I have a 4 bin adult melamine rack(for bp's) that I want to test to find out how much it is going to swell. There is about the width of a CD case between the bin and the shelf. I have two questions that I need answered.

1) Just for testing purposes, is it ok to plug the heat tape directly into the wall without a temperature regulator? All I want to do is fill the water dishes and put them in the empty bins(rack will not house snakes till Oct.) and bring up the humidity to swell the rack.

2) If the spacing stays at the width of a CD case, will this be to much of a gap for a snake? Would they be able to get there head through and bend the bin with the rest of their body?

Thanks in advance

Gerald