New Thermostat!

[ballpythonsrock2]

I'm going to cover the lid with a piece of cardboard with foil over it...

From my experience you might find saran wrap taped over card board works a little better than tin foil. Tin foil seemed to just reflect the heat more or something, it didn't seem to lock in the moisture like the saran wrap did for me. Some people eventually use plexi-glass I think.

As of now I have Styrofoam completely wrapping in 3M silver metal tape (3350 ) which looks like tin foil But it seems to be working ok. I guess I could wrap them over with saran wrap. Might just do that in the next couple of days. Thanks.

ps. I would go ahead and move the snake and check the glass temp. If the substrate is 90 the glass might be too hot. And then measure the glass temp. set the thermostat to 90 and work up slowly checking the glass and then waiting. Best to do this before the snake is there at all. But guess you'll have to work with it. I wouldn't let the glass get over 90 But you will probably end up setting the thermostat higher than 90 to get the glass to 90. Make sure the temps stabilize before changing the thermostat setting.

[indygunnerguy]

Will do. I just didn't want to stress him too much. Ive only had him out two (maybe 3) times since I bought him because I read that you aren't supposed to handle them too much. Is that true? How often am I able to take him out and hold him? I know at least 24-72 hrs after he eats, but other than that what is the rule?

[reptilemom25]

Will do. I just didn't want to stress him too much. Ive only had him out two (maybe 3) times since I bought him because I read that you aren't supposed to handle them too much. Is that true? How often am I able to take him out and hold him? I know at least 24-72 hrs after he eats, but other than that what is the rule?

The only hard and fast rule I know of other than to wait after feeding is no handling until they are eating consistently (3 feedings in a row without refusal), and after that to take is slowly. Honestly, a lot of it depends on the snake. Some can tolerate more handling than others.

[ballpythonsrock2]

Will do. I just didn't want to stress him too much. Ive only had him out two (maybe 3) times since I bought him because I read that you aren't supposed to handle them too much. Is that true? How often am I able to take him out and hold him? I know at least 24-72 hrs after he eats, but other than that what is the rule?

Better stressed a little than a burned belly right? I would wait 48 hrs. to handle after eating I handled one once at 24 hrs. because Brian at snake bytes said 24 was enough and had a partial regurge. Since then I wait 2 days or 48 hrs. Once your snake gets acclimated and had a few meals you could take it out after 48 hrs from feed and then use your own best judgement between once a day or every couple of days say 15 to 30 minutes of handling, you don't want to over handle them . I would leave it alone on feeding day and then the 48 hrs after. And then a little here and there between the 48 hrs and feed day. Not handling on feed day is not a rule but it is just using good judgement.

[RedRabbit]

I would agree with the "no handling for 48 hours after feeding" rule, at least for now while your snake is young and not yet familiar with you. I followed that rule fairly strictly for the first couple of months with my BPs. Later on, you may be able to allow for just 24hrs, because your snake will be used to you and recognize you're not a threat, and you will also know your snake better and be able to read his body language. I also do distinguish between routine maintenance handling - i.e. moving or picking him up briefly because it's necessary to check a temperature or clean up a spot of pee/poop - and recreational handling, i.e. bringing him out to play with him for an extended period of time.

[indygunnerguy]

I don't think you'll necessarily need to unstick your UTH. I also have UTHs with the adhesive surface, and I just place the probe flush against the UTH. In order to help keep the probe in place and as accurate as possible to the UTH's temperature, I create a little "sandwich" as follows:

Outside surface of bottom of tub/tank -> UTH -> probe -> small square of styrofoam -> heat-safe tape to hold the styrofoam in place

I also tape down a section of the probe's cord so that the probe can't get tugged out from under the styrofoam square. With this arrangement, I have my Herpstat set to 88.0 F, and find that the surface temp for the hot spot (measured with an infrared thermometer, as fadingdaylight recommended) matches up pretty closely, right between 88-90 F.

Finally got my therm hooked up! I made a cardboard lid cover and lined it with foil underneath and put black duct tape on the top so it did not look quite as hokie lol. I used your sandwich idea for the probe so I did not have to try and unstick the UTH. Thank you for that awesome idea. I'm hoping that with this new cover, I will be able to retain some humidity. Right now, I will missed it in the evenings and it will be back down in the '30s within 24 hours.

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[RedRabbit]

Finally got my therm hooked up! I made a cardboard lid cover and lined it with foil underneath and put black duct tape on the top so it did not look quite as hokie lol. I used your sandwich idea for the probe so I did not have to try and unstick the UTH. Thank you for that awesome idea. I'm hoping that with this new cover, I will be able to retain some humidity. Right now, I will missed it in the evenings and it will be back down in the '30s within 24 hours.

Good that you have your thermostat set up now, and I'm glad the "probe sandwich" idea was helpful, haha. (I didn't notice until now that the EZ2 as little circular snakes on its number dials, that's cute.) What temp do you have it set to, and what's the glass surface temp on the hot spot now?

For your cardboard lid, just make sure none of the duct tape is on the inside surface where Gargamel can come into contact with it; our snakes have a tendency to get themselves into "sticky" situations, no matter how unlikely it might seem.

[indygunnerguy]

Good that you have your thermostat set up now, and I'm glad the "probe sandwich" idea was helpful, haha. (I didn't notice until now that the EZ2 as little circular snakes on its number dials, that's cute.) What temp do you have it set to, and what's the glass surface temp on the hot spot now?

For your cardboard lid, just make sure none of the duct tape is on the inside surface where Gargamel can come into contact with it; our snakes have a tendency to get themselves into "sticky" situations, no matter how unlikely it might seem.

I have it set to 100. The substrate is clocking in at 94 and the other side is now 83. The lid cover seems to be doing it's job. I made it to go on top of the slide in screen cover, so he cannot come into contact with the tape. Also, the underside is just foil so all the tape is on the outside. It seems to be holding humidity better now, but when I turn on his light for the daytime, it really takes it out fast. I'm thinking about not turning the light on for a couple of days and just letting the daylight come in instead. If the temperature stays up, then I don't see why I would even need the light at all do you?

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[gunkle]

I have it set to 100. The substrate is clocking in at 94 and the other side is now 83. The lid cover seems to be doing it's job. I made it to go on top of the slide in screen cover, so he cannot come into contact with the tape. Also, the underside is just foil so all the tape is on the outside. It seems to be holding humidity better now, but when I turn on his light for the daytime, it really takes it out fast. I'm thinking about not turning the light on for a couple of days and just letting the daylight come in instead. If the temperature stays up, then I don't see why I would even need the light at all do you?

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No need for a light. BP's are nocturnal so they don't require it. If you need it to supliment your heat get a ceramic heat element. They don't put off light and can be left on 24h. Also your hot side is a bit too hot. You should be measuring the tempurature at the hottest spot the snake can get to which would be the glass on the bottom of the tank directly above the UTH. It shouldn't be any higher than 90. You may need to turn down the heat a bit.

[indygunnerguy]

No need for a light. BP's are nocturnal so they don't require it. If you need it to supliment your heat get a ceramic heat element. They don't put off light and can be left on 24h. Also your hot side is a bit too hot. You should be measuring the tempurature at the hottest spot the snake can get to which would be the glass on the bottom of the tank directly above the UTH. It shouldn't be any higher than 90. You may need to turn down the heat a bit.

Thanks, will do. I've never seen him burrow under the substrate but I will turn it down just in case he decides to lol. I've been thinking about switching from a light to a CHE. When I use the CHE, where should I put the probe? Will it dry out the enclosure as well though?

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