Baby bp... Urgent help pleeeease ? Housing/temps!

[Ash81]

Hi all.....I'm in need of help, I'm picking my bp up tomoro and I've been trying to get its housing ready but I'm having real problems with the temps! Or at least I don't think they are correct ?I've got a wooden / glass viv , it's small at 18"x 12"x 6" .I've got a under tank heat mat on a stat and a couple of digital thermometers , I've attached the stat probe and a thermo probe to the floor above the heat, it hits 90f there above the heat mat when I have the stat turn off. But the rest of the tank is between 71f and 75f, the only place that's hotter is above the heat mat !Is this ok? I doubt it? Also when the stat kicks off around 90f the temp there drops to 84f before it decides to kick back in? Is that normal? Any help please would be great, I've been trying different things but I'm picking up my first snake tomoro !Thanks again

[ajmreptiles]

it depends on how old the bp is, the hot spot for a hatchling should be around 80-85, and for older snakes I keep my hot spot around 90 with the ambient temp around 80-85. you don't want the cool end of the tank to go below 76. with a decent thermostat/rheostat you'll be able to control the temps a lot more consistantly

[Ash81]

Hi there.... My cool end will not go above 72f ? The highest air temp I get in the warm end is 76f! Although 90 on the floor above heat mat?

[Ash81]

The guy in the shop didn't say an age, although will find out tomoro. Just said he had some baby ones coming in?

[Mr. Misha]

If it's a wooden enclosure, you'll need to get a RHP (radient heat panel) to provide the ambient heat or find another way to provide it. The UTH is there to only provide belly heat which doesn't do anything to heat the ambient air in the enclosure.

Also, your thermostat probe should be placed between the UTH and the bottom of the enclosure instead of inside the terrarium. What thermostat are you using? Your thermometer probe is placed correctly in the tank on the hot spot of the UTH.

Post a photo of your enclosure. You can do it through your phone if you download the Tapatalk app.

I'd suggest waiting on purchasing the bp and make sure that your temperatures are correct.

[Tbrown806]

I agree with Mr. Misha's suggestions.

[Ash81]

It's a small viv I bought from petshop it has two glass floors where you slide the heat mat in between the two pieces of glass so no room to fit stat probe in as it's a thin gap just to get the mat in. It came with microclimate mat and mat stat , the viv is sold as purpose made for snakes ? Plus the other shop I'm getting the snake from also says I only need a heat mat ? Why is this general knowledge not correct? Also the viv has no way of attaching any sort of bulb, plus I've read a bulb will dry out the viv? Way to much contradicting info around! I've measured temps inside of hides and the hot side isn't a problem , the cool hide gets to around 76f? Is the ambient temp outside of the hides so important ? Within reason obviously?
thanks for the assistance

[Ash81]

I would of happily bought a bigger viv in the first place with heat mat and a bulb holder etc... Like the lizard tanks etc... BUT I was told and read online I couldn't put a young snake in a decent size viv until it's older and bigger! So I was forced to buy a small enclosure which now turns out to be a waste of time and money as it can't house a bulb and it's never going to be warm enough! Surely we all don't live in houses with a room temp hot enough to please a snake??

[Tbrown806]

I've never tried to set up a viv that's only 6" tall. Really surprised a uth can't heat that to where you need it. Can you post a pic to see what you have? What size is the uth? You need to consider putting this purchase on hold until you have everything dialed in.