decisions decisions

[kreaturekeeper]

okay okay I have had some help from you guys in the process of making my viv. background info. 4'x2'x18" melamine viv with 80watt RHP. Two vents. for a ball python. Its all up and running but there is something I have noticed. On the hot side with the thermometer probe on top of the substrate underneath the hide. (where my snake will actually be) it reads 83 F. For a ball python I do not believe this is quite hot enough. But when I put the probe on top of her hide It reads almost 95F :S That is over 10 degrees difference... Her hide is black which is soaking up heat so when she is in her hide the substrate is cool but inside top of her hide is quite hot on her back.
I want her temps to be perfect so I need some advice.
Question.
Would it be better to turn down RHP and also put in a UTH?
Or are those temps not that bad?
Would painting the top of her hide white help not have it get so hot?

Any advice would help! :hmm:

[Terranaut]

What is the air temp in the hide/outside the hide?

[kreaturekeeper]

I just have the probe thermometers and have to lay them on something which is why I just have the surface temps right now. Could I measure air temps with a temp gun? If so I will pick one up tomorrow and check.

[Brently]

Just try putting an analog thermometer in the hide to check the air temp.

[EmbraceCalamity]

Just try putting an analog thermometer in the hide to check the air temp.Analogs are notoriously unreliable. Not a good idea.

~Maggot

[Terranaut]

What does the enclosure sit on. Sounds like the heat is conducting out the bottom. Mine all sit on foam insulation.
Its the strip of white under the enclosure. Keeps heat in and stops one tank from heating the one above it.

[kreaturekeeper]

It is just on top of about an inch thick coconut husk bedding. I tried putting the probe on the ground just outside of the enclosure (beside it) and it read 85F. So a little bit warmer but still not quite what it should be for the ground on the hot side right?

Read that again sorry. The whole enclosure is just on a wooden desk..
I could prob try that insulation. But for the first few days I did have the Viv on the carpeted ground and I was reading similar temps.

[Terranaut]

Ooops my pic never made it hang on.
Here we go.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j9/terranaut0/photo-1325.jpg

[kreaturekeeper]

Nice set up! I don't actually think I am losing heat out the bottom because like I said I had similar temps when it was placed on the carpeted floor.
So I went and got a temp gun and pointed it inside her hot side hide and read 90F and in the cool one 79F. So I am thinking my thermometer probes might have been a bit off...
I do still have the problem however that the black hides themselves are significantly hotter. If I use my temp gun pointed at the top of hot hide the surface is 100F :S and if I point the gun inside the hide but pointed up at the black ceiling of the hide it is high 90's.. Pretty toasty. I find her trying to bury a bit so her back doesn't physically touch the top of the hides, probably because they are so hot. Would painting the top of the hides a less heat absorbing colour solve my issue here?

[Terranaut]

See how I have plants over mine ;) but even 90 is fine. I would not worry about it. My warm hide hits 95 when the room temp is up. If its to hot he will go to the cool hide. So yeah just leave it IMHO.

[kreaturekeeper]

good idea! it looks nice too.
Yeah now that I have a more accurate temp reading I feel better about it. She does go back and forth between the two hides regularly so this is a good sign that things are good.
Thanks for your help. I just really wanted her temps to be perfect and not guess or say "thats close enough".. like some people end up doing.