Personal Heating preference

Ok, after seeing the "post your source of heating" thread, there was a question that popped up in my mind. Do you prefer your BP to have belly heat, arial heat, or both? I've heard that one source is better than the other, but I just wanted to know what YOUR personal opinion is.

I voted heat lamps, but dont crucify me yet. The reason I use heat lamps is because when I got my bp I also got a $200 cage from the same place. It was the ones they make. It came with heat lamps built in. It never occured to me to look online and see what other people do. When i finally do I see that its better for the bp to be in a $7.00 tub from walmart with a uth on it. :mad: . So i have to tell my self that so I can sleep at night. I have been able to keep steady temps spot on and humidity perfect by placing the water dish underneath the ceramic heater. I believe with some extra effort and thought, your enclosure can be comfortable for the snake and pleasing to the eye.

I voted belly heat for bps. I keep all of my snakes in a room with an ambient temp or about 75 to begin with. I also live in nice dry Utah where the humidity usually stays under 30% so a lamp would kill my humidity.

I wouldn't mind getting some radient heat panels however...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by green_man

I voted belly heat for bps. I keep all of my snakes in a room with an ambient temp or about 75 to begin with. I also live in nice dry Utah where the humidity usually stays under 30% so a lamp would kill my humidity.

I wouldn't mind getting some radient heat panels however...

---

I grew up in Utah. Layton to be exact. I heard they where getting anal about herps. True?

:hijackd: Sorry

Not to sound like an arse but.... I think ones "personal preference" should be overlooked by what's best for the animal. Sure there may be different options I just didn't like the term "personal preference" as it makes it sound like the equipment being used is based on something other than what the animal "requires".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TekWarren

Not to sound like an arse but.... I think ones "personal preference" should be overlooked by what's best for the animal. Sure there may be different options I just didn't like the term "personal preference" as it makes it sound like the equipment being used is based on something other than what the animal "requires".

---

Like I had stated in the OP, I've heard arguements from people who were for the differing sides of heat source. I had no intention of overlooking what is best for the animal, but I believed that the term "Personal Preference" was best suited for the poll because I understand that people will, and do, have their own opinions as to what kind of heat source is better for their animal.
As to your statement of " what the animal requires", with both a belly heat source and an overhead heat source, the BP (not limited to them) will still gain heat from conduction, am I right? Also, looking from a person who is pro arial heat source, reptiles are more likely to gain heat from convection (or possibly radiation if they use a colored heat bulb), in addition to the belly heat, from an overhead heat source than from a belly heat source.

I personally provide both a belly heat source and an overhead heat source, because otherwise I would not be able to maintain the correct temps for my BP, and if it's worked for all of my other terrestrial herps, then why change what works for me?

Well, I use both. A UTH for the cool side floor temp and a CHE for the warm side and to raise the ambient temp of the cool side to a toasty 82. I wouldn't be able to maintain proper temps in glass tank without them both. The CHE doesn't help with humidity though, so more frequent misting is necessary. :2cent:

as long as the room can keep the ambient temps up... then i only use belly heat via UTH or flexwatt.

IF the ambient temps aren't high enough... then i place a heating pad with a nice warm towel over top onto the top of the tub to warm it slightly. works like a charm in the coldest winter months here. ;) although with my rack... i'm using 11" flexwatt so i shouldn't have a problem with ambient temps anymore.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Purrrfect9

I personally provide both a belly heat source and an overhead heat source, because otherwise I would not be able to maintain the correct temps for my BP, and if it's worked for all of my other terrestrial herps, then why change what works for me?

---

I can't agree more with you on that last statement. As long as the individual knows they are providing the best conditions, how they do it may not be same as the next person. This was my basic point above :)

In my racks I use flex-watt for belly heat my room stays around 80 degrees with a RH of about 30% so my temps are perfect. I set my helix(s) to 90 and the air temp does the rest