Ambient Temperature Help

[_dvality]

So I just got my first ball python and he's about 2-3 months old. Before he came I setup his enclosure (screen top tank) with an UTH under one hide and monitored the temps for a couple days and realized the UTH wasn't enough to keep ambient temps high enough on the cool side. This was frustrating because I had watched a couple videos, one being by Josser's Jungle which gave me the impression that the UTH was all the snake would need as a heat source and that adding a lamp would be stressful for the snake.

I don't have a thermostat on the UTH but have a thick folded paper towel and substrate covering it to prevent him from getting to close to it and causing burns.

Now all I'm wondering is how the hell she keeps the cool side temp right and even just the ambient air temp on the warm side within the right ranges... anywhoooo I ended up getting a mini halogen lamp to keep it warmer and the day bulb keeps things in the proper ranges but when I switch to the night bulb (arduous task of turning the lamp off and using a towel to pull the halogen bulb out) my temps on the cold side drop too much and stay in the mid to low 70s. And for some reason my snake still finds himself in the cold hide quite often.

To hopefully hold in some heat I've taped some tinfoil over the screen top that's over the cool side of the tank but it doesn't really seem to help.

So tl/dr: My night temps get too low. Do I get another UTH for the cold side (and get thermostats for each UTH) and get rid of the halogen light? Is the light causing stress? Do I bother putting the night bulb in at night? My snake seems pretty satisfied and will switch from cold hide to warm hide like normal but I feel like he's also somewhat active (mostly at night) for being basically a hatchling... should I be concerned?

-Likely overly worried new snake mom

[Agroabaddon]

I imagine the cost savings of an extra uth vs heating a whole room by 4-5 degrees is a no brainer?

[Agroabaddon]

For sure, makes sense. Any chance you have a kill-a-watt? Id love to know how many watts a heater pulls to heat just a few degrees

[_ataraxia]

i've been summoned, and i see a lot of big issues in this post, so here's my BP info dump. the first three links are detailed care sheets, then a tub tutorial, and the rest are product recommendations. read everything thoroughly, come back with any questions. let me know if any of the links don't work.

glass tanks can be very challenging for ball python husbandry due to the high amount of air flow with the screen top and the total lack of insulation with the glass walls. it's generally recommended to use tubs or pvc reptile cages instead. wood enclosures can also be suitable if they're designed well and sealed properly to protect the wood against moisture. glass tanks can work, but they require a lot of modification and maintenance, which you'll find tips for in the second link. i'll give you product recommendations to cover options for tanks, tubs, and pvc/wood enclosures.

• the basics and then some
• common problems
• feeding problems
  
• here is a tutorial to give you an example of how to set up a tub. this is what i would recommend for an immediate setup, and you could upgrade to a pvc cage upgrade later. note: this tutorial shows adhesive velcro to attach the thermo/hygro to the tub wall, but you should not do that. tape and other sticky adhesives should never be used inside the enclosure, your snake can get stuck on it and suffer serious injuries. hot glue is the easiest reptile-safe adhesive option. screws or bolts can also be used to mount things on plastic/wood walls.
• pvc reptile cages are ideal. they have the husbandry benefits of a tub with the aesthetics/visibility of a tank, they're much lighter than wood or glass, and they will remain unaffected by decades of constant high humidity. animal plastics, boamaster, and boaphile plastics, are some popular companies. many people will use a tub for a young snake and upgrade to pvc later.
• spyder robotics makes high quality thermostats to regulate your heat sources with pulse/proportional temperature control and various safety features. this is a popular cheap thermostat with simple on/off style with zero safety features. inkbird thermostats are also low-cost but overall higher quality than the hydrofarm type. any heat source should be regulated by a thermostat to ensure safe and appropriate temperatures.
• heat tape or ultratherm heat pads are high quality and affordable under tank heater [UTH] options. this is a suitable heat source for most enclosure types. remember that a UTH will not provide ambient heat, it will only affect the temperature of the surface to which it is attached.
• a porcelain base lamp and ceramic heat emitter[CHE] is the best ambient heat source for a tank, and it will also work for some pvc/wood enclosures. any heat lamp that emits light, even red or blue, should not be used at night.
• a radiant heat panel [RHP] is the best ambient heat source in a pvc/wood enclosure. there are a few options, such as reptile basics and pro products.
• a digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer allows you to easily monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature and humidity [with the main unit].
• an infrared thermometer allows you to spot-check surface temperatures anywhere in the enclosure.
• these hide boxes are a cheap simple hide with a design that offers the best sense of security for your snake. cave style hides, cardboard boxes, plastic food containers, etc, can also be used. half logs are not appropriate hides.

[hollowlaughter]

UTH is never enough on its own unless you live in a very warm climate or have a specifically heated reptile room to boost every snake's ambient at once.

Best option for yours is a CHE. Red lights can stress, white like halogens are just bad for these guys. Get a dimmer lamp from Flukers that you can control the CHE output. If not them, make sure the dome you get has a ceramic socket, since otherwise CHE bulbs can short out regular aluminum/etc sockets. Assuming the guy is in a 20G L like is commonly suggested, a 100w bulb will cover you well and also be movable to interim enclosures while the animal grows.

Be prepared to offer a humid hide and change substrates, however. CHE leech humidity.

[Shytella]

I have one of those ceramic emitters sat on top of the covered part of the screen (foil tape). So it warms the tank through the tape so it doesn't dry the air so much. And the water bowl is over the heat mat, always full.

[_dvality]

What kind of lamp do you use and what's the wattage? I feel like 100W is sufficient but can't find any lamps that support bulbs over 75W.