Under tank heating ok to use? Please help!

Im planning on buying a boa soon and was questioning if I should buy a Zoo Med Repti-Therm Under Tank Heater instead of using flexwatt heat tape. Im buying a 41 qt Sterilite tub for it. Can someone shed some experiences/info on undertank heaters and which brand is best? Thanks!

Honestly it's your choice, but whatever route you choose to go make sure you get a thermostat to regulate the temperature. I haven't really noticed a difference between brands, but I like flexwatt because you can cut it to any size you need. Good luck.:gj:

A baby, juv, or adult boa?

If your using a tub standing alone not placed in a rack your best bet will be a uth. You will need to put it on a thermostat to regulate the uth from getting to hot. If your not getting an adult a 41qt is really to big starting out. Tubs are cheap enough I would start with a 21 then a 32 and then get a 41. A 41 should work for a male adult fine but may be to small for a full grown female. This all depends on what type of boa you get.

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As for which uth to get. The Zoo Med are fine and probably the easiest to find. I just ordered a Flukers from Amazon but I have never used one. I liked the fact the mat doesn't get over 100° so I thought I would give it a try.

If you are going with the Zoo Med then you may want to use aluminum foil tape and tape over the sticky face of the pad. Then use the same tape and just tape the edges to the tub. That way you can easily remove it and use it again on another container. As everyone else has said, just make sure to use a thermostat.

Is it going into a rack? Or just free standing on its own? Also, what kind of boa are you planning on getting? Tubs will only work for the bigger boas while they are young, then they need much more room than that. No matter what you use, a heat mat or flexwatt, you must regulate it with a thermostat. I like the herpastat by spyder robotics.

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Good looking out guys! Im getting a Hogg Island Boa soon!

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Originally Posted by carlisleishere

Honestly it's your choice, but whatever route you choose to go make sure you get a thermostat to regulate the temperature. I haven't really noticed a difference between brands, but I like flexwatt because you can cut it to any size you need. Good luck.:gj:

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Thanks a lot bro!

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Originally Posted by KMG

A baby, juv, or adult boa?

If your using a tub standing alone not placed in a rack your best bet will be a uth. You will need to put it on a thermostat to regulate the uth from getting to hot. If your not getting an adult a 41qt is really to big starting out. Tubs are cheap enough I would start with a 21 then a 32 and then get a 41. A 41 should work for a male adult fine but may be to small for a full grown female. This all depends on what type of boa you get.

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As for which uth to get. The Zoo Med are fine and probably the easiest to find. I just ordered a Flukers from Amazon but I have never used one. I liked the fact the mat doesn't get over 100° so I thought I would give it a try.

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Its a juv. Why is a 41qt too big? Thanks for helping!

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Originally Posted by rlditmars

If you are going with the Zoo Med then you may want to use aluminum foil tape and tape over the sticky face of the pad. Then use the same tape and just tape the edges to the tub. That way you can easily remove it and use it again on another container. As everyone else has said, just make sure to use a thermostat.

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Thanks so much for your help!

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Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

Is it going into a rack? Or just free standing on its own? Also, what kind of boa are you planning on getting? Tubs will only work for the bigger boas while they are young, then they need much more room than that. No matter what you use, a heat mat or flexwatt, you must regulate it with a thermostat. I like the herpastat by spyder robotics.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

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No rack, just a 41qt tub. Planning to get a Hogg Island Boa. Yea I was hoping to use a under tank heater without the need of a thermostat. Thanks for the info!

A 41 quart would be too big for a hatchling/juvenile because it's too much space. It'll stress him/her out and might cause them to go off eating because the larger open space makes them nervous and then causes them to be stressed. ALWAYS! use a thermostat to regulate your heat source! If you can't swing buying a Herpstat or Helix, a lamp dimmer switch will work in a pinch.

These thermostats are fairly reliable and also affordable:

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...arm+thermostat

As far as heat mats, when I had my corn and the two snakes I started with, I had great results with the Fluker's Premium heat pads. They're a little more expensive but give better results in that they don't fluctuate as much with the temperature range and they don't have a sticky pad to them, plus they're thin enough that they don't cause the tank/tub to tip to one end or the other.

Links to the mats:
http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...ble-and-rocks/

I'd also recommend you get a hygrometer/thermometer to monitor the ambient temps/humidity in the tub. Walmart sells one that's made by Accurite; it's accurate and pretty cheap ($15 bucks or so) but they don't list in on their web-site is all. I've gotten mine from the home and garden and sometimes the grill/outdoor area of the store, depending on where you're located. Hope that helps.