Help with my Viv - I have pictures

[muffinman206]

This is my first snake so my viv probably isn't that great. I have a 20 gallon tank with a hide box on both the warm and cool side. I have a climbing tree for him, and a water bowl which is more so on the cool side. I use reptibark, but I used way to much. I use a heating lamp because I don't know much about heating pads, but I want to change to a heating pad. Any information concerning the heating pad would be GREAT!! Julio (my corn snake) tends to hide either in his hide boxes or under his water bowl, but sometimes under the bark.

Here are the pictures:

 

[MegF.]

Looks fine to me except the heat lamp should be a red one if you're using it at night as well. They need a dark period just like we do and white light is of course visible. Red lights are not visible to them. You can get an under tank heater from zoo med or some other brands. I placed mine so it was in one corner. I usually just put the aspen or whatever substrate on top to keep it from being too hot. If yours burrows all the way to the glass, you may have to get a cheap thermostat to keep it in a reasonable range or line the bottom of the viv over the uth with newspaper to keep them off the heater.

 

[CaptBogart]

If you do get a UTH, get a thermometer with a probe so you can stick it into the substrate, especially if he likes to burrow. Also they get really hot and it is recomended to stick it to a tile or piece of glass, (instead of the actual tank), and use the included feet to raise the tank a bit above it. This makes it easier to adjust the temp and you will still be able to use it if/when you upgrade your tank. hope that helps...