Please help! I'm about to give up :(

[kasmir]

I've only had my BP Kash since October and it's taken lots of trial & error to get my enclosure just right & I am still failing miserably. I just can't seem to get it right. I am having a new cage built soon but in the mean time I would like to figure out what the hell I am doing wrong, before I lose my mind! lol! Here's a run down of what I'm working with. 20L tank, reptibark for substrate, 2 similar hides, med size water bowl, 2 tree branches, 2 accurite temp/humidity gauges on either side *placed directly on glass under substrate, under each hide*, 1 analog temp gauge in middle, screen top sealed with plastic wrap. Kash is about 7 & 3.5 ft, just came out of a crappy shed I have a small desert UTH on the one side, gets to about 106 degrees (however it does NOT get that hot on top of the reptibark, where he sits), that UTH is attached to a foil pad on the underside of the tank. I am unsure of what kind of UTH is on the otherside, but that one is attached to the glass & gets to about 114 under the substrate (the hide on that side is a cardboard box which has a bottom so the heat would have to travel thru the substrate & thru the cardboard) my humidity on that side is about 85, yet on the other side is about 50ish. Before I was using about a 50 watt bulb during the day which was sucking my humidty right out (i'd come home from work & it would be about 25!! that's why the shed was so horrible) but my temps seemed to be good (ambient as well). I started using the other UTH so I could get rid of the light & now it seems my ambient temp is suffering (70-72!) I have dimmers on each UTH that really don't seem to be working, I plan on getting a stat soon but in the mean time i need help! I'm getting really frustrated here He's a great eater which is a good sign (so i've heard) so I'm hoping I'm not too terribly off on his environment. I guess I need to know where is the perfect place to set these probes? How do I know exactly the temp of what he is laying on? The heat doesnt seem to penetrate the reptibark very much at all so I'm concerned that even tho the temp says 114 on the warm side & 106 on the cool side the proper temps he needs is not going thru the bark. Does that all make sense? Please give me any suggestions, I've learned so much here & I'm excited to hear any ideas you guys may have. Thank you so much for your help, Kash & I would be so appreciate!

[LadyOhh]

Change your substrate.

I greatly dislike reptibark...

Change to a wood ship like Sanichips or aspen shavings.

Should help with the dispersment of heat.


As for the temps, the best way to figure them out is to get a temp gun.

And bad sheds happen. Just bump humidity when the next shed comes (Although 85% humidity is actually a bit high). No sweat.

[llovelace]

Place your probes directly on glass then cover with your bark, you will want to invest in a temp gun so you can get accurate temps. your warm side should read around 94 and cool side 88. Don't stress out , I would dial those temps back for now

[anendeloflorien]

You're going to COOK your snake. No matter how deep that substrate is he's going to burrow down into it and hit that 110 degree glass. Switch to using either a thin layer of aspen or cypress mulch or just use newspaper. The temp on top of the substrate may be too low (you need to get a temp gun to tell for sure) in which case that animal is going to find a way to get to the warm spot.

#1 Get a thermostat.

#2 Get a temp gun

#3 Change out the substrate

Then come back and let us know how it goes.

[DSGB]

You're going to COOK your snake. No matter how deep that substrate is he's going to burrow down into it and hit that 110 degree glass. Switch to using either a thin layer of aspen or cypress mulch or just use newspaper. The temp on top of the substrate may be too low (you need to get a temp gun to tell for sure) in which case that animal is going to find a way to get to the warm spot.

#1 Get a thermostat.

#2 Get a temp gun

#3 Change out the substrate

Then come back and let us know how it goes.

good advice!

[Texas Dan]

First thing I would try is paragraphs.

Then i'd change the substrate to aspen and get those temperatures lower.

[kasmir]

Place your probes directly on glass then cover with your bark, you will want to invest in a temp gun so you can get accurate temps. your warm side should read around 94 and cool side 88. Don't stress out , I would dial those temps back for now

thank you! the only problem when i lower the temps back on the UTH's is that when I put my hand in the hide, it's barely warm. it's barely warm even at the temps i have them at now

[kasmir]

First thing I would try is paragraphs.

Then i'd change the substrate to aspen and get those temperatures lower.

so that is the first & most important step in BP husbandry? I had no idea

Thank you

[hoax]

You're going to COOK your snake. No matter how deep that substrate is he's going to burrow down into it and hit that 110 degree glass. Switch to using either a thin layer of aspen or cypress mulch or just use newspaper. The temp on top of the substrate may be too low (you need to get a temp gun to tell for sure) in which case that animal is going to find a way to get to the warm spot.

#1 Get a thermostat.

#2 Get a temp gun

#3 Change out the substrate

Then come back and let us know how it goes.

Hey here is an idea...

Lets not disparage the new comer to the hobby any more than they already are.

Ask any one on here I am not the politically correct one around here but use some sensitivity.

Now on with some constructive criticism.

I would change my substrate. I personally use blank newsprint. Aspen works well but if you are having humidity issues then I would stay away from it.

When I had my glass tank I used a red bulb on the outside to warm up the ambient temps, do not let it get the glass to hot.

Your snake will burrow down to some extent so always keep your glass at a safe temperature.

Use only digital temp and humidity gauges. Analog is a waste of money.

Hope this helps some. Please do not get discouraged BP are hearty little animals just continue to work hard at getting it right and keep coming with the questions. Most of us are willing to lend a helping hand.

[starmom]

thank you! the only problem when i lower the temps back on the UTH's is that when I put my hand in the hide, it's barely warm. it's barely warm even at the temps i have them at now

Remember that our body temp is much higher than the temp you want for a ball python, and so the hides will indeed feel tepid; or barely warm.

A glass tank can be a tricky thing to get right. Have you tried insulating the sides and back of the tank to help hold in the heat?

Also, a thermostat (as has been suggested) is a must to control the heat sources and keep your snake from getting burned. If you have 2 heat sources you'll need 2 thermostats or a Herpstat II.

Reptile Basics sells a great line of temp guns. These are a great husbandry tool; really a must-have in my book!

Take care. Don't give up. Keep asking questions and being open to corrections and change