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Correct heat element

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  • 11-22-2018, 12:52 PM
    DeVipera
    Correct heat element
    Hello,

    Can you please help me with choosing correct heat element for my wooden enclosure? Dimensions are 120x60x50 and heat element must be inside. There is no other way. In my country isn't possible to buy RHP, which would be good, sadly..

    CHE and bulbs are dangerous to use this way, but what else to use? I need to raise ambient temperature (constantly I have 75°F in room where terrarium should be and I am afraid by night drop from winter) and create a hotspot. I think the heat cable should be good? Heat mat hardly heats the air..

    Thank you for your ideas! :-)
    DeV
  • 11-22-2018, 06:02 PM
    PitOnTheProwl
    In a wooden enclosure your only real option is a radiant heat panel. Though you said that isn't an option for you, I would find a different enclosure.
  • 11-22-2018, 06:24 PM
    Danger noodles
    Like said above, choose a different enclosure. It’s all about keeping ur snake healthy, not what looks good. Also that’s a really big enclosure for a ball python, they don’t like big cages.
  • 11-22-2018, 09:29 PM
    Armiyana
    Re: Correct heat element
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Danger noodles View Post
    Also that’s a really big enclosure for a ball python, they don’t like big cages.

    That may actually be in centimeters, not inches. If that's the case, it's 4'x2'x15" which is pretty nice for an adult female.

    I do agree on the heating issues however. You're either going to need the ambient temperature in the room to be close to the coolest you'll need inside the enclosure, or you'll need some other way of doing it.
    Heat cable will still need to be controlled and do be careful on how it is set up. It's rare, but accidents do happen where snakes will get tangled or try to eat a warm cable if it is inside the habitat and loose. Make sure you are using something like cured foam or silicone to hold it down, not tape.

    Any form of heat will need to be controlled to where the snake cannot access it where temps will be over 92 degrees.
    This means properly boxing in CHEs and lightbulbs. and that will decrease some space in the cage as well, since you don't want the caging to be overheated to injure as well.

    Graphic images.... but this is a snake rescue I took in. The culprit was most likely a heat bulb he wrapped around inside his breeder's habitat or the heat pack shifted while he was shipped and he had no was to escape in his deli cup.
    https://imgur.com/a/yGR69ib
  • 11-22-2018, 09:38 PM
    Dianne
    Re: Correct heat element
    If it is a single enclosure, you could cut a small panel out of the top and fit heavy gauge screen or hardware cloth over the opening. It would be best to mount the screen/hardware cloth on the outside would to prevent access to sharp edges. Once the hole is cut and secured, you now have an area to place a CHE outside of the enclosure where the snake cannot access it and get burned.
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