newbie defacto snake owner tank too cool!

[jlatenight]

It's a plan! Thanks to all you guys for the help. I'll report back after I get the new stuff.

[CALM Pythons]

I do, and I just put it in there to bump it up a little. I really don't like the idea of running a space heater all the time though. What about another light fixture for the right side with a CHE in it, along with the lamp on the left? That would have to be safer & cheaper than running a space heater, right?

The glass is loosing heat and the screen. You have a 100watt heat lamp you said correct? That is more than enough for a 20 gallon tank. Cover most of the screen except for where the Heat Lamp is, also 3 sides of the glass with Cardboard or foam insulation board. Move the Heat lamp a bit closer to the cool hide for now so she is at least 80. Use you temp gun ontop of the hide to see what the temp is after a few hours. Check it again in the morning as it can take a long time to regulate and might be to hot. Until your Thermostat comes put a piece of cardboard inside the tank over where the UTH Hide is so he doesn't get burned by the 122. That should take it down to a temp a lot better for a few day incase its to cool at night and trys to lay on it.


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[simplechamp]

I would highly recommend insulation for the glass enclosure. Get a sheet of the pink or blue foamboard from your local hardware store, about 1/2-1" thickness. Cut pieces to size for the sides and back of tank. Affix to tank with some tape. Can also use it over the lid but when using hot bulbs and CHEs in dome fixtures you have to be very careful about not letting the foam touch as it could become a fire hazard.

This made a huge difference for me when I first started out and had a glass enclosure. Our ambient house temps in winter were also pretty low, and the glass conducts that heat right out of the tank. With the foamboard it became much more manageable.

As a plus having the sides and back of tank blocked off can help the BP feel more secure. If you think the pink or blue foam is ugly you can cover it with contact paper or paint it (test on scrap piece though as some spray paint solvents can eat away at certain foam)

[jlatenight]

Ok guys, I'm making serious progress here. So I bought a used glass breeder tank for cheap with a bunch of accessories for $40! I took calm python's advice and put a piece of cardboard over the UTH in the old/current tank, and I switched the lamp for a CHE (that was included w/ the new tank). I checked on her before I went to bed, and she was out and about!! First time I've seen her out in a LONG time. She also did a HUGE poop!!! I noticed there's much more humidity with the CHE than the red bulb...it's WAY in the green now and it was borderline before. So I seem to have the current tank pretty stabilized, I just have to setup the new tank. I'll have to clean it all, play around with placement, temps, thermometers, and stuff before she moves in.

[MD_Pythons]

Are you using one of those dial hydrometers? If you are you should probably replace that with an electronic one, they are more accurate and your snake won't be able to pull them down and get adhesive on their skin.

[jlatenight]

part of the stuff I bought yesterday were two digital thermometers with probes, so I got both of those going to check the temp on the hot and cool sides. I have a digital indoor/outdoor/hygrometer on its way too.

[Godzilla78]

I know it probably seems overwhelming a bit, that we are all recommending all this high-tech equipment, that can be fairly expensive. the GOOD NEWS, is that once you get everything set up correctly, ball python keeping is extremely low maintenance and cheap. The hard part is almost over!

[jlatenight]

Thanks Godzilla, SO I have the new tank setup, I have the UTH with the thermostat probe inbetween the UTH and glass underneath, and a thermometer probe under the papertowel substrate and it's almost right on 90F, so that's good. The ambient is about 75, but I'm going to insulate the sides and back which should help. One thing I'm wondering about: so she's been pretty stressed temperature-wise for a while, and she did poop last night which is awesome, but how do I know when I should try a dead rat? I'd hate to waste a rat if I defrost/heat it and she doesn't want to, or is that what I have to do; just try and see if she's ready?

[CALM Pythons]

Thanks Godzilla, SO I have the new tank setup, I have the UTH with the thermostat probe inbetween the UTH and glass underneath, and a thermometer probe under the papertowel substrate and it's almost right on 90F, so that's good. The ambient is about 75, but I'm going to insulate the sides and back which should help. One thing I'm wondering about: so she's been pretty stressed temperature-wise for a while, and she did poop last night which is awesome, but how do I know when I should try a dead rat? I'd hate to waste a rat if I defrost/heat it and she doesn't want to, or is that what I have to do; just try and see if she's ready?

Id wait a full week once she is in the new enclosure.
Also in the future its easier to have 1 thermometer that does it all. My Acurite indoor/outdoor thermometer (off amazon) has a temp on the housing itself, a probe i use for the hotside and the housing also has Humidity. 3 in one, less wires, less clutter that the snake can get into.
Here is a link.
https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00891.../dp/B001BO8CUE


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