I brought the thermostat, now what?

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

Can you all just give me some general heating info. I got the thermostat cuz I didn't want to stock them thermometers on the inside of the tank and risk it getting stuck to ma bp since she knocks it down everynite but now how do I measure heat and how do I set the thermostat if it just says hi and low. the digital thermometers have the stickys too. Please just tell me Wat you all do for heating. Also should I keep my uth on all nite and day now that I have the thermostat

[millertime89]

I seem to be the odd ball out in my methods. I put the probe in the enclosure on top of the substrate to get the most accurate temps. I do this because I use belly heat but I also use cypress mulch as substrate. I use both heat pads and flexwatt for a heat source.
up top: thermostat bung on the left, flexwatt in the middle, hygrometer (humidity sensor) on the right
http://www.1320video.com/img/album337/IMG_1120.sized.jpg
the lower ones have all the cables routed in behind.

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

How do you know Wat the temp is on the probe, your thermostat displays it after it reads it? I can't set a number temp on mine or get a digital reading from it??

[mattchibi]

It sounds like got a rheostat. Any good thermostat will have a digital readout on it for the temperature on the probe. I suggest looking into Herpstat (made by Spyder Robotics), or Vivarium Electronics (sold on Reptile Basics Inc website, google it). The cheapest thermostats that I know ~work~ are the Ranco, which is about $80, and the Hydrofarm, which is a bit cheaper, but they are on/off thermostats and aren't as reliable. Much more susceptible to heat spikes.

The on/off thermostats are generally cheaper, and the way they work is for example the Ranco: You set a the Max temp to 92, and the Min temp to 88. Then what the thermostat will do is heat up the flexwatt or Under-tank-heater until it reaches 92 degrees on the probe. Then it will automatically turn off the heating element until the probe reads 88 degrees. Then the cycle goes on and on, trying to optimally keep the temps on the hot side between 88 and 92 at all times.

The proportional thermometers are MUCH better, I've used them since I got my first ball python. I personally use the Herpstat, I have a few models of them. How they work is you set the temperature to say 92 degrees again. The thermostat will make the heating element go up to 92, and then proportionally reduce the amount of energy until it needs to heat up again. The difference between the proportional thermostats and the cheaper on/off ones is that they stay within a much smaller range (within +/- 0.5) like within 91.5-92.5, rather than 88-92. My tank has a constant hotspot of between 92-93 at all times of the day or night. My tubs have a constant hotspot of between 90-91 at all times of the day.

I highly recommend it. The thermostat will be able to be used for the rest of your ball's life. You will realize that you want to upgrade once you've used the crappy ones for a few weeks, or once your snake gets a burn. Heres some links:

Spyder Robotics (http://spyderrobotics.com/home/products.html)

Reptile Basics Inc (http://reptilebasics.com/)

[exwizard]

Alife is much cheaper thermostat. LLL Reptiles sells them for $26.

[theapexgerman]

this is the what I use
BAH-1000DC Reptile Thermostat New Model - Incredibly Reliable Digital Chip for Accurate Temperature Control (http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat)

[presspirate]

Respect to the op. He already got the thermostat. He wasn't asking what to buy, but what to do now that he has it. The answer is monitor your temps. Use your current thermometers for now. When you can, buy yourself a laser thermometer. These can be gotten for around $20 - $30 and you can measure your temps at any part of the enclosure.

[theapexgerman]

I got mine lazer thermometer at amazone for 16 bucks free shipping to and works good I miss understood the question I'm on my cell so I didn't read everyrthing

[mykee]

I know, off topic of the OP, but in good conscience I can't let this one slide:

"I seem to be the odd ball out in my methods. I put the probe in the enclosure on top of the substrate to get the most accurate temps. I do this because I use belly heat but I also use cypress mulch as substrate. I use both heat pads and flexwatt for a heat source."

The reason you feel like to odd ball out is because with your probe placement, should your ball python (like ALL ball pythons do) burrow under the substrate to the bottom, the temps will be so hot that you WILL have to deal with a nasty case of belly burn.
Just saying.

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

I brought a repti temp 500 r. From lllreptile for 32bucks and it sucks I dunno how to place the probe or where I'm getting so overwhelmed with all dis stuff but I'm determined so Imma keep throwing way cash till I get it rite smh

[Gungirl]

What do you have for a heat source? If it is a heating pad or flexwatt place the probe on the very bottom of the tank on top of said heat source. Do not place the probe on top of the shavings or paper you have as a base put it under it. However if you have a light or a radiant heat panel place your probe on top of your sub-straight.

You want to place the probe in the hottest area your snake can get to. The snake will burrow or climb to get to the heat it needs. Ball Pythons tend to not be climbers so this leaves you with a choice of under the sub-straight or on top of it. The style heat source you have will determine where to place the prob.

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

this is the what I use
BAH-1000DC Reptile Thermostat New Model - Incredibly Reliable Digital Chip for Accurate Temperature Control (http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat)

Does this use a probe too? Cuz ma main problem is placing the probe and still keeping the nice clean look and the viv top locked

[OSMDEATHOWNER]

What do you have for a heat source? If it is a heating pad or flexwatt place the probe on the very bottom of the tank on top of said heat source. Do not place the probe on top of the shavings or paper you have as a base put it under it. However if you have a light or a radiant heat panel place your probe on top of your sub-straight.

You want to place the probe in the hottest area your snake can get to. The snake will burrow or climb to get to the heat it needs. Ball Pythons tend to not be climbers so this leaves you with a choice of under the sub-straight or on top of it. The style heat source you have will determine where to place the prob.

I use a 100 watt exoterra bulb for day and a Uth 6 x 8 in at nite

[theapexgerman]

Does this use a probe too? Cuz ma main problem is placing the psrobe and still keeping the nice clean look and the viv top locked
Yes but there's a modle that use a heat dector its one of the more ezpensive. U could just use the heat dector and not even use the probe

[millertime89]

The reason you feel like to odd ball out is because with your probe placement, should your ball python (like ALL ball pythons do) burrow under the substrate to the bottom, the temps will be so hot that you WILL have to deal with a nasty case of belly burn.
Just saying.

I'm aware, shortly after taking that picture spacers were placed between the tubs and the heat sources. I'm struggling with the balance between the convenience of a tub/rack system, and my desire to keep smells at bay and provide the maximum comfort to my animals by providing them substrate to bury in. Any tips? I've measured the uth/flexwatt temp when inside tub temp is set to 85F, and the heaters are usually right around the 100F mark. Although lately my room ambient is just below 80 so the heat elements haven't had to work nearly as hard as they used to. I think I've asked about this before and nobody has a good solution.

[Kiljosh]

Mykee man are you sure?

My ball never burrows, but I think you are correct except for one situation.

Owners like me who use a thermostat and pad/wire as well as overhead lighting.

Skipping the "overhead lighting dries air" debate...I have my probe set on the hotside, buried half in/half out of the substrate. It's under the lamp but kind of shaded by some fake ivy.

But still if you think about it, the lights will heat the top of my substrate up. The mat/wire the bottom. My probe is touching the bottom of the tank so if that gets above 90 the stat shuts off. If the lighting up top heats the surface to 90, the stat shuts off.

So putting the probe all the way on top of the substrate would matter and heat the very bottom layer of substrate/glass too hot, I agree. But half burying it seems like a good solution to me and has been working consistently for me through summer and on into winter.

I have read glass surface temps using infared immediately after removing the substrate from the glass to clean the cage and it has never been above 95. But again, my ball never burrows, I actually have old socks of mine in his hide's as a comfy floor. He can't move the socks enough to burrow into the substrate.

Not trying to be cheeky man, just pointing out not everything is cut and dry. What do you think?

[mattchibi]

Mykee man are you sure?

My ball never burrows, but I think you are correct except for one situation.

Owners like me who use a thermostat and pad/wire as well as overhead lighting.

Skipping the "overhead lighting dries air" debate...I have my probe set on the hotside, buried half in/half out of the substrate. It's under the lamp but kind of shaded by some fake ivy.

But still if you think about it, the lights will heat the top of my substrate up. The mat/wire the bottom. My probe is touching the bottom of the tank so if that gets above 90 the stat shuts off. If the lighting up top heats the surface to 90, the stat shuts off.

So putting the probe all the way on top of the substrate would matter and heat the very bottom layer of substrate/glass too hot, I agree. But half burying it seems like a good solution to me and has been working consistently for me through summer and on into winter.

I have read glass surface temps using infared immediately after removing the substrate from the glass to clean the cage and it has never been above 95. But again, my ball never burrows, I actually have old socks of mine in his hide's as a comfy floor. He can't move the socks enough to burrow into the substrate.

Not trying to be cheeky man, just pointing out not everything is cut and dry. What do you think?

It might be working for you ~for now~, but the fact that you dont have your probe secure is a big problem. If the probe slips out or your ball python moves it around somehow, it would throw off the thermostat possibly causing an overheat. I have my thermometer (not thermostat) probe HOT glued to the bottom of the glass tank to measure the UTH temps, and it still got loose once.

From the way it sounds, you're putting the socks there because you're worried hes going to burrow down and get burnt. Why not just adjust your thermostat probe to on the OUTSIDE of your tank, between the heat pad and the glass? That way the thermostat will be able to tell you exactly how hot it gets under your "comfy sock floor". And if you want to measure the heat coming from the light as well, you can get a few probe thermometers, and stick one probe right on top of the glass and heat pad under the hot side (to double check temps of the heat pad), one probe on ground level on the hot side to measure ambient warm side temps, and one probe on ground level on the cool side to measure ambient cool side temps. Plus, depending on the fiber content in the sock, you have no idea how fast or slow it heats up. For all you know, the socks might also be acting as an insulator and preventing the heat from passing through.

If you need specific help, you can always feel free to PM me. I would rather take some time out of my day to help you get properly set up, rather than see a post about a burn in the future.

[Kiljosh]

I have my probe on a suction cup attached to the side, substrate comes halfway up it.

The socks though, I put them in there to get Stubb's used to my scent, maybe avoiding bites. I dunno if it's worked but he hasn't bit me yet, only reason they are really in there.

I have a thermometer measuring hot and cold side under the lights, as well as two digitals each measuring temperature in the hides. Hot side hide gets to 92 sometimes, so I think the socks do act as an insulator and keep heat in. Cold side hide is at 79-81 consistently. Ambient(under light temps) are 87 on warm side, 78 on cool side.

Hows this sound?

[Aaron_S]

So you have a bunch of wires in your tank? Snakes do move and have no problem moving probes around sometime. Wrapping tails around wires and the like.

I personally see my snakes displace their substrate and end up on the bottom of their tubs. I just stick my probe on the heat tape and it allows the temperatures to regulate that way. I just use a single temp gun to read what the temperatures are in each tub and on each side.

[mykee]

Overhead light sources are also dangerous in that ball pythons will climb the corners of a tank, and if that heat source is on, that snake could very easily burn itself (they're really that dumb) on the overhead.

Kyle; the only way to be sure that your ball python is not in danger of a burn is the place the probe (if you must stick it in the tub) attached to the bottom of the tub, under the substrate. If your ball python wants additional heat, he'll dig for it and you're free of the burn issue.

[Lankyrob]

My snakes all have heat bulbls, all their probes are set on top of the substrate and under the bulb, yes the snake do sometimes move them but we sit in fornt of the tanks ffor getting on for 18hours a day and move the probes back - what we do to help not only with the probe but with the humidity, is place a smaller waterbowl over the probe wire to keep it in place (obviously not ontop of the actual probe - this is exposed to the air to record the proper temps). :)

[millertime89]

I'll reevaluate the setup when I get home this afternoon and see what I can come up with and will post back later.

[Kiljosh]

So you have a bunch of wires in your tank? Snakes do move and have no problem moving probes around sometime. Wrapping tails around wires and the like.

I personally see my snakes displace their substrate and end up on the bottom of their tubs. I just stick my probe on the heat tape and it allows the temperatures to regulate that way. I just use a single temp gun to read what the temperatures are in each tub and on each side.


I will not lie I've had him reorganize things when he has a particularly active night.

But I really only have 4 cords in my tank. The thermostat probe, the 2 digital termo probes, and the "outside temp" probe for the single unit measuring ambient temps on hot/cold sides as well as humidity. They are run down the corners or under the substrate. The ones dropping down into the hides run the corners and are covered up by fake leaves and secured with a suction cup where they enter the tank and where they rest in the hide.

I could see Stubb's burning himself if he was able to get to the lights but their location on the lid and his length currently make that task impossible. However, when he grows another foot we could have problems.