New Suri! Could use some cage advice

My room temps are usually about 77-80. I use flexwatt from RBI on my 421D's. 2 feet per cage, stacked 6 high.

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Originally Posted by jim020cricket

My room temps are usually about 77-80. I use flexwatt from RBI on my 421D's. 2 feet per cage, stacked 6 high.

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So 11"x24" placed lengthwise? One thermostat per cage or one per stack? If you use one thermostat per stack, is the temp on the top cage hotter than the bottom cage (hot air rising)?

I bought my boaphile 421D at Tinley, so the flexwatt (1.5') was attached on the bottom with a stick and peel style. (I have a short tail python in there, instead of a boa though). I've found with every boaphile cage I had to add extra here, so I've got a second 2 foot flexwatt section slid under the cool side in order to keep the temps up.

It may be that my flexwatt on that cage is somewhat defective :confused:

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Originally Posted by Schlyne

I bought my boaphile 421D at Tinley, so the flexwatt (1.5') was attached on the bottom with a stick and peel style. (I have a short tail python in there, instead of a boa though). I've found with every boaphile cage I had to add extra here, so I've got a second 2 foot flexwatt section slid under the cool side in order to keep the temps up.

It may be that my flexwatt on that cage is somewhat defective :confused:

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Based on everything I have been reading, it seems that flexwatt alone does a pretty poor job of increasing ambient temperature. I am also considering skipping the flexwatt and going with a RHP but it seems they have downsides as well. Don't know what I'm gonna do:confused:

I have three RHP's running 3 reptile cages and have not experienced a 'down side'. Do you need to know anything specifically about them? Maybe I can help... :)

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Originally Posted by starmom

I have three RHP's running 3 reptile cages and have not experienced a 'down side'. Do you need to know anything specifically about them? Maybe I can help... :)

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There is a simalar thread in the caging forum, but I see the downside of a RHP being the thermostat placement. I can't think of a good safe spot for it.

I place the thermostat probe through a vent hole in the rear of the cage and lining up midway to the RHP, and zip tie it so that the end of the probe is half way down the side of the cage and is pointing downward (toward the cage floor). This is how Rich, from RBI, recommends that it be done and it has worked extremely well.

Whew...Finally decided. Placed an order for 2 AP T10's for the boas and a T3 for my ball. Ordered a Herpstat Pro to control the RHP's I am ordering. 80W for the T10 and 40W for the T3. Keeping my fingers crossed I won't have to, but I am prepaired to add some belly heat to the balls cage as well. That was was a costly little endeavor:( Suri pics coming soon...

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Originally Posted by td30

Based on everything I have been reading, it seems that flexwatt alone does a pretty poor job of increasing ambient temperature. I am also considering skipping the flexwatt and going with a RHP but it seems they have downsides as well. Don't know what I'm gonna do:confused:

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Sorry I missed all this, I've been super busy.

In my opinion, the flexwatt Jeff sells with his Boaphiles isn't very good. It's lower wattage and takes forever to heat up and doesn't heat up that well at all. I do NOT order my cages with his heat. I purchase my heat tape separately and install it myself. I have absolutely no problems with the heat doing it that way. I place the probe on a bottom of a 6-tier stack of 421D's. The t-stat is set at 90 and the flux is 3-4 degrees higher up the stack and the top cage reads about 90-91. I use 1 T-stat per 6-cage stack.

Heat panels are a great option though, from what I've heard- they work awesome.