Ceramic Heat Emitter Questions

I am a first time snake owner. I'm currently trying to set up an enclosure for a 6 month old hatchling, a 10g tank with a metal mesh lid that has a uth with a thermostat, a uvb bulb, and a 50w halogen mini bulb.

The temps are good during the day: hot side at 83, middle at 80, and cool side between 71 to 74. But once they go off at 8pm the temps drop. This morning when they came back on the temps were low: hot side 69, middle 66, and cool at 64.

I have decided to get a ceramic heat emitter for at night but I don't know what wattage or what dome fixture it would need. And if it can be on top of the mesh lid or if it needs to be above it. Any help will be greatly appreciated. I just wanna be the best mommy for my boy that I can.

Is your UTH turning off at night too?

No, I have that on a thermostat set to 85. But with the weather we are having I got the mini halogen to keep the temps right.

What are you using to measure the temperature? Are you measuring the air temperature or the surface temperature?

I'm using a infrared thermometer, so it's measuring the surface of the substrate not the air, I have digital thermometers for that. I just don't know where I should put them, up by the lid or in the middle.

What is the temperature of the surface of the glass above the UTH?

I have the probe for the thermostat inside the tank over top of the heater and its set at 85 degrees.

your temp readings should be taken where the snake actually lies. Measuring the temp of the lid, the air or the walls is useless. Most of the times, a snake likes to be hidden. You should have at least 2 hides. One on the warm end and one on the cool end. More often than not the snake will be in one of those hides. That is where you should measure the temps. For example, the temp inside my warm hide is about 85 and inside the cool hide it is about 72. It's ok if they fluctuate a few degrees. But it should never drop below 70 or go above 88. Your warm hide should be placed directly over the UTH. And then set your thermostat to whatever temp it takes to get the correct temp inside the hide. For example, I have to actually set my thermostat to 97 degrees. By the time the heat comes through the glass, the substrate and into the porcelain hide, my measurement inside is around 85. I take all my temps with a "Point and Shoot type" infrared thermometer. Those stick on types are useless.

I only have thermometers that stick to check the air temp. But when I use the infrared thermometer I take the temps in the hides as well as the aspen. My problem is when the light and the halogen go off at night it gets too cold, both the air and the substrate. So I need a CHE but I dont know what wattage.

the cage can not get colder than the room it's in. If the room temp is 70 degrees, then that's how cold the cage will get. You stated before your cage was going down to 64 at night when the lights go out. Ummmm.... turn up the heat a bit. If you get the room to 70 degrees, then the cage can't get colder than that, and that should be ok for a corn snake. You do understand Reptiles need heat right? Perhaps you should have considered that before acquiring a snake. But as far as what wattage you need for a CHE, that's going to vary a bit. First of all you have a 10 gal. tank. You're going to need a bigger tank. 10 Gal is ok for a baby but in 6 to 18 months you're going to want something bigger. Bigger tank means bigger CHE. You probably to save time, money and trouble, ought to go ahead and set the tank up that the snake will be in for the next 15 or 20 years, (if it lives that long). Then you can worry about what CHE to use. I can tell you this, the vast Majority of people here do just fine with a UTH and thermostat. You should be able to as well.

It may be a simple as covering the enclosure overnight. Give it a whirl...

-Tonya

I already do cover it and it still gets about 58 on the cool side and 60 on the hot. I have it covered all day to keep the heat in. It's anywhere from 58 to 65 in my room during the day right now.