Heating through aspen

[soapdog]

Hey guys. I just recently set up my ball python enclosure (plastic tub) and got my snake inside. Everything seems to be alright so far except for one thing.

I just received a temp gun in the mail to verify my temperatures read by my thermometer. Everything seems to be correct, but I had my thermometer probe on my hot side (reading 90 degrees) underneath my aspen bedding. On top of the aspen, which is around an inch or so, the measurements are in the low 80s. What can I do to make it hotter without risking burns to my snake if he burrows to the bottom?

[Noek]

What type of uth device are you using and I'm assuming it's not being regulated by a thermostat?

I would use a uth to create a 'warm side' of the enclosure but the ambients should be warmed by other means. I wouldn't rely on a uth to heat the whole enclosure, in other words.

[soapdog]

In my sterilite tub I have a small heating pad on the hot side regulated by a thermostat. The thermostat probe is on the bottom of the mat and reads a bit hotter than the actual inside of the tub, so it is set to 95 degrees. Inside the actual tub, under the substrate, the tub reaches 90 degrees. On top of the bedding on the hot side it only goes a few degrees higher than the ambient though (maxing at maybe 85).

Ambient is around 80 degrees. Room temperature is in the 70s, but this was achieved by using reptile heat cable along the back and one side of the enclosure, unregulated by a thermostat, but the walls don't reach a temperature hot enough to burn my snake.

[Noek]

I don't see a problem with what you are doing but 90 to the touch seems hot. I never rely on heat guns unless they are the thermal imaging ones from Flir or Fluke, but those are fairly expensive. Increasing room temps will effectively increase ambient temps.

I think your setup and temps are fine save for how hot the tub is getting. Turn down the setting on the control for the pad, increase your ambient temps in the enclosure and you're set.


Normal shedding and regular eating will be the result if everything is clicking, give it time and small tweeks at a time result in less stress on your pet.

Just not a fan of aspen as a substrate for tub enclosures.

[200xth]

In my sterilite tub I have a small heating pad on the hot side regulated by a thermostat. The thermostat probe is on the bottom of the mat and reads a bit hotter than the actual inside of the tub, so it is set to 95 degrees. Inside the actual tub, under the substrate, the tub reaches 90 degrees. On top of the bedding on the hot side it only goes a few degrees higher than the ambient though (maxing at maybe 85).

Ambient is around 80 degrees. Room temperature is in the 70s, but this was achieved by using reptile heat cable along the back and one side of the enclosure, unregulated by a thermostat, but the walls don't reach a temperature hot enough to burn my snake.

So your hotspot is 90? That's fine.

If the tub is 90 and the aspen is 85, he'll burrow if he wants to get warmer.

[kitedemon]

Sounds fine to me I often under the hot side hide remove some of the bedding anyway, that will create warmer temps. that said if the snake is little (under 800gm or so) often the cooler temps are better anyway I find little ones like around 86-88ºF and when digesting will add two or three degrees to a hide temp anyway. Something to keep in mind.

IR guns are fantastic for quick measurements, they are not super accurate however. (thermal imagers are often also not super accurate +/-2ºC for the FLIR E series the T series is far better but the price is heart stopping) A good proportional stat beats them all for accuracy and price for that accuracy.

[PitOnTheProwl]

You have nothing wrong. Leave it alone.

[C2tcardin]

If anything you could just use less aspen and kick the temp down a half degree to a degree if you feel better about it. I use to use a lot of aspen too but all they do is push it all around and into their water dishes. Now I may only use two to three handfuls for a 41 quart tub and one to two handfuls for the 28's.