My Snake Setup!

[Lady Reptilana]

Ok, I think its a bad pic but I wanted to know if I needed anything else.

 

[JasonGranger]

If that probe is coming from the thermometer and that thermometer is measuring the temperature of the UTH, it shouldn't be on the surface of the substrate. It should be on the bottom, touching the glass where the heat pad is. I think that you'll find that when you bury it down to where the glass is, it'll be hotter than you want it to be.

Otherwise, great job!

 

[Lady Reptilana]

if the glass temp is higher then how do I decrease it?

 

[Lore]

You'll need a thermostat or rheostat to control the intensity of the UTH. I use homemade rheostats on all of my viv's and it works great, I just check them now and then to see if I need to adjust the temps at all.

Rheostats are like a dimmer switch you'd use on a lightbulb. You can buy these or like I did, make your own. :cheers:

 

[Lady Reptilana]

Thanks!

I did pick up a rheostat. I just wanted double check.

 

[PnyKlr]

If that probe is coming from the thermometer and that thermometer is measuring the temperature of the UTH, it shouldn't be on the surface of the substrate. It should be on the bottom, touching the glass where the heat pad is. I think that you'll find that when you bury it down to where the glass is, it'll be hotter than you want it to be.

Otherwise, great job!

I thought that you should be measuring the temp on the surface because that's the belly heat the snakes need. If the snake would like to feel warmer, then it can bury itself. The FAQs mention that the substrate surface temp is more important than ambient temp. This leads me to believe that one would want a gradient of 80-85F on the surface. Frankly, it you have the surface temp at 80F, then it would be closer to the higher end (85F) at the bottom.

FAQ

 

[Drizzt80]

Ok, I think its a bad pic but I wanted to know if I needed anything else.

. . . um, a snake?! :sidestep:

In some seriousness, and to answer PnyKlr's question, you do want to measure the temperature below/in the substrate, not above on it. On the surface you are in essence measuring the ambient temperature of the tank, and not the highest temperature in the tank. A thermostat/rheostat is something you'll need for regulating temps.

The only other thing I'll recommend is the hide. As a full log like that I can almost guarantee there will be a day you want to take your snake out of there, and it's going to 'lock' itself inside that log and you'll have nothing to do about it! I'd cut it in half the long way, and have two hides.

D80

 

[PnyKlr]

My probe is actually in the "middle" on the substrate, so I guess I am measuring the actual temp of the aspen. Is this incorrect? Should my probe be on the bottom, touching the glass?

 

[Drizzt80]

My probe is actually in the "middle" on the substrate, so I guess I am measuring the actual temp of the aspen. Is this incorrect? Should my probe be on the bottom, touching the glass?

I personally don't touch the glass, but have as little aspen between the probe and the glass as possible. They burrow and dig and move it around anyway!

D80