I don't feel to good about 11 inch flexwatt backheat..

I have my new ball python in a RBI Rack, the guy who owned it before me had backheat placed in it as well. What I am wondering is, is this safe for the snake? It doesn't seem like it gives a basking spot or it would make it difficult to digest food.. What do you think?

if it is regulated by a thermostat and the probe is in the right place, then it should be fine.

I'm not a big fan of back heat... heat travels vertically not horizontally. because of this and the fact that flexwatt is extremely inefficient at heating air (it works great for heating surfaces) back heat doesn't make much sense to me except in a few special cases.

Your going to get different opinions. I feel totally opposite. I love the back heat and because the heat travels vertically you get more of a range in temps.

I like back heat for our enclosed rack... closed in all sides except the front where the tubs slide out. The heat is trapped inside and creates great ambient and range. Wouldn't use it on our melamine rack that really just has shelves and corners, and the tubs are much more exposed. Of course, we also have a snake room that, with all the racks and tubs, creates a pretty warm room and it doesn't make much of a difference, for our setup.

This makes it easier to explain

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/.../heatrange.jpg

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Originally Posted by grits

This makes it easier to explain

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/.../heatrange.jpg

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but it requires so much more power to do so, the flexwatt has to be run hotter, and do you really get that gradient? If I hover my hand 2 inches over my flexwatt that is up to temp I can't feel any heat radiating off of it. It simply isn't designed to work this way.

To each their own I guess.

I do, thats the exact set up i use for my hog noses. And that range i posted is in a 6 qt tub.

I do not like back heat for any situation involving a ball python in a rack set up. Belly heat is much more efficient.

They both work fine. Back, belly it really makes no difference. Back usually runs a bit more power for the same heat however that also means that if a t-stat fails the max temp is lower. Belly heat is more efficient using less power. The reverse is true less power more heat if the T-stat fails. The placement of the heat does not effect digestion in any way.

(note•• just because a back heat may not get as hot as belly heat in the tub does not mean it is 'safe' in the event of a failure. Unless you are using a T-stat with over and under temp shut off points I would strongly suggest a failsafe with any and all set ups.)

I have both back & belly heat in two different racks; I can't tell a difference between them as far as my animals go. Neither seems to have any effect on feeding response/digestion/overall health, etc. that I've been able to tell, anyway. The room I keep my animals in is maintained throughout the year with either heat or cooling to maintain the proper ambient temps overall but other than that, nothing is any different between the racks aside from how the Flexwatt is situated. I don't really have a preference either way between them and the one rack I purchased directly from Animal Plastics I got with belly heat; the other I bought used and it came with back heat. Do what works for you; pros/cons to both but either will work fine if used within the specifications it was designed for and with a thermostat or thermostatS to control the output/act as failsafes.

I have it set up with the original Herpstat tstat, and I dont know I have to set the thermstat about 10 degrees hotter to get the desired temp (ex. I have to set it at 100 degrees to get 90 degrees in hot area of the tub.). Any idea why?

Yesterday I picked up my first rack with back heat, it was basically free. I was planning on converting it to belly heat because for the last 15 years I have been a die hard belly heat kind of guy. But I said what the hell let me try out this back heat and when it doesn't work to my satisfaction I will log into RBI's website and order me some of my beloved 3inch flexwatt so I could covert it over to belly heat. But to my surprise it work really well and I like it better than belly heat only because I have homemade melamine racks and the tubs tend to snag on the tape that's holding down the flexwatt over time. The temperature gradient in my tubs are a lot better than my racks wired for belly heat. If you are using an enclosed rack system I say try out the back heat and see how it works for you.

My reptile room is in my basement and it doubles as my rec room. My house stays 72 to 75 year around. I do live in Chicago so only on snow blizzard days( really haven't had one in about 10 yrs) i might run my electric heater.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

They both work fine. Back, belly it really makes no difference. Back usually runs a bit more power for the same heat however that also means that if a t-stat fails the max temp is lower. Belly heat is more efficient using less power. The reverse is true less power more heat if the T-stat fails. The placement of the heat does not effect digestion in any way.

(note•• just because a back heat may not get as hot as belly heat in the tub does not mean it is 'safe' in the event of a failure. Unless you are using a T-stat with over and under temp shut off points I would strongly suggest a failsafe with any and all set ups.)

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You mean you haven't got the latest scoop?

9 out of 10 forum members claim that in the wild, ball pythons prefer termite mounds that have belly heat in them. If they don't have belly heat, they can't digest their food and they die. No kidding, I read it somewhere on another forum so it has to be true.

Jeez, Alex................

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

You mean you haven't got the latest scoop?

9 out of 10 forum members claim that in the wild, ball pythons prefer termite mounds that have belly heat in them. If they don't have belly heat, they can't digest their food and they die. No kidding, I read it somewhere on another forum so it has to be true.

Jeez, Alex................

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Dont think im an idiot or anything but... Are you being serious or sarcastic?

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Originally Posted by californiakingsnake

Dont think im an idiot or anything but... Are you being serious or sarcastic?

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I am being seriously sarcastic.

Or maybe sarcastically serious.

Tell you what - start a thread asking people if ball pythons need belly or back heat and strap yourself in for a fun time.

oh how could I forget the magic underground sun... my mistake... lol