Perhaps it slightly differs with each snake? I've been collecting information and using what is provided most of the time.

[tjohnson722]

I noticed that too when I first started. 73 seems too cold for snakes though. Even if its at night.

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[PitOnTheProwl]

There is no need for a night drop, not even when breeding.
If your room temp stays around 75, all you have to worry about is your hot side regulated between 88-95 degrees
What are you using for heat?
and what are you regulating it with?

[HauntedBanshee]

I have a stick on heating pad on the right side of her tank. During the day I leave for work, so the heater doesn't stay on. Then I turn on her day white light incandescent bulb until I get home. I keep that on the left side of the tank, right above the water to provide more humidity and to give her warmer water. It doesn't evaporate too much to where it's empty. I was debating on which side to keep the light on. The left side sounded better to me also considering she already has her heating pad on the right.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Your heating pad needs a thermostat to regulate it. What are you using to measure temperatures/humidity?

Don't waste your money on the thermostats sold in pet stores. They are unreliable at best. Here are 2 good ones.

Budget: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NZ..._bxgy_ol_img_b

Best choice: http://spyderrobotics.com/

The hot side needs to be between 88-92 degrees, the cool side needs to be between 78-82 degrees. No part of the cage should ever get above 95 or below 75

[HauntedBanshee]

I have one in the middle of the tank. It's the Zilla brand. I'll probably buy one of the ones you showed me. I want it to be as accurate as possible. In the middle it reads 82 degrees. Should I buy 2 of them to regulate each side? This may be a dumb question, but where do you put the thermostat to test the heating pad?

[PitOnTheProwl]

The thermostat has its own sensor that attaches to the heating pad and the pad plugs into the t-stat, then the stat plugs into the wall and it will regulate to set temps.

[The Serpent Merchant]

I think you are confusing thermometers and thermostats.

A thermometer measures temperature

A thermostat uses a temperature probe to vary the output going to a heating/cooling system.

Both are necessary.

You need a thermometer on each side of the cage so you know the temperatures of each.

You need a thermostat for each heat source you use. The probe for the heat source needs to be attached directly to the heat pad. I use hot glue for this. Just don't apply glue to the probe itself as this will alter readings. Do not ever use foil tape as it can ack like a heat sink and alter probe readings.

So get one of the thermostats I put links to above. Unregulated heating pads can and will get up to 150+ degrees. This is hot enough to kill your snake.

Then get one of these. This is a good digital thermometer with a probe. You need a probed thermometer because heating pads do not change the air temperature in the tank. All they do is heat up the floor.

This thermometer is sold at Walmart for $12 and will measure your hot side temlerature, cool side temperature, and humidity.

[tjohnson722]

That thermometer is what I use. I also reccomend spyder robotics thermostats. We just ordered one for ours.

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[HauntedBanshee]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I bought an Acu-Rite thermometer/humidity reader today. I'll buy a second one for the other side tomorrow and get the thermostat reader from one of those links.