Heating/Temperature question

I'm getting my little guy Tuesday and getting his 75 gallon tank all ready.

I have a heat mat with a temp controller set to 85 under his hot side hide, my qiestion is concerning ambient temperature.

I'm going to be running a ceramic heater and a UVB bulb for him. UVB just for the health benefits for him and to have a day/night cycle but the ceramic I also have on a temp controller set to around 85-86.. my question comes , do I keep the temp. 85-86 around that temp at night too? Or should I put it on a timer like my UVB bulb is. He is set up in my basement, which is a finished basement. And the temp drops to about 67 degrees ambient, when there is no heat source to it, is that to cold for him at night? Or should I keep that ceramic heater on throuoght the night set to 85??

Also the cold side of the tank gets to about 67 degrees also, and I feel that may be a little to chilly , or is that ok?

Yes, keep the heat on overnight and the light off. And your cool side sounds fine.

Okay awesome, 1.more question!

So how much substrate do you guys have over your heat mat? I have it mounted underneath my tank, and had about 2 inches of aspen over it and I have the heat mat set too 98 degrees and it won't create enough heat to even make it through the aspen? .. if I have a really thin layer underneath his hide then the temp climbs, but its a thin layer ... is that ok? Idk how to get that temp up with 2 inches on top if it!?

Side note: I do not have the ceramic heater on yet over top of the hot side so maybe when I turn that on too that will help it become hotter under there?

You only need to make sure it's around 87 on the surface of the glass. He can burrow down to the warmth as much as he needs. Personally, I thin the aspen out directly over the heat mat in a little spot so I know for sure that the snake can figure out where the heat is.

You have been my savior with all of this so far thank you so so much!! I just wanna make sure everything is perfect when he arrives Tuesday!

You're so welcome! I'm always happy to help. Definitely post some pictures when he arrives!

I have a little question! My baby is doing great! I have a real big piece of drift wood in his 75 gallon which has branches all coming off it it which he likes to climb! My only issue is the big driftwood has a hole in it where I found out he loves to sit basically inside the driftwood and , I feed him outside the tank and its been a pain lately trying to time it where he is out of his little hole inside the driftwood. Is this something maybe I should patch up, but I also don't wanna take his favorite spot away

Yeah, I would fill that hole in. Not only is it annoying to try to get them out of that space, but as he grows, he may get stuck. You can use either some hot glue or some clay or air dry clay to fill in the space. Does he have other small, tight hides to choose from? They love cramped, dark spaces.

Yeah he has 3 hides , one of the hot one in the middle and one on the cool side. Along with a bunch of Vines and moss covering everything

Okay sounds perfect. He'll end up finding a new favorite spot if you fill in the hole.

Okay awesome, I was def nervous about that spot. Definitely if he ate then tried to squeeze in there. It funny though bc I only recently found out about this spot after 2 HOURS of tearing my house apart thinking somehow he got out which I new it wasn't possible but couldn't find him ANYWHERE , then I shine a light in tbis little hole and sure as anything there he was!

They're sneaky like that! Glad he didn't actually escape though!