Reptile & Amphibian Forums

alright, big problem, noticed the botto mof my tank was burning my hand when i touched it, snakes been in there 24 hours like this now, he was never on that side really, always in the middle, so i put a thermometer on it and it was reading 110 degrees, so i took the heating pad off the tank and stuck it to my beuro, or however you spell it, so now the tank is sitting about a fingertip off the glass...think this will bring it down to like 85?

the tem is suppsoed to be like what the ground is right? not what the air, becuase the guy said mid 70s on the cold side and mid 80s on the heating pad side...thats what the bottom of the tank is right?

thanks guys! i also moved the pad over a little more so it warms up the cooler side cause the snakes always in between under the snake bedding

You need either a thermostat or a dimmer, or preferably both.

You can order the thermostat from pretty much any reptile supply online, or find it in some pet stores. It will read the temperature from a probe, and adjust your heating pad (either by "dimming" it, or switching it on and off) to keep the temperature at whatever you set. If you have substrate above your heating pad, you probably want a dimmer and thermostat if you go this route. I use both because i found that the glass would be 100 before the substrate where the sensor was would reach 86. If your thermostat does the "dimmer" thing itself, you obviously wont need to add another one. I believe the dimmer type is called porpotionate and the other is reffered to as on/off.

The other option is just the dimmer switch. At lowes they have a dimmer switch for lamps for about 10 bucks, you plug the heat pad into the switch, plug the switch into the wall, and adjust a slide to the proper temperature. The downside of this is that as your room temperature changes, so will your tank. If you set it up to keep your tank at 86 when your room is 70, then if your room is 80 its gonna be getting up there too hot. So it requires pretty close watch still.

The temperatures given are for usually for the minimum and maximum that the snake can access. I really don't know if it should be air temp, but what i do for mine, in a 40 breeder, i put 2 flourecent lights for display only (very little heat here), a red always on heat bulb for air temp, and then i set my thermostat to cut my heating pad on and off to keep it at 86 on the hot side, since the red light is also over the hot side, it keeps that side at 86 while the other side is usually low 70's, but varies with room temperature usually to about the same as the room, which is fine. I also have a dimmer switch on the heating pad so that even when cut on, it will only heat up to about 90 which does two things... first it keeps my snake from getting under the aspen and right on the 110 degree glass, and second it keeps my thermostat from cycling as quickly, while still maintaining a constant temperature of 85 to 87 in the warmest part of the tank.

I also use 2 digital thermometers in each tank, i get the 8.00 kind from the local store, has a probe (though a bit short). I always test any thermometer, thermostat, rheostat (dimmer), before i use it to keep something alive.

Now my setup might be overkill to some people. But at minimum, if you skimmed the rest, read this:

NEVER put ANYTHING hot near your snake without it being attached to some sort of temperature control system.

Oh, he is in the middle because the hot side is too hot. Leave the pad on the hot side and adjust it as described in my previous post, you will see him start moving back and forth as needed.

He will thermal regulate assuming you give him the option, you don't have to "chase" him with the heat.

Make sure he has proper hides on each side. I use the same type hide on both sides so that logically ( at least to me, i never asked him ), he will not have a hide preference and will choose only based on what temp he needs.

Sorry to post 3 times, im tired, and I just saw your earlier post with the pics. First I'd recommend you scrap those thermometers, I have had 3 and 2 of the three were stuck on 73 and never moved, whether in the fridge, or 1 inch under my heat bulb. The third one would read about 50 in the freezer and about 80 an inch away from the bulb.

Second, I'd spread the hides out. Most likely at his size he is fine hiding under the aspen, but like I said before, having equally secure hides in all temperature areas makes him regulate his temperature, not his sense of security. A snake will freeze itself, or cook itself, in order to feel secure.

I also now understand about your moving the heat pad, but still i think a better option would be to first get good thermometers (petco will take em back, they get plenty of them returned) so you can get accurate temps at the substrate level, not up high where you have them. I don't see any way possible that your hot side is 110 and your cold side is 70. Most people will be lucky to get 15 degrees difference in a tank that size much less getting 40. I'm going with broken thermometers again on this one.

will he be alright like this for a week or no? ill buy a lamp, and how does that heat thing work a thermometer on the pad and it runs to the plug in? and thats all id need?

the temp isint wrong, i thought they might be lieing until i used a real cooking thermometer. im kinda mad becasue if he dies before i get back to the store yeah.

if anyone has extra stuff ill paypal you money to send it to me....i need some sort of setup...and a heat lamp, and i can get the thermometers.

How big is your tank?

30x12x18

going tonight to get digital remote thermometers and going to try to get a heat lamp, then try to get a thermostat for the heating pad so it turns on and off to keep it around 85 drgrees

I would skip the heating lamp altogether. What is the temp of the room the snake is in? I ask because you can get snakes too warm as well. 85 seems a little high, IMO. Are you able to get the temps at 80-82?
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Genesis 1:1

Just a note for the original poster: I only meant to use the heat lamp as an aid to limit humidity. The temp ranges were my personal min/max temps. 85 is a little high for me too. The tank rarely gets that warm, but on occasion, it does happen. My ambient temps are pretty stable, so I only use a heat lamp.

Sorry if I was unclear about that.

Good luck!

I use this thermostat:
http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat?sc=2&category=15

and this dimmer:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=70717-000000539-TT300NLH-WH&lpage=none

Plug the thermostat into the power outlet, set to 86 (or whatever you want), plug the dimmer into the thermostat, set about 1/4 to 1/2, plug the heat pad into the dimmer and stick to bottom of tank on one side.

What this does is makes sure your heatpad, while on, is not getting hot enough to burn the snake, then the thermostat will turn it off and on, and using the dimmed gentle heat, keep your tank at the right temperature.

When my wife gets home with the camera tonight, ill post pics of one of mine.

I just bought the same thermostat dae...

i spent like 140$ with big apple, i bought a 250watt black heating lamp, the thermostat and a deigital remote 2 way temp and humidity thing haha...

do i need the dimmer? what was the point of it i didnt understand haha.

ill probably be getting a bigger tank sometime too...just so i dont have to do it later

i wasnt expecting it to cost 350$ to get a snake haha

OMG man, you are way over doing it here.First off I would like to say that I admire the fact that you are going to these lengths for a $50.00 snake.LOL....I really do like that part.

Anyway, its overkill if I ever heard it.
Look, you buy a tank (you have one) you get a undertank heater or $15.00 heat pad at rite-aid.You put it under one end of the cage and call it good man.I don't get all this science in temps and humidity.three kinds of heat,thermostats,hides everywere,etc....next you will be asking about how to cool one end???

Anyway, you will have a cool end and a hot end and you should have a hide on each end.Its pretty simple and I have set this up a thousand times for people just wanting a pet snake or two.I have done this many times in classrooms as well.
If its a little to dry then just place a moist box (tupperwear or small plastic box) inside cage with small hole and damp moss inside.This will aid in shedding etc....

L8r

n/p
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"

How many BTUs do you recommend for an air conditioner to cool the left third of a 30 breeder?
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1.1 Florida Kingsnake
1.0 Kisatchie Cornsnake

years ago we had a power outage in the summer and temps reached, over 100. I put a first aid kit chemical ice pack, wrapped in a cloth, against the outside of the usual cool end of the tank...

Yeah bro, I'll cool em if they need it... and i'll provide 10 types of heat, and thermostats and rheostats and timers, and i'll install central heat and air if it makes them more comfortable. And, if I ever am not willing or able to provide not just what will keep them alive, but what is the very best, I will no longer keep them. It should be a privilege for them to be captive, else we should leave them wild.

I think you missed the point. anyway, Like I said I was impressed in the lengths taken so far for this snake.But it also sounds like he wiped before he **** (well you get the point).
He got the snake before he had the temps and humidity and light cycles and etc etc etc under control.
Anyway, I am done here good luck.

L8r Shannon

I couldnt fathom a worse brand as far as UTH goes their other stuff is good.

I threw mine away replaced them with COBRA UTH and never looked back .

They would rise to insanely high temps dangerously hot than shut off for hours even as area was cool.

If set up with a simple $12 reostat the zoomeds work just fine as do the cobras. RW

Here is my tank (again i'll get a pic when wife gets home) its a 40 breeder:

1 1 2
----------------------------------
| |
| |
| |
___467_____________________457____
-----3-----

1 = florescent lights on timer, just for my viewing
2 = red 60 watt reptile night light
3 = UTH
4 = digital thermometers
5 = thermostat probe
6 = water bowl just large enough for the snake to soak in
7 = hides

Left side stays at low 70's and right side stays at 86.

On/off thermostat with/without dimmer:
Without:
Thermostat kicks on the heat pad when temp at top level of substrate reaches 83. Heat pad, and glass heat up to 110
which may be ok with some people, but i dont like it. After
a while, when the top of the substrate heats up to 86, the heat pad kicks off.

With:
Thermostat kicks on the heat pad when temp at top level of
substrate reaches 83. Heat pad and glass heat up to 90. After
a while the substrate reaches 86 and the heat pad kicks off. The dimmer serves to keep the heat pad from ever getting above 90.

Heat Lamp:
I use the heat lamp for 3 reasons. First, its the best way i could find to get my humidity down to 50. Second, I like to see my snakes at night, and don't want to have to adjust anything to do so. Third, I prefer the air temp and the substrate temp to be balanced.

By leaving the red light always on, having the flourecents cycle on and off for daytime, and using the UTH on the thermostat/dimmer, i keep my temperatures constant, am always able to view my snake, and he gets the most comfortable environment i can provide. Night temps drop on the cold side to 68 but still stay warm on the warm side.

I don't closely monitor humidity for each tank, I have one humidity sensor that i stick in each tank and move around randomly to spot check them, but here, i'll never get it low enough to hurt them, i only have to make sure it doesn't get too high.

My snakes use their entire cages from floor to ceiling and from left to right wall. They climb around on the top rim of the tank, they use both hides, they are healthy and active, eat very well, and are never aggressive.

If you want specific details on the process i go through to set it up, i can provide them, its quite simple.

the diagram has line breaks and is not displayed right, ill get a pic posted tonight

Tanning bed?

Shannon

HaaaaaaaaaaHaHa.

Oh yeah!

Actually, the bulbs are just regular florescents from wal-mart. No uvb or anything. They do make it pretty though.

Yours looks like a beach scene. LOL