Is 2 degrees that big of deal?

[kona dog]

I got a ball about 6 weeks ago and have him in glass aquarium with plexiglass on top and cut out for ceramic heater. I also have uth on same side as ceramic heater. Have probes under substrate(aspen)-heat is 89-92, ambient 86 humidity 51% but cool side is always 77-78. I have no form of heat on cool side but he is always there. Same hides, and got good humidity with misting and used humid hide and got full shed. He eats every 5 days and has never missed a meal, frozen or live he don't care. He has never tried to bite me either. Every once in awhile he is on heated side, but rare. Should I try some sort of heating element for cool side, or is that close enough? Thanks
I also have heating on thermostats with accurite gauges

[bearhart]

Personally, I prefer to err towards the warm side. So, I would not be comfortable with 77-78 esp if my BP was hanging out on the cool side all the time.

If your snake hangs out on the cool side and its too cool you are risking him getting an RI - that's personal experience.

One thing I recommend is to cover three sides of the tank with rolled cork from the craft store. Its good looking, will make the snake feel more secure, and will boost your ambient temps by a few degrees. Particularly, it will help with cold spots in the corners.

Even with cork, I have found that I having some supplemental heating on the cool side is really necessary to push it up into the low 80's. I use a low-wattage heat lamp to accomplish this.

Also, I don't know how thick your substrate is, but keep in mind that temps under the substrate are likely to be a bit warmer than right at the surface. I anchor my accurite probe to the edge of the warm hide with just enough slack so the probe extends to the center of the hide. My snake actually lays on the probe when he's in there. In any case, you should take a few measurements around the cage. You might be surprised at how much the temps vary.

Finally, make sure the top of the tank is mostly covered. This helps keep heat in as well. Check out the glass tank sticky posts to see how its done.

[littleindiangirl]

are there 2 identical hides on each side? He may prefer one over the other.

[kona dog]

Ok, I had extra light with red bulb(?basking lamp?) so I cut out the plexiglass and put it in. I check in about an hour to see what the temps are. The temp gauge I am using on left side doesn't have probe, its just a little white one with a stand(springfield from wal-mart) I just have sitting on top of sub on left side(cold side), is that ok? On the right side I have the probe under the substrate and the accurite it self on the lower portion on the warm side. I have the probe for the thermastat which is connected to the uth under the sub with the accurite probe. Should I move the probes to the top of sub? I don't have a therm for the ceramic heater, but the accurtie which is beneath it has never gotten above 90-I got a snake because I was having trouble with fish and thought it would be easier, boy was I wrong1

[kona dog]

are there 2 identical hides on each side? He may prefer one over the other.

Yes, caves

[Sunny1]

One thing I recommend is to cover three sides of the tank with rolled cork from the craft store. Its good looking, will make the snake feel more secure, and will boost your ambient temps by a few degrees. Particularly, it will help with cold spots in the corners.

Even with cork, I have found that I having some supplemental heating on the cool side is really necessary to push it up into the low 80's. I use a low-wattage heat lamp to accomplish this.

This is basically what I do with my tank set up also and my temps stay pretty stable. Although where he uses rolled cork, I have reflectix surrounding my tank. And I have a low watt red heat bulb over my cool side which I use on occasion when the temps start dipping a little.

Can you try and move your ceramic heater more towards the center of your tank as opposed to over the UTH? I think that once you insulate the tank to help keep more of the heat in as opposed to it escaping through the glass, you may find that a UTH and a heating element on the same side might be a little overkill and it may get to be too hot on that side anyway. But that is just my experience.

[Sunny1]

I have the probe for the thermastat which is connected to the uth under the sub with the accurite probe. Should I move the probes to the top of sub? I don't have a therm for the ceramic heater, but the accurtie which is beneath it has never gotten above 90-I got a snake because I was having trouble with fish and thought it would be easier, boy was I wrong1

I would move the probe for the thermostat out of the tank and tape it directly to the UTH. That is how I have my probe and my temps have been perfect.

Do you have your ceramic heater on all the time? My supplemental red bulb is not on a thermostat either, but then again it is not on all the time. I only turn it on when necessary. But the majority of the time mine is off.

I have trouble with fish too.... But once you get things right in your tank and figure out how things work best for you in your house (as settings can be different from house to house depending on how hot/cold/humid your house/area is) everything else is not hard at all. You'll get there!!!

[kona dog]

Ok, the basking lamp was eating my humidity up so I just moved the ceramic heater closer to middle and put both my probes on top of sub. What is this cork and reflect stuff u guys are talking about to put on outside of aquarium? Do u have a link where to purchase it? Thanks for all of your replies

[Swingline0.0.1]

(springfield from wal-mart)

Springfield, MO?

[kona dog]

Springfield, MO?

No, springfield is the name brand of digital gauge