Temperatures Not Quite Right

[Havalian]

So the way my new tank is working out so far I am unable create a temperature gradient as wide as the one recommended. I am figuring the best way to handle that, but what I want to know now is is it safe to put my snake in its new home?

The temperatures can either be 84 degrees in the cool side hide (maybe down to 83 in one corner furthest from the RHP) with 89-90 in the warm side hide OR around 82 on the cool side but then no higher than 87.

I understand my snake is equipped to handle weather which is not climate controlled, but to my knowledge never has so I want to avoid shocking it or giving it heat stroke because all of a sudden it can't find anywhere to go that is cooler than 83ish degrees.

I did already go and buy a bigger water dish my snake can fit in completely but I'm not sure that will help much if the ambient temperature is around 85 degrees.

Please help!

[Neal]

What are your temperature readings right now on both sides?

[reptyles]

as long as the temperature doesn't stay 85 for too long you should be fine. where i live the outside temperatures are constantly changing from 95 to 60 (obviously not those temps. in the enclosure) the next day, so my ball python's enclosure is also constantly changing. fluctuating temperatures are normal in the wild, so a little bit of it in captivity should do no harm. (as long as it's not 85 or 90 for days at a time on the cool side). however being 2 or 3 degrees warmer than normal should be fine. so i think you should be good to go, just keep monitoring the temperatures to make sure they aren't too warm or too cool.

if the temps are too warm you can put some wet paper towels with ice on top to help lower temperatures. too cool, get a heat lamp to raise ambient temps.

[PitOnTheProwl]

What are you checking your temps with?
What are the surface temps? That is more important than ambient.

[Havalian]

Sorry, all of those temperatures mentioned are surface temperature readings taken with the TG1 temp gun off the floor of the cage. To get the temperatures under the hides I moved them and then took the temperatures with the temp gun.

The ambient temperature will be 85-87 degrees depending if I want the hot spot at 90 or the cool spot at 82 (I have to choose) and that is measured with a Xikar thermometer/hygrometer which is designed for a humidor.

Thanks everyone for your input

[Havalian]

What are your temperature readings right now on both sides?

Right now on the floor under the hot side hide 88 degrees and under the cool side hide about 83.6. Ambient temperature being measured at 86 and it will probably start fluctuating between 86 and 87 with the fluorescent light turned on.

Outside of the hides on the cage floor it ranges from 84 to 87