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Opinions on Tank For Beginner?

S

SeriousPooBrain

Jessica
So, I just posted in the introductions explaining how new I am and that I just acquired my snake from my boss, who wasn't taking very good care of it. I have his tank all set up now and I'm looking for opinions on improvements for him. I can read all I want but I feel like having experienced opinions would help me more.

The left is the more heated side. I have an UTH on the side of the glass because the stand is wood and it would sit directly on it. My worry was fire hazard. Realistic worry or me being a worry wart? The light came with him, so I'm not sure if it's sufficient for him or if I need a different bulb. It looks like just a regular bulb to me. The cool side ranges about 70-75.

The lid for the tank slides in, so to secure it I used industrial strength velcro on the front/sides to prevent him from pushing it.




Thank you, thank you, thank you! :)
 
I had the same concerns about the heating pad, but the way I see it, if it is on a thermostat (which it should be to keep the temperatures within the correct range) it actually doesn't even get as hot as our body temperature. So unless there's an electrical short, it's about as likely to cause a fire as you would if you were sitting on a wooden chair for a long time. And from what I've read, belly heat is really the most beneficial. Which is also why a UTH is more commonly recommended than a light as a heat source. My understanding is that lights ARE a fire risk.

Also, I would recommend having two hides, one near the heat, and one away from it. That way he doesn't have to choose between feeling safe and hidden vs being the correct temperature. Other than that, it looks great to me!
 
Sorry, I may have misunderstood. My response is for a glass tank sitting on a wooden surface. If the bottom of your tank IS wood, ignore what I said. I know nothing about how much heat will transfer through wood, but I doubt it would be enough.
 
Thank you! The bottom of the tank is glass, but it sits flush against the wood stand. The little feet that came with the UTH didn't stick very well and kept falling off. I have some vacation time here this week so I'll do an experiment when I'm home to keep an eye on it.

I'm so glad it looks okay - I was a little worried. My animals live better than I do I think :D I'll get him another little hide and rearrange his tank after work tomorrow. I need to get another thermometer anyways.
 
Thermometers with probes work best, the probe sits on the bottom where the snake is. I think the little feet are necessary to keep the tank high enough to sit level with the pad under there, but I hate how they fall off so easily!
I agree with you though. If I took as good care of myself as I did of my pets, I'd probably be a lot better off! LOL.
 
I am new to thermostats and the way mine is set is: I have to set my thermostat on my UTH to 103 degrees to get the floor on my vivarium 88 degrees and on top of the substrate (paper towel) 85-86 degrees.

To alleviate any risks of fire I have always used a sheet of insulation in between my UTH and the surface my vivarium sits on.

As for thermometers - I have always used a digital thermometer with a probe but last week I purchased an infrared thermometer gun from Amazon (less than 30 dollars) which I feel was a great investment because now I can know the temperatures of every square inch of the viv.

Good luck with your snake!
 
it would be better for you to have the heat pad under the glass bottom, just raise the tank up off the wooden table about 2 inches. You can use small blocks of wood or some type of furniture pads/legs to raise it up. Also with the type of bedding you have, the snake will burrow. Which means it can (and will) come into direct contact with the heated glass. Those heat pads typically heat at around 105 to 115 degrees. I have 2 of them and when measured with an infrared thermometer they both hit about 110. I ended up buying a Rheostat with a control knob so I could adjust the heat. You will need a infrared instant read thermometer to properly adjust it. I had to play around with it for a few hours but finally got it dialed in. The "Hot Side" directly on the glass is now about 90 degrees. By the time I put in the bedding, the water dish, the branches and Hide Boxes, they absorb some of the heat, and now the Hot Side pretty much stays at 85 degrees all the time. The cool side varies between 72 and 77. Also as somebody else stated, you need 2 hide Boxes. One on the cool side and one on the hot side.
 
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