Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm trying to get my rack set up with the right temperatures. I have the economy 1754. The groove of the sterilite tub is about 100, move over about an inch to the flat part of the tub and it's a little over 80, move over any further and it drops to the mid 70s. I just don't know how I am going to be able to adjust this rack to get the right temps. For those that have AP racks, do you just let the part of the tub that's around the edges that sticks out more get much hotter than it should be so that the rest of the warm side is a decent temp?

is that only the very very end of the tub heats up.

Try putting whatever substrate you will be using in the tubs, give the substrate a while to heat up. Then recheck your temps.

Aside from the paper towel, newspaper or cage liner type substrates most will help even out the heat gradient over your heat source. Under the substrate the tub may still have a range of hot and cool spots but with the substrate, the moisture in the substrate and the air pockets it creates - your gradient should even out fairly nicely.

That makes sense, thanks. How much aspen chips would you put down? An inch or 2?

Put down however much you plan on using. 1-2 inches should suffice. Just remember to check your final temps with the tub set up just how you would when the python is finally in them. That is the temp gradient you are shooting for. An empty tub will read a lot differently than one that is fully set up.

The thicker the substrate, the higher you will have to set the temperature to adequately heat it. When the snake moves around the tub, the substrate will compress and move around causing warmer and cooler areas. If the snake moves all the substrate off right above the heat cable, it can get very hot very quickly. Check your temps regularly and readjust the thermostat and substrate as necessary.