Heating a 3 ft aquarium. How do I do it?

[Tildy]

So Im trying to set-up a enclosure for the pygmy python Im getting and right now Im working with a 3ft aquarium with a wire/wood lid (wood frame with wire in it). Not ideal I know but all my money is going into buying the reptile itself right now so I have to work with what I have for a little while. I have a digital thermometer that measures humidity as well and I have a heat mat and a heat cord. I'm thinking that I should get a ceramic heater for overhead and maybe the heat mat for underneath as well but I really dont want to get this wrong. I also need help navigating the thermostat circus. I'm thinking the pulse proportional ones might be best to control both types of heating devices but do I need one for each or one for both? Where do I place the heating devices and then where do i place the probe/s?

I do have a back-up place to put my new snake if I'm having trouble getting it right (a perpetually warm cupboard that houses our little hot water heater) which I have used many times when I have found injured or sick reptiles (was with wires for awhile).

I have scraps of wood for helping to cover some of the wire on the top to keep the heat in and I have styro boxes that i can use for top insulation as well. Ive made my own incubators and brooders before so I can rig stuff up if I need to. Im just not sure how best to do it. Help!?

 

[Jockstrap]

I can't really help you with this but I'm sure there is someone on here who can. Maybe it's just a case of trial and error till you find what works.

 

[slim6y]

I lived in Cairns (much warmer) and used a 4 foot aquarium with brinks down one end of the aquarium and a heat mat on the outside (underneath) the aquarium with a thermostat.

I used the bricks because they stopped the snake from lying directly on the heat mat plus they store the heat nicely and release it overtime.

I also used a wooden/wire lid.

But because Cairns is so much warmer, it was a good option to go with.

If you use the heat mat, the aquarium must be raised OFF the ground (I used rubber leg stands that I got from Bunnings).