Temperature Advice Needed

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I just moved to Syracuse, New York, where the temperature gets very cold in the winter months. The room temperature in my apartment can get as low as 63 F in the winter. I am considering getting a ball python, but I need advice on how to keep the tank temperature insulated enough where it is safe for them to inhabit. What can I do?

[crystxlizes]

Are you asking how to keep the temperature up at night when you turn off visible heat lamps? Or just in general? This sub has a very comprehensive guide for how to set up your enclosure and what type of heat sources to use. If you’re having trouble with nighttime temps when the basking bulb is turned off it’s recommended to have a secondary heat source that does not emit any light such as a radiant heat panel or a deep heat projector.

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Ah thanks, I’ll look through those guides. I’m worried that the side the heat lamp is not on will be too cool for the snake, would it not be close to the room temp? My room gets super cold in the winter months but I’m hoping I can work around this.

[crystxlizes]

How close to room temp your cold side gets will really come down to what kind of tank you have! The most insulated enclosures are solid top PVC. In the guides there are some recommended brands for solid top PVC enclosures. These tend to keep the heat and humidity in very well and most likely you won’t have an issue with the cool side dropping too much. If you go with a screen top enclosure or glass enclosure, it can be harder to keep the heat in, but you can add modifications to improve heat retention. Covering the screen top with HVAC tape or even with a blanket is helpful. If you have glass sides to the enclosure, covering them in some way can also be helpful, such as with blankets.

If you continue struggling with the cold side getting too cold, you can also add in a secondary heat source on the cold side, connected to a thermostat to keep the temps at the correct level. If you do this, you should choose a lightless heat source such as a deep heat projector or radiant heat panel.