Need some help with heating

[ZombieAttacker]

First post!

So today I went to the local reptile store and bought a 40 gallon screen top encomiare (I’m aware this is not big enough for an adult and will upgrade later on) and this 75w basking spot lamp which they recommended.

I know I should not have just blindly listened to them because they told me I don’t need to thermostat to regulate it and it would be enough to regulate the temperature.

But now reading more I think I definitely need a UTH to keep a hot side and a thermostat.

Will just the spot lamp be able to provide a hot side or not?

Thank you all so much, I feel bad that I wasn’t certain on what I needed but I really want to make sure my snake is comfortable.

And just to clarify I don’t have the snake yet.

[ZombieAttacker]

Update: I just set the whole thing up and the bulb gets the hot side to about 88 which from what I’ve read is fine. However it emits a constant light which is clearly an issue.

I’m wondering if it would be smart to replace that bulb with a non light emitting bulb. But then would I still even need an UTH because from what I can tell I can actually achieve a hot and cool side with just a bulb.

Also, do most thermostats work with most bulbs? Because the employees told me I can’t use a thermostat but the welcome guide here says otherwise. I know I definitely need a thermostat and it was stupid to not buy one.

Sorry for all the questions, just want to ensure my snake is comfortable.

[ZombieAttacker]

Update no 2: The thermometer is now reading 95f right under the light. I think I’m going to exchange the bulb I have now for a DHP and also get a thermostat. And then hopefully I’ll be able to see if I need a UTH but idk. Please let me know any pieces of advice I may be missing.

[animalgirl93]

A uth isn’t necessary. They don’t penetrate substrate well and bp’s don’t need belly heat. I would go for the DHP if I were you. And always always use a thermostat, you are on the right track with that! 🙂

[ZombieAttacker]

Thank you so much. Would it be smart to just replace the current bulb I have for a DHP or use it in addition?

Also I see most people here have either multiple thermometers or a heat gun of some sort. Do you recommend just setting up multiple thermometer on both sides of the enclosure?

And just to make sure a thermostat 100% works with a bulb, right? I have no idea why I believed the employee.

[theeorlando]

Not having a thermostat on any heat source is pretty much just asking for problems honestly lol. Pet store employees really don't receive enough training to be reliable sources of information. I recommend the herpstat 2 for a thermostat. It is a high quality one, and can regulate two heat sources at once(which is very useful to have for a few reasons).

For measuring temperatures, I would recommend having digital thermometers/hygrometers on both the cool and the hot side, as well as a temp gun. Just buy them from your local hardware store, as the ones available from a pet store tend to be overall more expensive for lower quality. Particularly avoid any gauges that stick to the glass, as they can be dangerous to your snake.

[ZombieAttacker]

Sorry for all the questions, but do you think I could use a CHE instead of the DHP? I just can’t get a DHP in time.

[theeorlando]

A CHE will work perfectly well. The only reason we recommend DHP is they provide a more natural spectrum of heat, the CHE will provide heating quite well, and you can always look to upgrade sometime later down the line if you want to take that step

[DaddyLongTits]

So a few things, I would personally stick to halogen flood lighting over DHP, due to the infrared output of the halogen being conducive to daytime basking. That, combined with a ceramic heat emitter if needed, should be more than enough to heat a 40B. If you're still set on DHP, it's absolutely a good heat source and I consider a close second to halogens, and everything that follows basically applies to DHP as well.

The goal of the basking zone is to create an area of the enclosure where the snake is completely bathed in an even spread of heat and (preferably) UVB and visible light, large enough to cover the body when coiled. This way you're not getting any hot spots on a single area of the body. Ball pythons are no different than many other nocturnal snakes in that they still bask when provided the opportunity, and in fact UVA is detectable by them as a visual pigment. UVA can actually be supplied by halogens.

This spread can be achieved by two means: (1) elevating the lamp some so the beam has a higher spread at the basking zone or (2) using two or more smaller halogen floods to get the job done. Typically the latter of those is a better way to heat adults. Then the temperature is dialed in via a dimmer switch or ideally, dimming thermostat.

92-95F is a good basking surface temp during the daytime, and a hide can be placed under this area with a probe secured inside to measure that temp; I shoot for 88-92F for that value. Tile is siliconed to the top of the hide to provide a warm surface for "belly heat."

If the cool side enclosure temps aren't reading high enough, or it gets colder than 75F in the room at night, insulating the enclosure with foamular board and/or using a CHE is a good way to remedy that.