Help me!!! New snake owner.

[albinosnek]

I have so many questions. Like Why is my guy chilling in his water bowl all night long after eating. What type of lights. Do they need lights day and night? What about a rheostat? I need advice please

[guidofatherof5]

Excessive soaking can be a sign of mites. Any heating source should be on a rheostat. A photo of your setup would be helpful.

[MNGuy]

I’m a newbie, too, but I like my mini Zilla heat and UVB light combo, Exo Terra digital thermometer and the Zilla rheostat/temperature controller. It all works for my young garter’s 10 gallon, and surprisingly allows for an 85-degree hot spot on one end and a 75-degree cool spot on the other. No night light. I leave my lights on about 10-12 hours a day. The tank’s hotspot gets down to about 72-73 degrees by l with no lights on.

The rheostat really gives me peace of mind and is a necessity. I set up my tank in advance and just watched it for hours to make sure everything worked. I was home the full first day my snake arrived and most of the second and third days. The Zilla rheostat worked great.

A larger tank may need stronger/bigger bulbs/fixtures.

Good luck.