New ball python help?

[Dianne]

This really does help! Much appreciated
Do setups kind of vary from owner to owner as well? Some say they use just a heating lamp, others say they use just the UTH, and then some say they use both. Of course people have mentioned the heating tape. Is it kind of varied amongst everyone?
From what I've gathered, people either have the same or a completely different answer on how they maintain their temps. And people say pros and cons for just about every heating source, but is there an actual right answer?

I have to say it's kind of interesting being a reptile owner. Its cool having all these options and answers

Unfortunately, there are almost as many ‘right’ answers as there are keepers. Thereare a few factors to consider. First would be the ambient temperature of your room, either dedicated reptile room or just the room where your pet is displayed. If you keep a cooler home, intentionally or not, then often you will need both a way to heat the enclosure as a whole to keep it in the correct minimum range plus a way to create that hot spot. My house was built in 1945, and though I’ve done some upgrades to make it more comfortable for all of us, I still have to consider seasonal temperature fluctuations. That’s the main reason I switched to radiant heat panels. My thermostat is set for the hot spot with the sensor probe nearest that point, with only a 5 degree fluctuation between on/off current if the hot spot drops below my minimum setting and turns it off when it exceeds the 5 degree climb I programmed. That keeps my hot spot on point and the overall ambient temp where it needs to be.

The second would be the type of cage you are using - sticking with just ball pythons here...different species, whole set of other factors. Many of us started with glass tanks...readily available and often cheap if used. Glass is a little harder to heat and keep the humidity up without some tweaking. Covering part of the top with glass or plexiglass boosts humidity. Homemade/purchased wood or melamine cages are easier to heat and hold humidity better, but they have to be well sealed and tend to wear out after a few years due to humidity and excrement. Plastic or pvc cages tend to be easy to heat, hold humodity well, are easy to clean/disinfect, and last pretty much forever. When I upgraded from my Vision cages, I had no problem selling them because they were well maintained and kept clean while in use...even though I’d used them for 10-15 years, depending on the cage. I’ve had the Monster Cages plastic cages for about 4 years, give or take. They look just as good today as when they were delivered. They’re textured plastic, so they are a little harder to clean versus the smooth Vision cages that could just be wiped down, but nothing a scrub brush can’t accomplish.

The last major consideration is the type of substrate you use. Thin layers such as newspaper, paper cage liners, reptile rugs, fabric (I used old sheets), or a thin layer of bark or shavings work well with UTH. Thicker substrates such as deep layers of bark or cypress shavings don’t allow the heat through, so you’re back to heat lamps, ceramic heat emitters, or radiant heat panels. Ultimately we all find what works best for us and keeps our animal healthy...some just require more work to maintain the correct range of heat and humidity. Luckily we have the internet these days, so we can order the type of cage, heat system and thermostats we want without being limited to what is carried in the local pet store.