Cant Get My Tank Warm

[nicholaus343]

I have a 40 gallon for my ball python that is heated by a heating pad placed under the tank but I can get my surface temp to be hot enough without setting the thermostat really high. So I then went and bought a heating lamp but the the thing is it would suck all the humidity in my tank within hours. I don't know what to do. I thought maybe my heating pad or thermostat was no good or maybe even my substrate I use zoomed reptibark. What should I do?

[Homebody]

I have a 40 gallon for my ball python that is heated by a heating pad placed under the tank but I can get my surface temp to be hot enough without setting the thermostat really high. So I then went and bought a heating lamp but the the thing is it would suck all the humidity in my tank within hours. I don't know what to do. I thought maybe my heating pad or thermostat was no good or maybe even my substrate I use zoomed reptibark. What should I do?

Start by posting a picture and detailed description of your enclosure. The more information you give us, the better our advice will be.

[Albert Clark]

This definitely^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

However I will add how are you measuring the temperature to know it’s “not hot enough” despite setting the tstat on high? “Really high”?

[nicholaus343]

Ok I will attach a picture when I get home U have a temperature gun to measure the surface temp. I had to set my thermostat to 100 in order to get a surface temp of like 86 degrees in my hot spot but I am scared my snake will get burnt it it moves the substrate. and I also a digital thermometer and hydrometer and that only read like 79 degrees.on my hot side. when I use the heat lamp it gets the temp up but it j screw my humidity.

[Albert Clark]

The surface temperature should be taken on the glass to be accurate. If tstat is set to 100F we need to see if that is the same temperature on the glass above the heat pad. Remember glass is a poor conductor of heat. Unless the heat is coming directly from the sun into the enclosure. Then the heat gets magnified. Heat pad applications are different. Looking forward to the pictures of the enclosure.

[nicholaus343]

This is my enclosure for my tank the heat pad is a zoomed 16w(I forgot its dimensions) and it is supposed to be good for a 40 gallon I also have the heat lamp i mentioned earlier but im not using it because it sucks up all my humidity. the pick with the heat gun is the surface temp inside the hide directly on top of the heat mat

[Bogertophis]

All that substrate is a really good INSULATOR- meaning, it's preventing the heat (UTH) from rising into the tank. Over the UTH, the substrate needs to be really shallow, otherwise you're just overheating the UTH* & not getting the heat into the tank where you need it. (*& btw, make sure the UTH has a bit of ventilation for safety as specified in the installation instructions).

You DO want to take the temperature inside the tank right over the UTH & ON** the glass, to make sure it's not too hot & a safety hazard for your snake- some just don't seem to realize (maybe because BPs are heavy-bodied?) until they're injured ("burned") after laying there too long. (**In case your snake pushes the substrate aside, which they can easily do.) The substrate can be deeper elsewhere, just not over the UTH, for best results.

[AutumnVanilla]

All that substrate is a really good INSULATOR- meaning, it's preventing the heat (UTH) from rising into the tank. Over the UTH, the substrate needs to be really shallow, otherwise you're just overheating the UTH* & not getting the heat into the tank where you need it. (*& btw, make sure the UTH has a bit of ventilation for safety as specified in the installation instructions).

You DO want to take the temperature inside the tank right over the UTH & ON** the glass, to make sure it's not too hot & a safety hazard for your snake- some just don't seem to realize (maybe because BPs are heavy-bodied?) until they're injured ("burned") after laying there too long. (**In case your snake pushes the substrate aside, which they can easily do.) The substrate can be deeper elsewhere, just not over the UTH, for best results.

^^this.. Both our BPs burrow down to the glass in the hides on both the cool and hot side heat mats. We keep the substrate kinda thin over the mats and thicker elsewhere. When we check the temps, we will move the substrate aside to test the glass temp, since they always end up straight on it anyway.

[Bogertophis]

^^this.. Both our BPs burrow down to the glass in the hides on both the cool and hot side heat mats. We keep the substrate kinda thin over the mats and thicker elsewhere. When we check the temps, we will move the substrate aside to test the glass temp, since they always end up straight on it anyway.

And a 40 gal tank has a LOT of air in it- so unless the room is kept about 75*, you're going to need supplemental (overhead) heating of some kind (besides the UTH) to achieve the temperatures your BP needs to live in this tank. You also might need a larger UTH, or more than one. Lot's of variables, so each set-up has to be adjusted for YOUR situation.

[Albert Clark]

Nice set up. Also, where do you have the probe to the tstat sitting. That’s very important also. It needs to be taped to the underside of the heat mat and outside of the tank. Just checking.