New Green Tree python and a question

Joeyyb · 01-07-13, 06:10 PM

Hello everyone, I just joined the forum and I have a question. Yesterday I went to the White plains expo in new york. I picked up some food for the snakes and the crested, but while I was there I also picked up a baby green tree python! Now I have been doing research on them and the only issue is I didnt expect to get such a small one, so the 12x12x18 i had set up seems to big. So I put it in a shoebox tub I had that I put perches in a water bowl a fake vine and i have a heat mat on the bottom of the outside of the tub with the thermostat probe on it.
Now here lies the issue, i had bought a CHE for the 12x12x18. Now I have the temperature inside over the heat mat under tub to be on average 86 degrees that varies up and and down 2 degress. The heat mat is a small 4watt uth and I do not think it will get the ambient air temperature to be the proper degress.
I also have a regular 10 gallon that is not in use. Should i leave the gtp in the shoebox and go buy a higher watt uth and try to put it on the side of the shoebox or move it to the 12x12x18 or the 10 gallon? Ill post pics soon.

Lankyrob · 01-07-13, 06:16 PM

Can yu put the small "viv" inside the big one and use the cHE just for ambient air temps? Its late here so sorry if it doesnt make sense

jarich · 01-07-13, 06:53 PM

Its a little hard to tell exactly where you have placed the uth and the CHE set up from your description. In such a tiny little enclosure you should be able to get plenty of heat though, without the added increase. I would think the uth alone would be enough.

I know you arent able to post pictures until you hit five posts. Go post on a couple other threads so you can then come here and put up a picture. Thatll help us give you a better idea. Or if you prefer, you can send me a private message. Let me know where in Brooklyn you are and I can probably come give you a hand. Im in Brooklyn too.

Joeyyb · 01-07-13, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Can yu put the small "viv" inside the big one and use the cHE just for ambient air temps? Its late here so sorry if it doesnt make sense

I've been googling to see how other have heated their baby gtp tubs, and i stumbled across this, only thing is would i need to also put the CHE into a thermostat? i can put the little tub inside the 10 gallon and set the che there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarich

Its a little hard to tell exactly where you have placed the uth and the CHE set up from your description. In such a tiny little enclosure you should be able to get plenty of heat though, without the added increase. I would think the uth alone would be enough.

At the moment the CHE is not in use as I dont feel comforable putting it on top of the plastic shoe box. I have my thermometer prob where the uth is heating and its on 86 degrees avg. should I put it on on a perch and not worry about the temperature where the uth is and just the ambient? I'll go post in other threads, and im in Dyker Heights.

Joeyyb · 01-07-13, 08:29 PM

**Sorry for the double post, could not find the edit button**

Here are some pics of its setup as well as the snake.

Edit- the Thermostat probe is taped the the middle of the uth under the tub. And the size is just approx. i can get you the dimensions of it compared to the shoebox.

Lankyrob · 01-08-13, 04:38 AM

Beautiful snake!!! I think you may need a larger UTH - about third of the size of the tub but apart from that the setup looks great

SnakeyJay · 01-08-13, 07:16 AM

Every heat source should be on a thermostat.. Including that 4watt matt.

jarich · 01-08-13, 08:03 AM

So you have the thermostat probe taped to the bottom of the uth? That could be your problem. It may be shutting the uth down to a lower level. What is the thermostat set at?

dapozer · 01-08-13, 08:38 AM

Lots of good suggestions, I agree with the bugger UTH and defiantly a T-stat hooked to it. I like that the probe is between the mat and the tub on the underside, however you need a laser temp sensor to figure exactly what the temp on the bottom is doing. When I had a tub set up my T-stat would read at 87 to get a floor temp of 84.
Beautiful neo

Joeyyb · 01-08-13, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lankyrob

Beautiful snake!!! I think you may need a larger UTH - about third of the size of the tub but apart from that the setup looks great

thank you! And I'm going in a few to look for more uth sizes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakey-Jay

Every heat source should be on a thermostat.. Including that 4watt matt.

The 4watt Uth is hooked up to the thermostat. But the Che is 60w (I hope that's enough for a 12x12x18) I thought you are not supposed to plug different wattage into same thermostat?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jarich

So you have the thermostat probe taped to the bottom of the uth? That could be your problem. It may be shutting the uth down to a lower level. What is the thermostat set at?

I have the uth taped to the Uth on the underside of the tub on the outside, the thermostat probe is taped on top of that so it is between the uth and the surface that I'm keeping the tub on. I have the thermostat set to 92 and where my thermometer probe is it reads 86-88. The uth is not too sticky any more so I tape it, but not all of it comes into contact with the tub which is why I raised the thermostat a few.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dapozer

Lots of good suggestions, I agree with the bugger UTH and defiantly a T-stat hooked to it. I like that the probe is between the mat and the tub on the underside, however you need a laser temp sensor to figure exactly what the temp on the bottom is doing. When I had a tub set up my T-stat would read at 87 to get a floor temp of 84.

it is plugged in the a t-stat. The probe isn't between mat and tub, as stated above it is taped on mat between mat and the surface I'm keeping the tub on. And I plan on getting a temp gun really soon. And thank you.

SnakeyJay · 01-08-13, 11:51 AM

Either way the CHE still needs a thermostat or you will cook the poor snake.. You wouldn't believe how hot they get.

SnakeyJay · 01-08-13, 11:51 AM

Oh and a bulb guard if its going in the viv.

dapozer · 01-08-13, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeyyb

it is plugged in the a t-stat. The probe isn't between mat and tub, as stated above it is taped on mat between mat and the surface I'm keeping the tub on. And I plan on getting a temp gun really soon. And thank you.

I would do the probe between the tub and the mat, better true reading for the tub. you should be able to get all the heat you need from a bigger mat, I would doubt you need the CHE for the tub. Now the bigger cage is a whole different story. RHP's are a good way to go for the final cage.

jarich · 01-08-13, 02:07 PM

Now hang on everyone. So far we have no idea how big the surface area of the uth is. Therefore it is not a good idea to just say 'go bigger'. As Rob mentioned, it should only be about a third of the size of the floor of the tub. IF it is already this size then going bigger is not a good thing. In this case it seems like it might be just a probe placement issue or slightly inaccurate probe.

Your GTP is not ever going to dig down into your substrate, so the temp of the underside of the tub is pretty inconsequential. All you are looking to do is create a gradient from one side to the other that falls in the temperature range you are looking for. I would say that if your cool side is still too cool then just bump up your thermostat temp a bit until your cool side and hot side are good. If setting your tstat at 92 gets you to 86-87, then bump it up to 93 and see where that gets you. Your close, so make slight adjustments in a tub that small.

More importantly, where is it spending its time so far? Is it always on the hot side? Does it move between the two sides regularly? If its always on one side then you know you arent creating a good enough gradient in one direction or the other. If it moves from side to side regularly, utilizing the gradient, then you know you have a decent start. I actually keep the one corner of my enclosure around that temp and my GTP often prefers it.

Joeyyb · 01-08-13, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snakey-Jay

Either way the CHE still needs a thermostat or you will cook the poor snake.. You wouldn't believe how hot they get.

It would not be going in the tank, and I understand the CHE needs to be plugged into a thermostat but it is not currently even in a light fixture so no need to have a bulbless lamp in the thermostat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jarich

More importantly, where is it spending its time so far? Is it always on the hot side? Does it move between the two sides regularly? If its always on one side then you know you arent creating a good enough gradient in one direction or the other. If it moves from side to side regularly, utilizing the gradient, then you know you have a decent start. I actually keep the one corner of my enclosure around that temp and my GTP often prefers it.

The GTP does move around the enclosure but when I look I see it perched its on the hot end, I've been trying not to bother it too much. Just to check temp and humidity, which I've sprayed and then let dry completely.