New paranoid <yet proud> snake momma.

[MsMissy]

Hi all... New to posting, I've be lurking for a few days reading and learning . Anywho, Monday I picked up a nice little baby ball. Her name is Nagini. I've got her tank all set up, not ideal but best I could do for now monetarily.

I'm veering off topic....

She is in a 20 gallon long glass tank with a locking lid. Aspen bedding. Three hides: one each hot and cold side and a humid hide in the middle that she seems to like. She has two heat sources; 1- an Uth and 2- a domed light with a red bulb. I found after a few days that the Uth was wayyyy too hot so promptly unplugged it and her basking spot was also warm so that was when the light was changed from a standard light bulb to the red light that stays on all the time to maintain heat. I've ordered a thermostat that I saw highly recommended here. Humidity doesn't seem to be a problem, I live in the desert but have an evaporative cooler that along with the humid hide, is keeping the tank at about 40-44. My concern... Over night temp... By morning it's usually about 76-78 degrees. Is this too cool?

She hasn't fed yet. Tried once but I'm sure it was too early. Will try again soon.

Any advice will be well received, especially if it involves telling me how to post a pic from my iPad.

Thank you!!!!

[Capray]

Welcome!
That setup sounds good. Belly heat is really good for ball pythons though, if you can find a rheostat or even a light dimmer to keep it on, that would be good.
Are the hides all the same size and fit? That's important because you want her to feel safe wherever she goes to thermoregulate.

Honestly those night temp drops are fine, but also will be improved with a regulated UTH.

[MsMissy]

Hello!!! And thank you, I'm glad to know I'm not completely failing at snake mommyhood.

The hides are pretty uniform in size, she prefers the one on the hot side side but does spend time in her humid one. Ive got about 2 inches of bedding in there right now. The very high temps comes off the glass below it. She never actually sleeps on top of the aspen bedding, prefers to be in a hole in a log type hide that is elevated about an inch above the bedding. Provided she doesn't burrow, the heat probably isn't a danger to her but as my title shows... Seriously paranoid. I'm waiting for the thermostat to show up, should be next week but the rate I'm going I'llbe picking up that rheostat first thing in the morning for in the meantime.

Guess this is the one time 105 degrees in the day here is a good thing.

[Inarikins]

I wouldn't bother with a pet store rheostat and would instead just go straight to a $12 lamp dimmer. I tried to use a rheostat and it did absolutely nothing to control the heat. Still 120* even turned down all the way.

[Coopers Constrictors]

Congrats on the new pickup and welcome! Let the addiction begin

Which thermostat did you go with?

[rtman26]

Welcome to your newest obsession....at least it is for me.

If you're only worried about over-night temp, I would get an outlet timer and plug a thermostat into that so it turns on when it starts to get dark. The wonderful people on this site pointed me towards the Hydrofarm thermostat ($35+/-). It has a little lead that goes between the UTH and bottom of the tank on the outside. You plug your UTH into the thermostat and when the temperature reading reaches your setting, it simply cuts the power to the UTH so it has no way of continuing to heat up. Then when the reading drops four degrees or so, it turns back on. I have mine set at 91 now that it has warmed up for the year, but over the winter it was set at 93...just to help with the cold (I live in Maryland).

Here's a link for the thermostat, although, I got mine from amazon for pretty much the same price. The best $40 you will spend!

http://www.qcsupply.com/digital-temperature-controller-for-heat-mat.html

[rocknhorse76]

Being that I also live in the desert, I can tell you that humidity will always be a problem with a glass tank and screen top. You can help remedy the problem by covering about 75% or so of the screen top with some plastic to seal in humidity. Just keep a close watch on your temperatures.

[MsMissy]

I went with the hydrofarm thermostat. Cant wait till it gets here. I'm gonna grab something this morning that will allow for a few hours of the uth to be on to heat up the base a bit. Ambient temp this morning is 76 with 49% humidity.

As for having problems because I'm in the desert, I have an evaporative cooler which automatically brings humidity in. I'd worry more if I had central air like my old house did. Winters will challenge me a bit but by then ill have it all figured out.

Obsessed is an understatement.... But I have a smart man who won't let me go crazy on the amount of snakes, he will just let me go crazy taking care of this one. She is the 7th pet in the house.

Thanks for the guidance all... Sovery helpful!!!

[DooLittle]

Looks like you've got some answers. Except how to post pics. This-

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?p=1848800

Or, there is an app called Tapatalk. Super easy to post pics from there.

[MsMissy]

Ok, let's try this:

newest pic, not the greatest but its coming along. The dimmer has the glass above the Uth sitting at about 88-89. Too hot still I think? Not sure since she doesn't burrow and temp on top of the bedding would most certainly be cooler? I did rearrange today, put her most secure hide on the hot side so now temp is even more critical. Feel free to critique, I strive on constructive criticism.