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question about heating

D

dream5866

New member
I just got a thermostat and an UTH for my sons corn snake that he got about a month ago. Prior to that we just had a red night bulb on (75W) that seemed to keep the warm side around 88 and the cool side around 75. Because everyone advised the UTH instead I decided to try it and have the thermostat set to 88. The probe is on the bottom of the tank directly above the heater. The temp on the digitial thermometer (probe also on the floor of the tank to see what the thermostat is readin) says around 88 (fluctuates a bit as the thermostat turns on and off) but the cool side is now down around 65 and that is during the day. I worry about what it will get to in the evening or winter. Any advice?
 
Oh, one more question: Is it okay to have the cords going into the cage for the probes? Has anyone ever heard of a snake hanging itself or getting caught?
 
As long as you have the temps somewhere in the tank that are in the right range for the Corn, then it'll be fine. Just make sure there are plenty of places for it to hide all over the floor, so that it can choose where it wants to stay. It'll still use the cooler end, if mine are anything to go by.

I've never had a problem with Corns getting tangled in cords inside the tank. If it's dangling, I think your biggest issue will be the Corn trying to climb up it and moving the probe around. If you need to anchor it, try some blobs of Blu-Tack - it's the only sticky stuff I use anywhere near my snakes as it doesn't stick to them.
 
Wow, your house is cold, I'd be dressed warm.
How big is the tank? Your snake can find the right temp by moving nearer to or away from the heater but if one side is in the 60s he's probably not going to be there much, just passing through. If you want him to use the whole tank you may have to heat the other side also, just in the 70s. You could use the lamp but I think another heater would be better energy-wise.
I've never seen anyone have a problem with the wires. There are several ways to secure them a little more. Some come with little suction cups, you can use blue-tack, a blob of silicone sealant or aquarium sealant with a slit in it to hold the wire.
 
It is a 20 gallon tank. It is cold because it is in a finished basement. Thank you for your help. I am wondering if I should have just left it the way it was with the heat lamp instead of the UTH since the range on both sides of the tank was warmer. I was worried that he was always staying on the cool side (around 70-75) and maybe not going to the other side of the tank because he didnt like the light. IT is a red one. Plus I was also worried about him not getting the belly heat. I have the probes stuck on the floor of the tank with velcro.
 
It's possible that the warm side was too warm for him with the light. The UTH makes it 88° under the substrate, the light heats the top. My snake doesn't go to the warm side very much if it's that warm.
If I had both I would probably use the light on the cooler side and just regulate it with distance, let the UTH regulate the warm side with the thermostat. I hate buying more stuff when I have stuff.
Forgot, how are you reading the temp on the cool side?
 
here's another thing to consider. though your UTH heats the cage the light heats the air around the snake. The benifit of the UTH is that it may actually heat the snake especially after a meal. The belly heat is much more important then the air heat because it helps the snake digest better. You should be perfectly fine with the set up you have now, snakes are smart they'll regulate themselves.

good luck!
 
Just made sure the probe for the thermostat is held down well or else your thermostat will be reading a lower number allowing the UTH to get too hot. The lamp dries the cage out and makes the top of the substrate hot not to mention belly heat is best. Why not mov him upstairs for the winter? Your UTH is on the bottom of the tank on the outside right, and thermostat probe on the inside tcked down to the bottom of the cage over the UTH? Cord should be fine:)
 
I used my hot glue gun to secure my stat probe and temp probe right on the glass above the UTH. Just a little dab and then push the two wires on top of it, another lit dab on top of the wires for good measure, let it cool and then cover with the substrate...good to go. Those little craft guns are pretty cheap and quite handy.

Kad/Sharlene
 
I was worried that he was always staying on the cool side (around 70-75)
Click to expand...
That's normal - mine spend all their time in that area of their tanks and usually only go to the warm end if they're digesting or feeling off-colour.
 
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