Help for a newbie - Python On Cold Side!

[tttaylorrr]

I think my big issue is how to maintain the 90-hot/80-cold temps.

for ambient temps? an ambient temperature gradient is not necessary. i keep my ambient temps around 77-79° throughout the enclosure (i try to keep it around 80° but it's winter). as long as your ambient temps don't drop below 75° the snake will be fine.

Getting back to basics = My original understanding was that I needed a UTH for the hot side, 2 hides, a water dish, and substrate at minimum.
From what I understood, the UTH would help elevate the hot-side temps and, if needed, CHE or Bulbs could be used as a boost in reaching these temps.
This is what I was working from when setting up the tank.

you're not wrong: the UTH is to maintain constant belly heat for regulation, bulbs/CHE help bump up ambient temperatures so it's not too cold.

So with that in mind, I have been using bulbs to get the air temps into the correct zones (my goals are 90-hot, 80-cold)

i addressed the ambient gradient above

I assume ceramic heat emitters would be better for maintaining ambient temps? I know they would help retain higher levels of humidity. I picked up a timer yesterday when I was at Lowes because I thought it would come in handy. Perhaps I could attach it to the CHE and set it to cycle off around 11pm or so, kicking back on around 4am. Then, since they don't produce light, I could just let the natural sunlight coming through the window next to the tank provide the day/night cycle (even though its not much) once I got the correct temps dialed in.

100% correct and i would recommend the CHE (though i don't use one).

I have been using a probe to measure the temps of the hides, but I'm nabbing a temp-gun today that should be more accurate and easy to use.

Thoughts?

temps guns will give you peace of mind in knowing exactly what's going on; definitely grab one.

you're almost to perfection! woo!!!