How do I maintain the temperature in my BP's enclosure?

Praireboyfarmer · 06-24-15, 08:56 PM

I bought a 30 gallon tall terrarium for my Ball python. I got it because it was really cheap (on sale) and I figured once he outgrew it's ground space (about that of a 10 -15 gallon tank) that it could be used for a different kind of creature. Really nice enclosure.

This was a mistake. With a heating pad and a 75 watt heating lamp I CANNOT get that cage above 86 at most. The humidity is sitting fine at 53 but the temperature is not. On the small area with the heating pad it is probably 90 or above on the ground.

What is the best way to fix this? I know lights aren't good for ball pythons, but at this point I'm trying anything. I'm thinking about moving him into my dinning room where it sits at 86 degrees, then I only have to get the temperature up a few degrees V.S. over 20 degrees in my bedroom.

On another note the ball python is settling in pretty well. All aggression has subsided (there wasn't much to begin with) and he doesn't seem as nervous, seeing he tries to crawl up my arm everytime I have to reach into his cage (which rest assured I don't do very often)

Ouroboros · 06-25-15, 07:35 AM

Honestly, low 90s F is perfect for a basking spot, and 82 F is what I keep my BPs ambient at.

Are you regulating them with thermostats? No tank is complete without them. I recommend Vivarium Electronics thermostats, or if that price is too intimidating go for the Hydrofarm thermostats available on Amazon for about $27-30.

Do you have a screen top for the tank? If you do, getting a piece of cardboard, cutting it to fit the top (along with a round hole for any bulb you may be using), wrapping it in aluminum foil reflective side out), and placing that on top should do wonders both for keeping heat in AND for keeping humidity a little higher with less misting necessary.

eminart · 06-25-15, 08:00 AM

You need to measure the surface of the basking spot, not just the air.

Albert Clark · 06-25-15, 11:37 AM

Thermostat is a must! To keep temps constant and humidity at acceptable levels , IMO, you should invest in a "versa top". They are available at Petsmart, Petco and Petland. Takes care of three things at once.

Praireboyfarmer · 06-25-15, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Thermostat is a must! To keep temps constant and humidity at acceptable levels , IMO, you should invest in a "versa top". They are available at Petsmart, Petco and Petland. Takes care of three things at once.

Why do I need a thermostat if everything I have, at maximum power, only gets the cage barely above 80 when conditions are just right?

Mikoh4792 · 06-25-15, 05:01 PM

Could you post a picture of your enclosure?

A basking spot of around 90F is fine, and you do not need to get the ambient air temperature above 86F. Ambients in the low 80's are just fine. Imo your enclosure may be too hot.

Praireboyfarmer · 06-25-15, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

Could you post a picture of your enclosure?

A basking spot of around 90F is fine, and you do not need to get the ambient air temperature above 86F. Ambients in the low 80's are just fine. Imo your enclosure may be too hot.

Well I was told that I needed two thermometers. One for the "hot side" and one for the "cold side" and that I needed to ensure that the hot side was 90 degrees. I know the area where the heating pad is easily 90, but the ambient (air) temperature over that is 84 degrees currently while the cool side sits at around 78-79. Humidity is fine and hasn't been an issue.

So what I have now is fine? and I'll try to get some pictures as I do have a camera now. So check back in the next few days.

Mikoh4792 · 06-25-15, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praireboyfarmer

Well I was told that I needed two thermometers. One for the "hot side" and one for the "cold side" and that I needed to ensure that the hot side was 90 degrees. I know the area where the heating pad is easily 90, but the ambient (air) temperature over that is 84 degrees currently while the cool side sits at around 78-79. Humidity is fine and hasn't been an issue.

So what I have now is fine? and I'll try to get some pictures as I do have a camera now. So check back in the next few days.

What you have sounds just fine, though preferably the cool side should be just a few degrees higher. As long as your snake has access to those temps it will be fine.

Right now I would focus on security. Cover all sides but the front and add an extra hide or two inbetween the hot and coolside so your snake doesn't need to choose between thermoregulating and feeling safe.

SnakeyJay · 06-26-15, 01:45 AM

Heat matts do not heat the air, they're contact heaters so you need to measure the surface temp of your hotspot, not the air temp...

As for why you need a thermostat... Equipment fails and is $30 worth saving the life of your snake of the heatmat/bulb overheats?! Personally I think safety is worth spending on.

Mikoh4792 · 06-26-15, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakey-Jay

Heat matts do not heat the air, they're contact heaters so you need to measure the surface temp of your hotspot, not the air temp...

That depends on the size of the heat mat. If it's a small heat mat in relation to the enclosure, it will most likely only work as a contact heater. However heat mats that take up about 1/4 to 1/3 of the enclosure can work to raise ambient temperatures. Right now I have 11" x 23" heat mats in 4' x 2' enclosures and when the room is in the high 70's and low 80's, these heat mats alone raise the ambient temperature a few to several degrees. It also helps if you have a stack of cages since the ceiling of each cage would get some supplemental heat from the mats on the cages above.

Albert Clark · 06-26-15, 07:12 AM

Thermostat is a way to keep your snake from getting burned by unregulated heat sources. It is the most important piece of equipment to safeguard all of your animals against overheating and burns! It doesn't matter what size the heat mat is they all require thermostat regulation!

Praireboyfarmer · 06-26-15, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albert Clark

Thermostat is a way to keep your snake from getting burned by unregulated heat sources. It is the most important piece of equipment to safeguard all of your animals against overheating and burns! It doesn't matter what size the heat mat is they all require thermostat regulation!

and to answer your question, yes I actually do have a thermostat. It's not the best one in the world (It is a Zoo Med though) but I have it sitting between Medium and High. So don't worry, I was just curious as to why I would need one when this cage seems to barely be heating up. But with the advice of you helpful people I have improved it greatly and I'll probably even turn it down a bit. The frostsicles have now thawed off of the snake and he is now regulating himself as he should be.

I didn't mean to get off to such a rocky start here. I had all of the equipment I needed. It's just half of it didn't work, and half of it was due to my error. So I had a pretty clunky set up. Now it's fixed though!

Albert Clark · 06-26-15, 12:12 PM

I just didn't recall seeing that you already had a thermostat. Good work then. That Zoo Med is fine. Cool.