Newbie advice.

[C2tcardin]

I just picked up a BP this week and I'm currently using a 18w x 18d x 24h glass tank that has a screen top and doors on the front. I bought a heating pad to put on the underside but the instructions warned me not to place it on the bottom if it was going to sit on wood furniture so I placed it on the side in the lower corner as suggested in the directions. I also have a 100w infrared heat bulb on the top of the tank. My concerns are that i'm only able to get the temp up to about 85 degrees, plus the light and pad are always on which seems like a bad idea. Should I just have put the pad on the underside as originally planned? Also with the footprint of the tank 18x18 it doesn't leave a lot of room for two hides or any variation in the temperature either. The other issue I'm having is humidity, about the best I've seen thus far is 40%. I have a nice large water dish and a nice branch in the tank but I'm concerned that this tanks overall design is not conducive to a BP's health. I have covered the front half of the top screen with foil in the hopes this will bring up the heat and the humidity, but so far no change. The big question is should I just switch to a 40 gallon tank and give him the proper space and temperature variations or do you think the tank will work for a little while till he gets bigger? I can get some pictures up later if that helps too.
Thanks, Jeff

[bcr229]

What are you using to regulate the heat sources?

[C2tcardin]

I bought a R-Zilla 1000w temp controller that the pad and the light are plugged into. The probe is on the opposed side of the tank in the lower corner, I was really unsure where to place it.

[Writenumb]

I'll warn you right now that I'm a newbie too, so this might be like the blind leading the blind haha, but I've read that there should be a space in-between the heating mat and whatever it's sitting on. My ZooMed UTH came with four little rubber feet that I stuck on the four corners under with my 20 gallon long tank, so the heating mat/pad isn't sitting directly on the bookshelf plywood. If you don't have the little rubber feet, you can also use four little stacks of a few pennies taped or glued together to elevate your tank off whatever it's sitting on.

As as far as thermostat probe placement, I've read elsewhere on these forums that it's supposed to be placed directly between the heating pad and the tank, if your UTH has a sticky side that's directly stuck on the tank, remove it (or at least like some of it) from the glass and stick the thermostat probe (NOT THERMOMETER PROBE!) directly to the UTH. That way it can get the most accurate reading since it's stuck right on there.

[C2tcardin]

Thanks Writenumb, I've also seen the tutorials here where the probe is between the pad and the tank too. Also my tank has feet build in so I'm sure I would have been ok so I may switch it. I'm going to Repticon tomorrow in Raleigh, NC so I'm sure I'll get some more ideas or perhaps a new tank as well, I am thinking of adding another BP for myself anyway.

[Navaro]

I just picked up a BP this week and I'm currently using a 18w x 18d x 24h glass tank that has a screen top and doors on the front. I bought a heating pad to put on the underside but the instructions warned me not to place it on the bottom if it was going to sit on wood furniture so I placed it on the side in the lower corner as suggested in the directions. I also have a 100w infrared heat bulb on the top of the tank. My concerns are that i'm only able to get the temp up to about 85 degrees, plus the light and pad are always on which seems like a bad idea. Should I just have put the pad on the underside as originally planned? Also with the footprint of the tank 18x18 it doesn't leave a lot of room for two hides or any variation in the temperature either. The other issue I'm having is humidity, about the best I've seen thus far is 40%. I have a nice large water dish and a nice branch in the tank but I'm concerned that this tanks overall design is not conducive to a BP's health. I have covered the front half of the top screen with foil in the hopes this will bring up the heat and the humidity, but so far no change. The big question is should I just switch to a 40 gallon tank and give him the proper space and temperature variations or do you think the tank will work for a little while till he gets bigger? I can get some pictures up later if that helps too.
Thanks, Jeff

Hey!

Heating pad is generally left on. Belly heat aids in the Ball Pythons ability to digest it's food. Which is typically why I prefer an under the tank heater, as opposed to putting it on the side. That said, if your ambient temperatures are maintainable at 85 - 88, you dont *need* a heating pad underneath, although it really is ideal.

In regards to the humidity, if your using foil over the top and your still having issues, try getting some sphagnum moss. You dont need to use a ton, just a pinch here and there (in the hides is always good), and dampen it. It will release moisture into the air at a slow and steady rate, and should increase the overall humidity within your setup nicely. You might still need to mist once or twice a day with a spray bottle, depending on where you live, but that's pretty common in a tank setup (again depending on where you live)


Pictures would definately help!.