Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What do you guys think of having just a heat lamp on during the day and just a UTH on during the night for heating? Right now I have both on during the day and the ground temp. on that side gets to 95 while the air temp. on that side gets to about 88 to 90. I have a half log on that side though and that gets up near 100 in there on the ground! That's why I was thinking that as long as I can control the humidity that I would just leave the lamp on during the day by itself without the UTH so it won't get quite as hot on the ground, mainly in the log. I would do it this way for a nightly temp. drop but is that really that important? Could I just leave the lamp on 24/7 without the nightly temp drop?

I've heard some of you just using a UTH and nothing else which will give ground warmth but what about the air temps? When I just have my UTH on at night the air temp on the warm side is only about 78 while it's only about 72 on the cool side which has nothing. The ground temps are in the 80s on the warm side though at night so that part of it is OK. Is air temp. not that important as long as you have sufficient ground temps where their belly makes contact? I always hear that belly heat is most important but what if he slithers up on top of my log or something where he's not touching the ground at all? Sorry for the length of this post! I ramble too much! Just want some opinions on this. Thanks!

I shoot for warm side 90 (95 tops) & cool side 80-85. A night time drop is not needed, but if it does try not to go below 75 & be sure to still maintain a temp diff of 5-10 degrees between the 2 sides.

I don't worry about air temps - they're not really hanging out in the air anyway. They are on the ground.

I use a UTH on the warm sdie 24/7. I do have an infrared heat lamp on the cool side that is on 24/7 because my cool side temps get too low w/o it. It also makes for good night time viewing. My BP does sometimes come out and lay on a branch under the red light during the evenings.

If you don't need the heat lamp (like I do) I'd ditch it as it may/will cause problems with humidity. I think 24/7 belly heat is more important - since that's where they are mostly. And that overhead heat is better used as a supplement to belly heat - not an alternative.

Just my opinion.

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OK, maybe I'll give that a try then. Basically all I'll have to do is put the lamp on the cool side and stick a weaker bulb in there since I think it would get to warm on that side with the current bulb I am using since it would be for the cool side now. So basically, even the air temperature that is only an inch or two above the substrate is not important as long as the temperature right on top of the substrate is at the levels you mentioned? I've heard so many differing opinions on this so that's why I brought it up and I guess I'd still be worried if the substrate temps are at those levels but the air temps just above it would say 70 to 75 for example. I have heard that the "ambient air temp" throughout the enclosure should be 80 to 85. Hopefully I'll at least achieve that with the setup you mentioned and still get the right temps on the substrate at the same time. If that's worked for you and you have healthy BP's then I'll give that a try. Thanks. By the way, how many watts is your bulb that you are using for the lamp on the cool side? I have a 20 gallon and I'm currently using a 75 watt which has been for the warm side up until now. Maybe drop to 50? Just wondering.

Well, I can't imagine there being a huge enough difference from the top of the substrate to 1-2 inches above it to be concerned about. I just checked mine and I had to go about 3-4 inches before it even changed one degree - no biggie. I won't say ambient is not important - I'll just say I get the impression it's not and I don't worry about it. I mean, yeah caresheets might mention ambient, but whenever I've talked with anyone in person or on forums they never give or mention ambient temps - just surface temps. So I don't worry about it.

What are you using to measure these temps (analog, stick on liquid therm, digital, temp gun, etc)?

In the summer I only used a 100 watt bulb and in the winter I went up to a 150 watt bulb (both infrared heat bulbs by Exo-Terra). However, I could probably go with an even lower wattage. These wattages kept the surface temps on the cool side at 80-85 degrees (depending on the spot you measure at). My tank is 19" tall. But, the branch that he likes to hang out on that is directly under the red light can get up to 100 degrees - but he seems to like it.

It's kind of weird because the surface temps on the warm side are 90-95 (again depending on the spot you measure) but the ambient temps are more 80-85, while the cool side surface temps are 80-85 and the cool side ambient is 90-100. It's like I have a criss-cross temperature gradient go on. I guess it's also possible that the high wattage bulb I have is also helping to keep the ambient temps on the warm side up as well - even though the main purpose of it is for the cool side.

I do believe my BP is a healthy one: vet check was great, eats very well (didn't go off feed as others did this winter), he makes use of all his hides and deco (shows he's thermoregulating and is able to find the temps he wants), no regurg or other illnesses and perfect sheds. He's also not nippy or nervous (so I like to believe that means he's not stressed and feels secure and comfortable both in his home and with me).

If you have a 20 gallon high (16" height) you might try your 75 watt out first and see how it does before buying another one. If it is too hot or you have a 20 gallon long (12" height) than I'd go for a smaller wattage.

Again, my think with the ambient temps is that if you don't even have any deco, etc for your BP to climb on to get up that high - I wouldn't stress those temps too much.

You also have to read your BP. He/she should have the temp gradient and you should see them thermoregulating. If they spend nearly all their time in the same spot/side, then that may be an indicator that the temps on the other side are too cool or hot - or there arent' any good hides on the other side.

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I was going to say, with the way you have your's setup, you'd have one side with warm air temps and cool surface temps and vice versa on the other side. I guess if that's OK to have it that way and you say that your BP is healthy and stress free in every way that you can see then I'll give it a try because my cool side is just getting too cool at night the way i have it setup and the warm side is getting too warm in his hide over the UTH.

Right now I have a digital thermometer/hygrometer in the middle with an analog thermometer on each side. I'm going to replace those with digital thermometers. Plus, I'm getting my tempgun from pro exotics tomorrow so I can keep up with the surface temps with that. I'd use the digital thermometers that have the probes but can that be a bit stressful to have that wire in there? Plus, the wire is extremely long on those things so I'm not sure how I'd set that up in there and plus he'd probably move the probe around or sleep on it all the time. I think a daily check of the surface with the temp gun combined with those thermometers being in there would be good enough. What do you think?

By the way, what substrate do you have in there over top of that UTH and do you have it hooked up to a rheostat or something? Mine is hooked up to a rheostat and I have it turned on low so just in case he moves the substrate around and comes in contact with the glass that he doesnt burn himself. Anyway, thanks for all the advice you've been giving me on this!

Since most people only use a UTH on the warm side, I'm guessing others have that same criss-cross temp thing going on

I use the digital therm/hygrometers with probes (bigappleherp.com) with no problems. I just kind of anchor them - like I sit one side of his hide on top of the probe to hold it in place and try to run the wire along the corner up the cage.

I have that temp gun and love it - they have so many uses other than for your snakes. My boyfriend bought one to use on the cars and 4-wheelers.

So do you already have your BP? If so, what's his name?
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0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
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Actually, this is probably going to sound pretty bad considering the type of questions I'm asking but I've had my BP for a year now. I've tried different things for heating in the tank and they haven't worked as well as I would have liked them too so that's why I continue to ask about other people's setups and what they use for heat. The air temp. vs. surface temps has always had me confused since people have rendered different opinions on that. Some say the air temps are just as important and some say just worry about surface temps, so that's why I continue to get opinions on that. Anyway, Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it! By the way, my snake's name is Chopper. Yes, I like motorcycles plus you should see the way he eats!!!!! LoL

LOL. Love that name! Yeah, it can be frustrating at times with the contradicting information out there. I think a lot of information we get about their care is just info that people have be regurgitating for years w/o any proof to back it up or ever questioning it. I'm one who is always asking for proof, research to back these rules up. Most of the time people can't offer any - it's just what they were told. Some of the 'rules' you read in caresheets just don't make much sense. Like I said, if your snake doesn't have access to the upper portions of the tank - why would you really worry that much about those temps? it can be difficult getting those temps up along with surface temps w/o drying your humidity up.

Well, best of luck! Let me know how it works out.

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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"

1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"

1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
"Indigo"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

I use lizard liner substrate - it's a green felt carpet. I have to have it set on a thermostat. I tried the rheostat but even on the lowest setting the temps were too high.
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"

1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"

1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
"Indigo"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"