thermostat recommendations

[Bogertophis]

OK, it seems to be working now. I still say the Zoo Med' directions were poorly written: lots of talk about the heat source cutting off when it's too hot in the first 2 pages, but only one mention of it turning back on when the desired temp is reached, on page three.

So now my question is: what is the right temp at which to set the tstat? My probe is in between the UTH and the bottom of the enclosure. My understanding is that the hot side should be 80-85 degrees (is this right?), so I programmed the desired heat to 88, to allow for the heat that is lost getting from the UTH to the inside floor of the enclosure. Does this sound right?

Maybe not? It's essential that you check (& double-check) the actual temps you get inside the enclosure- over the UTH- & with the substrate pushed away (as your snake is likely to do). You want that warmest temperature over the UTH to be about 88*- & not over 90* for safety, because snakes (esp. BPs) will sometimes lay there way too long & get burned. Low 80's would be too low for a BP on the warmest side. You want the coolest side about 76*-80*.

You cannot just set a t-stat & assume you're getting that temp. inside where the snake is- it could be hotter or cooler, & also, give it some time to normalize. This is actually best done before a snake moves in, for a minimum of a couple days to preferably a week, but if (?) "that ship has sailed", you'll need to keep checking it with an accurate thermometer or "digital temp. gun" for safety. If the enclosure is not yet occupied, so much the better.

You also can't assume that you should set your t-stat the same as someone else does to get the same interior temperatures for your snake. If only it were that simple, lol. You need to double-check. Your t-stat (even if the identical brand & model) might work a bit differently than someone else's does, & it's a good bet your room temps. are different too, & also how insulated each enclosure is.

Set your t-stat to get the desired heat inside the enclosure, over the UTH with the substrate pushed back- and 86-90* is what you want for a BP.