Probe in cage w/ UTH and RHP

I have a Boaphile cage that is 17.5" tall and has the flex watt as well as a RHP. I am considering puting the probe under the heavy paper substrate to read the belly temp, but not sure what to do with the RHP in play.

How are you regulating the temps on both of those? When I had my RHP setup in a similar PVC enclosure, I had to hot glue the thermostat probe close to the hottest spot close to the RHP. For example, I didnt have flexwatt so I setup my RHP on the right side and it created a nice gradient towards the cool side. My thermostat probe was first glued to the wall closest to the RHP, but the thermostat was only reading about 85 when I wanted it to be 90-92. I ended up moving the thermostat probe,.. I hot glued it to the hide about 6-7" below the center of the RHP and it gave me a better reading of about 89~. With a temp gun, I measured the surfaces closeby and it gave me nice basking spot of between 88-92.

With both flexwatt and RHP, you may need to use two different thermostats. If I were you, if I had my flexwatt setup on the right side, I would put my RHP in the middle of the tank to raise the overall ambient temps. The good thing about RHPs is they cant really burn your snakes. Ive heard that RHPs can be used without a thermostat, but I wouldnt recommend it. Its best if all heat sources are regulated, just in case! Good luck

I may try it on top of the hide that is under the RHP. The UTH and RHP are directly over each other. I will try both on the hide or under the substrate and see which keeps the temps best. I have a temp gun so I can keep an eye on it.

I plan to use one thermostat per cage unless that just will not work. I will be setting up a second cage soon (will have its own thermostat) so looking for what works best.

Is there no one else out there that has both belly heat and a RHP?

RHP are usually used with arboreal animals it isn't common to use both. You will need to regulate both heat sources or risk them becoming to hot and burning the snake I'd absolutely recommend a proportional unit for the RHP as it is inside the cage and applying full power to it for even a short time can cause high temps on it.

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Originally Posted by jinx667

I have a Boaphile cage that is 17.5" tall and has the flex watt as well as a RHP. I am considering puting the probe under the heavy paper substrate to read the belly temp, but not sure what to do with the RHP in play.

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I know what you are going through because I am wrestling with the same problem on some Boaphiles that I am setting up. I only have belly heat, but since the Boaphiles are designed to stack flat and support each other without sagging, I'm trying to figure out a way to mount the probes to the UTH's without causing the cages to wobble or damage the probes. If the PVC was thicker, I would just use a router to cut a channel for the probes to recess in. But, since the PVC is only 1/4" thick, and my probes are 3/16" thick, that would only leave me 1/16". Any error in the router depth setting and I would have a hole in the bottom of the tank. I was thinking the same thing that you were about mounting the probe to the floor under the substrate, but then, there is the risk of the probe getting wet from spilled water or urates, or the snake knocking it loose and throwing off its readings. I'm sure that I will come up with a solution, I just hope it's sooner rather than later...

The easy solution is to drill a small hole large enough for the probe to fit through and hot melt glue it over the middle of the heat source and glue the wire down too. The probe MUST not move!!! very securely adhere it. (you can always remove it with a thin blade later) I know a lot disagree with this but it is the way that Dion at herpstat recommends the units be used. The temps are much closer than mounting it to the heat source as the temp of the heater has no direct relation to the interior temps. Some claim that pee or poo on the substrate over the probe will cause a overheating I have twice had poo on a probe and the resulting spike was 3 degrees for 10 min. Not really too much of an issue. The only issue is there is some loos to the glue and substrate but in my experience it is only one or two degrees. I use a 91.5º set point and it delivers 90-91º temps. I am not sure however how to deal with a RHP.