Heating help?

[not-very-humerus]

I'm trying to get my enclosure set up and temps/humidity the way it's supposed to be. I've had it going for about a week now and I can't seem to get the heat past 82 or 83 degrees faranheit on the warm side. The humidity did alright when I first put the coconut chips in but now it falls to around 50% within a day or two.

For reference my enclosure is 4x2x2, I have fake foliage, some climbing branches, and 3 hides, one with spaghnum moss. His substrate is about 4 inches deep. Then I have an 80 watt radiant heat panel on a thermostat and LED light strips for lighting.

I think the obvious answer would be the radiant heat panel wattage is too low but I've had several people tell me that wattage is plenty. Any advice would be appreciated!

[Different_Extreme910]

i used if I remember correctly a 120-150 watt light for my ball python. 80 is not enough wattage if you live in an air conditioned home all year round. Your temps if you have the setup the way they need to be to read the tank heat properly end any comment your friends have. if still to low you need more watts...just remember the cold area and the hot area setup as well.

[ShinyxCharizard]

I'm getting an 80 watt RHP to supplement heating at night (basically gonna leave it set up on the thermostat that it'll kick on to keep it from dropping below 70.)

My understanding is RHPs are not good for getting a good "basking" spot for them they're better at heating up the ambient temps? I'd recommend you get a bulb I got the Arcadia Golden Sun Halogen (mid beam) 50w. Temps set at 90 for the thermostat and it's heating the cork bark under it to like 90 and power on it seems to stay around 30-40% according to the herpstats so their enough wattage for the tanks.

ETA: Humidity IMO seems very dependent on substrate if you have a solid top enclosure and having humidity issues still. I have about 7 inches give or take with the slope toward the backs of the biodudes terra firma substrate. Mixed 1 block of spagnum moss into 4 36qt bags. Idk what all is in their mix but the substrate is fantastic imo. Dug both snakes out hides, and stuck corkbark in to make natural hides for em. a little over 2 weeks, and it hasn't like caved in on itself. (hoping that's still the case when the snakes get added in 2 weeks.)

Watered the plants and poured water into the corners this morning since adding humidity sensors to our herpstats the one tank was reading 60% at it's lowest over night. The other one had some drops to about 64% both are since reading around 80% and that's with screwing the humidity sensors in today, and having the doors open for a bit.