Max temperature for BP

joebagadohnut · 10-21-04, 10:11 PM

Hey guys.

I am getting my BP on thursday, so I am setting it all up for him now.
While running my UTH and Spot lamp, I am getting about a temp of 85 on the substrate (outdoor carpeting), but I am getting a temperature of like 96-98 under my spot lamp.
Is that way too hot?
Everywhere I have read has said that the maximum temperature should be about 90.
Should I invest in a rheostat, or is the 96-98 range fine?

thanx.
Jeremy.

TheReptileGuy · 10-21-04, 10:24 PM

well i think you answered your own question. Everywhere you read said the max temperature should only go up to 90 so, the max temp. should go to 90. I keep a 40 watt bulb which warms the tank up to about 83. What wattage is your bulb? Try like a 40 or 60 watt, because i am assuming you must have like 80 plus on there now. This is the blue exoterra i am talking about.

joebagadohnut · 10-21-04, 10:38 PM

I got a 75 watt Sun Glo (Exo terra) basking spot lamp.

I am not sure why I got such a high wattage.

Do you think a 40 watt would solve my problem?

thanks.

joebagadohnut · 10-21-04, 10:44 PM

Should get the daylight blue or the spot lamp?

Jeff_Favelle · 10-22-04, 12:29 AM

Instead of worrying about the max temperature a Ball Python can withstand before dying, why not put your effort into getting the temps right in the first place?

Not flaming, just wondering what your train of though is.

And lamps suck for heating Ball Pythons. There's an FAQ on this very forum.

Asian Jon · 10-22-04, 11:13 AM

Yes, I got fed up with lamps. Everytime the temps go down I would turn on my 50watt infrared and it would just dry the crap out of my enclosure. Sometimes I would find a dent in my BP's eye, I would soak 'em in water for an hour and it would go away but it use to piss me off. Anyways, just using an under tank heater works well enough for my BP.

joebagadohnut · 10-22-04, 11:52 AM

well my heat pad only gets the temp to mid 80's, and I was told that bps prefer to have a basking spot of low 90's.
That was my train of thought.

joebagadohnut · 10-22-04, 11:56 AM

"What temperature should my Ball Python be kept at?
A temperature gradient of 78/82 - 90/95 works well for most Ball Pythons"

And my cold side is low 70's and my hot side is high 80's.
That is why I thought I had to get the lamp

Jeff_Favelle · 10-22-04, 12:11 PM

Quote:

That is why I thought I had to get the lamp

Or a better heat pad, or a better cage that holds in the heat (let me guess, you're using an aquarium?), or put it in a room with a higher ambient temp to start with.

Lots of options. But kudos to you for knowing what temps to reach. You have done some research, and you're really close to getting it right. But lamps don't really work for a nocturnal subterranean snake, and if you're using an aquariumm, then there's a lot better options out there than a fish cage.

Best of luck, keep asking!

joebagadohnut · 10-22-04, 01:12 PM

IS there anything I can put on the bottom of the tank under my substrate (carpeting) to make the heat radiate more in the tank.
What I mean is that directly above the UTH, it is the good temperature of around 88, but as soon as you move a few inches away, the cold end is 74-ish.
Without buying a new terrarium quite yet, what are my possibilities? Buying a smaller heat pad for the cool end?
Do BPs not need a basking spot if there is a substrate temperature of 88 or so?

My only concern other than the basking spot is how to raise that lower temperature on the cold side just a few degrees.

thanks for all the help Jeff.
Jeremy.

joey · 10-22-04, 01:40 PM

hello--

i'm new here.

i have my snakes in glass tanks that i bought at petsmart and were in the reptile section. all my tanks i have turned on their sides and am using human heating pads under them. seems to be working well. i've been using this method for almost two years now and no problems. temps/humidity are good.

why don't you like glass aquariums, jeff?

joebagadohnut · 10-22-04, 01:45 PM

Am I losing all my heat because my tanks are upright?

joey · 10-22-04, 01:50 PM

i have a 30 gallon tall tank and (of course) upright all the heat was going straight up and out the wire top. tunred on it's side though was a whole different story. stays nice and warm now in the back corners.

you might try turning yours on it's side. i have the sliding wire tops too and it makes it a great way to open the cage.

joebagadohnut · 10-22-04, 02:01 PM

what if I put tin foil or something under my substrate....do you think that would radiate the heat more around the tank?

joey · 10-22-04, 02:05 PM

i don't know about tinfoil....