The temp inside the hide is 32deg but on top are at 45-47. So if I decrease this, then the temp inside will also go down. One would think the snake is smart enough to move if it was hot, but you dont want to take risks. Any thoughts?
You should have a hide at the cool end as well as a hide at the warm end becuase a skittish snake will chose privacy over temperature and so will stay in the hide to "feel" safe even if the temperature is too hot or cold! 32C is fine for the hot hide.
Now i can see your picture. If that dish is the hide then the teperature is too high since it is the cool end. I dont know how you would get a horizontal temperature gradient in that cage as it is so high. The hide is almost at the furthest point from the heat source and still 32C so the heat scource is too hot.
Now I look again and maybe the hide is the box up the top. The same applies as heat rises so the whole cage seems too hot. Makesure somewhere in the cage is ambient temperature, ideally less than 25C
I would be inclined to have the shelf at 32 outside of the hide, 47 is too hot. Also if as wokka has mentioned provide another hide down stairs if you snake is usually in a hide, this will give it a safe spot to hide in the cooler end.
Ok I've put up a new pic. So you can see his fav hide down the bottom at ambient temp. Theres another hide up top left as well, at room temp. Then the hide in question. Inside the hide is 30 deg, but on top it's closer to 50 deg. I'll try lowering the temp on top of the hide and see what that does inside the hide. Any further ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
As long as they have a basking spot (not in a hide, the hide doesn't need to be the hottest part) of 32 (if that is your chosen temp) it won't matter if the hide is a tad cooler, as they can choose to come out of the hide if they need to bask for a bit.
I would recommend moving your hide over to the left on the same shelf as it is at the moment. Then use that space where it was (directly under the lamp) as the hot spot (basking spot) and I think you will find the snake will use the warm hide more often.
At the moment, with him choosing the ambient air temp hide, tells you the warm areas are too hot.
EDIT: Have altered your pic to show what I would do.... Maroon dot would be thermo probe point set at 32 for a hot basking spot. The hide will still be warm, but out from directly under the heat.
Hope that helps (this is just my opinion of what I would do, others might have a differing suggestion)
