Would pipe heat cable for houses work for reptiles?

I was wondering if the heat cable made for stopping pipes in houses from freezing would work for my ball python! I found it for 34$ for 6 ft and it has a built in t-stat so i thought it would work


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I wouldn't recommend using the cable. It is not designed to heat anything. It is designed to keep from freezing. That's a big difference.

Its designed to heat pipes!


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There's heat cable made for reptiles. I like it... I think it's safer than heat tape.

This heat cable has a built in t stat


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Originally Posted by dillymann

This heat cable has a built in t stat


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Probably a very low quality one. Heat sources/thermostats are not the place to cheap out, they are what keep your reptile alive.

Based on your cage design I think your best option is to get an infrared heat lamp and call it a day. Radiant heat panels won't work, heat mats/tape won't work, heat cable really won't work either.

Ive got a heat lamp i was just looking for something to add on top of that


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This guy did it, but he took out the t-stat. It sounds like it might be a fire hazard though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPH6tbrnSmM

Google "pipe heat cable for reptile rack" and you get some hits, an for the most part it sounds a bit unsafe.

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Originally Posted by dillymann

Ive got a heat lamp i was just looking for something to add on top of that


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Why? A heat lamp on it's own is more than sufficient.

Everybody keeps reaming me out for only using a heat lamp because "ball pythons need belly heat"


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Originally Posted by Shera

This guy did it, but he took out the t-stat. It sounds like it might be a fire hazard though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPH6tbrnSmM

Google "pipe heat cable for reptile rack" and you get some hits, an for the most part it sounds a bit unsafe.

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As an electrical engineer I would like to whole heartedly ask people not to do this, that is not safe. All it would take to start a fire is bump the dimmer up too far.

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Originally Posted by dillymann

Everybody keeps reaming me out for only using a heat lamp because "ball pythons need belly heat"


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Heat lamps provide belly heat by heating whatever is under them, that includes the cage floor/substrate. Some people on here seem to think that heat lamps are bad. To be honest there are better heat sources out there, but Your cage design doesn't allow the use of them. Just stick with your heat lamp(s)

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

As an electrical engineer I would like to whole heartedly ask people not to do this, that is not safe. All it would take to start a fire is bump the dimmer up too far.

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Yeah, honestly the guy giving the "tutorial" didn't look like an expert at all!

Ok thanks for your input it helped out alot!


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dillymann

Ok thanks for your input it helped out alot!


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No problem. I hope you can get your cage setup and ready to go without too many more headaches.

It should be smooth sailing from here what would be better for doors sliding or ones that open like on the exo terra enclosures


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dillymann

It should be smooth sailing from here what would be better for doors sliding or ones that open like on the exo terra enclosures


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Personally I prefer sliding doors. If done properly they can even be lifted out of their tracks to full access into the cage.

But either will work fine.

We use this cable extensively where I work. It is not suitable for pet use.
I should add that the last underground fire we had was a direct result of pipe heating cables.

Maybe you technically speaking could use this if you have a thermostat like the Herpstat or Vivarium Electronics(set to proportional control) by no means should you use this. It was designed for a specific application and, isn't even great for that.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

Personally I prefer sliding doors. If done properly they can even be lifted out of their tracks to full access into the cage.

But either will work fine.

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Im just worried that the space they have to fill is going to be too big http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/09/05/5ybeqyty.jpg


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raven01

We use this cable extensively where I work. It is not suitable for pet use.
I should add that the last underground fire we had was a direct result of pipe heating cables.

Maybe you technically speaking could use this if you have a thermostat like the Herpstat or Vivarium Electronics(set to proportional control) by no means should you use this. It was designed for a specific application and, isn't even great for that.

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Ok thanks for the info i thought it may work just because it had the built in t-stat


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dillymann

Everybody keeps reaming me out for only using a heat lamp because "ball pythons need belly heat"


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You can safely completely ignore anyone telling you Ball Pythons need belly heat. They are a nocturnal snake found in termite mounds and burrows, not sunning themselves on racks and roads.
Belly heat will not hurt them if it is provided safely but, remember there are breeders that us only ambient temperature for their BP's. Personally, I prefer to keep a gradient and let my snake decide how warm or cool they want to be but, obviously my method is not the only way to take care of these animals.

As for sliding doors being too large. Could you frame in smaller windows? You might even be able to pick up sliding basement windows with latches to prevent escapes quite cheaply.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raven01

You can safely completely ignore anyone telling you Ball Pythons need belly heat. They are a nocturnal snake found in termite mounds and burrows, not sunning themselves on racks and roads.
Belly heat will not hurt them if it is provided safely but, remember there are breeders that us only ambient temperature for their BP's. Personally, I prefer to keep a gradient and let my snake decide how warm or cool they want to be but, obviously my method is not the only way to take care of these animals.

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Thanks alot thats very informative


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raven01

You can safely completely ignore anyone telling you Ball Pythons need belly heat. They are a nocturnal snake found in termite mounds and burrows, not sunning themselves on racks and roads.
Belly heat will not hurt them if it is provided safely but, remember there are breeders that us only ambient temperature for their BP's. Personally, I prefer to keep a gradient and let my snake decide how warm or cool they want to be but, obviously my method is not the only way to take care of these animals.

As for sliding doors being too large. Could you frame in smaller windows? You might even be able to pick up sliding basement windows with latches to prevent escapes quite cheaply.

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Its not that they would be too big but the bigger the glass the heavier it will be im trying to keep it fairly light weight


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How heavy would plexiglass be?


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by dillymann

Everybody keeps reaming me out for only using a heat lamp because "ball pythons need belly heat"


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They don't need belly heat, it's just a lot more efficient. You lose a lot of heat with back heat or top down heat. I have two racks that are back heat and two that are belly heat. I WAY prefer the belly heat racks. Heat lamps will kill the humidity, but if you're using a tank a lamp is probably necessary.

I have a fogger on a timer to compensate for the humidity loss


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Would 20 inch by 24 inch pieces of glass be heavy?


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I have cages with about that size glass, 25" x 22.5" x 1/4" approximately. They aren't light. You are looking at 10-15 lbs.

Here is the cage in question (the one on the bottom)

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...f.jpg~original

Acrylic will be lighter, but it is far easier to scratch, and you cannot use regular glass cleaner on it.