How to heat melamine cages?

I've drawn up some plans to make cages for my collection. I figured melamine would be easier to deal with that straight up wood because of the laminate. Make a box and add silicone on the edges, simple enough, right?

The only question I still have is, how would I heat it? I've never used anything other than heat pads and heat tape. You can't really put that under 1" thick particle board. Is there a way to put heat tape somehow? I plan on making 1 large bookshelf type thing then splitting it into two, 4x2x2 enclosures. How should I heat them?

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Heat tape lol

RHP probably.

I am in the process of building melamine cages as well. 6 48x24x12 and 2 24x20x24. I am using radiant heat panels. I should have them done in the next week, just waiting for the glass to come in.
I do not forsee any issues with this set up but I will let you know if there are. I know some don't like melamine but my buddy built many gages out of it when he had his pet shop years ago and had zero issues with it. Just make sure you seal it well (I use dap 3.0, it remains flexible and does not shrink), use an absorbant bedding and spill proof bowls. As long as you don't have standing water on it, swelling is not an issue.

I love radient heat panels but they get expensive for a large number of enclosures. Flexwatt works awesome. You rout a 1/8' inlay in the bottom and secure a piece of glass over it. Works awesome

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Originally Posted by chilliscale

I love radient heat panels but they get expensive for a large number of enclosures. Flexwatt works awesome. You rout a 1/8' inlay in the bottom and secure a piece of glass over it. Works awesome

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I agree. I should have mentioned our snakes are pets more than breeders and we do not expect to grow beyond what I mentioned. Our little pets are spoiled.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chilliscale

I love radient heat panels but they get expensive for a large number of enclosures. Flexwatt works awesome. You rout a 1/8' inlay in the bottom and secure a piece of glass over it. Works awesome

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I agree. I should have mentioned our snakes are pets more than breeders and we do not expect to grow beyond what I mentioned. Our plan is to add 1 more bp, 2 womas and couple chondros. Our little pets are spoiled.

There is a huge amount of videos on YouTube showing how to intertwine the heat tape through out the shelves on a melamine rack, check them out.

Good luck

Brian