PVC cage shopping list help!

Hi everyone.

I've just gotten a better job and I've decided it's time to upgrade my two bp's to a PVC cage. The thing is, I'll have to buy everything in bits and pieces as I don't want to stretch myself too thin while I catch up on bills and stuff. I've read a few threads but I want to make sure I have everything right before I go spending large amounts of money on the supplies/cage. I don't have money to waste on unneeded things!

First things first... My house is old and very cold and I already know I'm going to need flexwatt as well as radiant heat panels but I'm sort of confused. I'm going to divide the enclosure for both of them. I've learned from a thread here that I can put the flexwatt in the centre to heat both and put that on a thermostat. But I'm confused about the heat panels. Would I need to buy two heat panels? One for each side? Which would mean I need three thermostats total on the setup??

This is my list so far.

PVC cage (Probably T8 size from animal plastics)
Flexwatt
Radiant Heat Panels (Two 80watt panels??)
Thermostats (Three total. One for Flexwatt and one for each of the panels?)
Lighting
Thermometer/hygrometers (Four total? Two for flexwatt (one in each side) and two for ambient (one in each side)


Is there anything else I need besides the sub/hides/water dishes? I already have all that stuff for their tubs.

Thanks so much!

Hi and congrats on the new job! If you split the T8, 40watt RHPs on each side will do just fine.

In regards to the thermostat, i'd try to get a used Herpstat 4 which has 4 probes and plugs. I have two and bought both used for a great price!

For thermometers, i'd use one for the UTH and two for ambient temps.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

Hi and congrats on the new job! If you split the T8, 40watt RHPs on each side will do just fine.

In regards to the thermostat, i'd try to get a used Herpstat 4 which has 4 probes and plugs. I have two and bought both used for a great price!

For thermometers, i'd use one for the UTH and two for ambient temps.

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Thanks for the reply.

I'm not sure I can get a used Herpstat. I just searched Kijiji (Canadian classifieds site) and there isn't one used Herpstat 4 for sale in the entire province of Ontario! In fact, there weren't any used Herpstat's for sale at all. I'll keep checking but I've honestly never come across one for sale and I'm always looking through the pet ads. I might have to just go with multiple t-stats. Even with my new job, a $400 piece of equipment just isn't really feasible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hazzaram

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not sure I can get a used Herpstat. I just searched Kijiji (Canadian classifieds site) and there isn't one used Herpstat 4 for sale in the entire province of Ontario! In fact, there weren't any used Herpstat's for sale at all. I'll keep checking but I've honestly never come across one for sale and I'm always looking through the pet ads. I might have to just go with multiple t-stats. Even with my new job, a $400 piece of equipment just isn't really feasible.

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I'd recommend putting a wanted ad on this forum as well as Fauna Classifieds. The shipping might be a little steep from the States to Canada though.

Lights aren't needed unless you want to install small LED lights for task lighting. Since money is tight a small flashlight will do the job for now.

As was said above, you will need 2 small RHP's. One thermostat can control both of them since you'll be running identical appliances off of it. Then you just need a second thermostat for the Flexwatt.

Cheap t-stats tendency to run full-on when they fail. You can put a lamp dimmer between the t-stat and the heating appliance set so that if the t-stat does fail, your snake may be uncomfortably hot for a while but not burned or dead from overheating.