goood setup??

[Shuffle]

Ok, i think i got it, miught take long to explain,ok
im goung to have a 10g tank with a UTH heatpad (zoo med) and im going to buy a zoo med thermostat. The heatpad is goiung to be on the right side.then im going to have a water dish on left side, with a heatlamp above it on the left side with a rheostat(lurtion lamp dimmer). I have a accurite humity thing with thermometer with probe to go on the heatpad and check humity while my other thermometer from ***** goes in the middle between the light and water. Good setup?

 

[Kellyr]

That sounds fine except you do not need a heat lamp, you have a UTH.. I think a basic low watt uv bulb would be fine. You also need a hide ...:main_thumbsup:

 

[nevinm]

yeah, you only need one heat source. i will say this, since you are using a tank i would rather see you use a heat lite instead of a UTH. in tanks heat lamps are better because the tanks dont hold heat too well to begin with. a 60-75w heat lamp on one side will be good enough to make a heat spot needed, and also keep the ambiant air warm as well.

 

[Barbel]

i will say this, since you are using a tank i would rather see you use a heat lite instead of a UTH

I think an UTH is better because ball pythons really need that belly heat to help digest their food. What you can do is wrap about 3/4 of your screen top (the area that will be over your heat source) in aluminum foil and then duct tape across it. We use this technique and it not only holds the heat in, but it helps keep the humidity up, so you don't have to mist as often.
I think you are headed in the right direction so far!

 

[nevinm]

not to get into an argument here, but they do not need belly heat. where do you think they get there heat from in the wild. the closest they have to thatis if they sit on a stone that is heated (by the sun mind you), but that means they are still getting heat from above. as long as reptiles have a hot gradient, and are not kept too cold they will be fine. i prefer underneath heat my self but i have all racks. anything that is in a tank has a heat light

 

[Barbel]

I am not saying that heat from above is totally useless, I am saying belly heat is best. In the wild, ball pythons do not bask very often, if at all, because they hang out in burrows most of the time, especially during the day. They stay hidden because the temperatures and humidity are more constant and more concentrated in these areas. They get their heat from the ambient air in these hide aways. If you set up your tank with a heat lamp, the lamp spreads the heat out, much like the sun. If you use an UTH and place a hide over it, the temps will be more concentrated, like a burrow.
Most, if not all reptiles use heat to help digest their food. That is why when you are done feeding snakes, they head straight for their warm hides. That is also why it is recommended to feed a lot of lizards, such as bearded dragons, at least one hour before heat lamps are turned off.

 

[nevinm]

thats exactly waht i was saying though. again, UTH is the best but not in a tank. tanks suck. if you have a lamp it concentraits the heat to one area while warming up the air in th erest of the tank. and again, as i said reptiles just need a heat gradient to digest. which means its hot on one side (under the lamp)

 

[Barbel]

What you originally wrote implies that you saying the opposite of what I am saying.

where do you think they get there heat from in the wild. the closest they have to thatis if they sit on a stone that is heated (by the sun mind you), but that means they are still getting heat from above.

This statement suggests that you believe ball pythons in the wild get their heat solely from the sun, which is not accurate. Yes, the sun is in the sky and it shines down. However, inside a burrow there is no access to the sun and the temperature and humidity remains constant from the air inside it. As well all know, heat rises. The heat is coming up from the ground, below the snake creating that atmosphere. That is why it is better to use an UTH rather than a heat lamp, because you are recreating that concentrated area of heat and humidity that wild ball pythons seek out.
People can use bulbs if they want, I'm not saying it's a horrible practice, but this is what I always recommend and works for us.
Other reasons I suggest a UTH rather than a bulb:
Bulbs draw out humidity more rapidly which means you will have to spray down you tank more often.
Bulbs don't last very long and have to be replaced more often than UTH.
Easier access to your tank, because you aren't removing a lamp to remove the screen top.

 

[ShaffersExoticHerps]

I'm not arguing with either one of you! A heat lamp in a 10 gallon tank will provide the proper heat that a Ball needs to thrive! An UTH in a 10 gallon tank will provide the proper heat that a Ball needs to thrive! Wow! You 2 are good! You are both right, haha! Seriously....I think both will be fine either way! I started out with aquariums and have done it both ways and have used both (together) on large tanks. I also have racks with belly and back (ambient) heat and notice no difference in defication or the places they lay. I don't think both on a 10 gallon would be a great idea but 1 or the other will be just fine!:main_thumbsup: Remeber "It won't be in that tank very long anyway"!