Questions about AP cages and RHPs.

Hello everyone! It's me again. Annoying, aren't I?

I have some questions about Animal Plastics Cages.

I am look at a T8 for the ball python, and either a T11 or T12 (help me choose) for the carpet python, with or without basking shelves (again, help me choose). Both will have RHPs. Any tips on what size to get? Or do I need to call them and ask? I want fluorescent fixtures inside. Will they still fit with RHPs installed? Which are more secure - sliding glass, or swing doors? Both would need locks. I am thinking the swing doors since from what I have seen, you HAVE to lock them to close them. Am I off-base here?

My plan with the ball python is to set up the T8 and put the tub inside it, on the cool side, to deal with the ambient temp problems. It will probably look silly, but I think the little one would be totally freaked out in a big enclosure at this size and it seems to be the most efficient permanent resolution.

I have one of those fold up party tables that is 2' X 4' exactly. Would that hold one of these cages? What about both, since I plan to stack them after quarantine? I have read about issues with stacking when using RHPs - they get the bottom of the tub above them too hot. This can apparently be resolved by using 2" spacers... will the stacking pins still work that way, or are they even necessary? What size RHPs should I even get?

I would like to get a good thermostat or two. I will likely need two, since the RHPs for each cage will likely be different due to the height difference. Is there as single thermostat that could run both? What brand/model do you all suggest for this setup? In the past, I have always used different sized tubs with heat mats. I have always put the thermostat probe on the outside of the tub and the thermometer probes stuck to the inside, since I would rather have a minor heart attack than a cooked snake. I take it that isn't advisable with RHPs. How should I go about mounting the thermostat/thermometer probes?

Sorry for all the questions. I want to get everything right.

I may also consider the T10 for the carpet if that is really enough height, since it is on sale. The "carpet cage" doesn't have a big enough footprint for my liking, though.

I know nothing about carpet pythons, but what gender are they both? It probably matter since females get much bigger.

I have a young female BP in a 3 ft. long tank, right now im doing exactly what you said, she is in a small tub on the cool side (with its own UTH) because she didnt do well in the full tank. It made total sense because the tank is already temp/humidity controlled, why not put her tub in there. Since most people say they prefer small secure spaces (and her behavior before and after the tub support this), I would say that she maynever outgrow the 36x18x18 tank, especially considering she spends 95% of her time curled up in a hide, and the other 5% is to eat, get water or go to the OTHER hide. I am inclined to believe that 4x2' may be too long for a female BP. At least I hope so, because they dont make exoterras longer than this, and I absolutely love my exoterra tank.

I actually just ordered 2 AP T10s a week ago. One for my BP and one for my sunglow boa. I went with sliding glass doors, shelves and locks for both. As for the lighting, I skipped their LEDs as it goes across the whole cage and when I talked to Ali, she told me they are only in a fixed position which is 6" from the back wall. The shelves are 8" wide I believe so I didn't want the lights glaring down on the shelf. I will be mounting RHPs in both of them. I am going to probably go with RBI ones since they have screws to mount them which don't go all the way through the top so I can still stack them. I use a Pro Product RHP in my Proline cage for my other boa and those you have to drill holes and mount them with a nut and bolt. Anyways, I will use 80 watt ones which are more than plenty and mount them lengthwise so I have a 3-4" gap between the shelf and RHP. That way I'm not cooking a spot on the shelf.

The party table should work fine. I use the 6' one for my Proline cage and it works fine and I will use one of the 4' ones to stack the 2 AP cages on.

As for doors, I have heard from a couple people that the swing doors sag over time and you need to give them a little lift when closing to line them up. I prefer the sliding simply because you can use them as shields for excited eaters lol.

As for stacking them, I talked to Ali there too and she told me the line up pins were 1/2" if I remember correctly. She said I could probably use cork furniture pucks if needed. This was mostly for the fact that if I went with Pro Product RHPs, I would have 1/4" thick nuts to have to deal with. That's why I'm just going to use RBI RHPs and stack the cages directly on top of each other. I cant see the RHP heating the floor of the top cage enough to make a difference, especially if you are using 1-2" payer of aspen or other substrate. The RHP will not be running 24/7 anyways with a t-stat.

As for t-stat, I use Herpstats. Get either a Herpstat 2 or 4. I personally just buy the Herpstat 2 because if something goes wrong with it, I will only have to break out 2 of my Hydrofarms to fill in while I get the Herpstat fixed. Using a Herpstat 4 is more cost effective but if one channel of it goes down, you got 4 animals needing Hydrofarms. I mean I guess it doesn't really matter but I just buy Herpstat 2. They have a 10' probe wire so that's plenty as long as the cages are within 10' of each other and for the power, you can just plug an extension cord in between the Herpstat unit and the RHP so the only limiting factor is the 10' probe wire.

As for the BP, just put him in the cage and offer lots of clutter and hides. He will be fine. I had mine is a 40g when I got her at 12" and she was fine. I just gave her 4 hides, a humid hide and a couple paper towel tubes and she was happy as pig in slop.

Oh also forgot, as for lighting, I will just be ordering the LED light bars from RBI. They are thin and mount in with clips/screws do I can mount them behind the front lip so you don't see them and they only need a 1/2" hole for the plug as they are a male/female plug into a ballast unit. The unit can handle 2 lights and i'll just plug that into one of my timers. Figure I'll run the RHP and light wires out the same hole and use cable clamps to secure them down.

If the bp is not full grown you will need a divider for the T8 and a 40w rhp from either reptile basics or you can call pro products and they will tell you what to get. You will need an 80w from reptile basics or call pro products if the bp is full grown and no divider for the T8. You don't need to use bolts that go through the cage for pro products rhp, I went to Lowes and bought the appropriate size screws and they didn't go through the cage. With a rhp you may not want a basking shelf bc I bought a T10 from someone new in box and it had the basking shelf and when I mounted it and tested temps the shelf was 100 while my ground was a proper 90, bps don't generally climb anyways so no shelf needed. Idk much about carpet pythons but if you need extra height the T10 extra 3 inches on the T8 does make quite the difference. I would also suggest buying 2 reptile basics hides for the bp, one for hot side and one for cool side. They are dark and secure but they are also thin so the heat from the rhp can penetrate them. If it's a young bp then the medium size is what you want. Don't get anything smaller than the medium, anything smaller is really tiny and a snake would outgrow fast.

As for thermostats your first choice should be the Herpstat 2 from spyder robotics. If that is a little to expensive then a VE-300 x2 from reptile basics. Both of these thermostats will let you power 2 different heating devices with there own settings.

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I will add sliding glass doors would be the best option IMO. My T10 came with swing doors and I just really don't like them that much. I really like sliding glass doors like on my vision cages, plus with sliding glass you can crack it just enough to get a rodent in but with swing doors the snake could come bursting through if it is not latched. You don't need a lock with swing bc they have little swivels around the doors that will hold the door but whatever style door you choose I highly recommend a lock. You can buy a divider so you don't have to put the tub inside the cage, that way it will only have half the cage and you can move the divider little by little as it grow. Like I said in my above post 40w reptile basics rhp if using a divider, 80w with no divider or you can contact pro products. Depending on your room temp the 80w may work with the T11 or T12 as well and if you need a divider for that as well then the 40w may still work. I will say pro products rhp is more expensive then reptile basics but they have tons more options for every kind of cage and room temp, you can't see there products online you have to email or call then and explain the setup. The way I mount my thermostat probe is setting it on the hot side ground right under rhp and setting it to 90, some people do not recommend this bc the snake could poop on it or something but I have not had one problem yet. Another way of mounting it is to hang it down under the rhp and set thermostat a little higher until you get the correct hot spot temp. I put my thermometer probe inside the hot hide so I know the temp of the hot hide. I use acurite 00891 so I can put probe inside hot hide on top of substrate and then bury the wire under the substare and run it to cool side and set the whole thermometer unit on the cool side and it gives me the cool side temp and humidity as well.

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While it's true, you don't have to use bolts with the Pro Product one, I wouldn't want to just use wood screws or something like that. Its not exactly light as its an aluminum body unit. The RBI ones can get away with it since they are ABS body and a lot lighter. But to each their own. And you don't need a divider for a 4' cage for a sub adult BP. In the wild, they don't live in a 2x2 section of termite mound or a rodent den. The key is to clutter up the cage enough with stuff to make them feel secure. That means more than just 2 or 3 hides with nothing else. Sure, in that case they probably wont be happy as traveling from hide to hide will be what will scare them as it exposes them. Now throw in a few hides, some silk vines from a craft store like Michaels and maybe a couple paper towel rolls and he will feel a lot safer traveling between hides. I've started lots of snakes in big cages and never had a problem as long as you give them cover for the whole cage, not just a few hides.

Some BPs will climb. Mine loves to climb all over and will actually perch on top of her PVC toy/tree thing I built her. A few other people I've talked to about my BP liking to climb have also told me theirs likes to climb all over as well. its kind of like people saying boas are terrestrial...well yes kind of but if you give a boa a branch, shelf or perch, they will make use of it. Now it's up to you OP if you want to get a shelf but for $30, its worth it to give them the option imo. Just remember when you mount the RHP, don't mount it over top of the shelf or you will run into the problem Chrid is having.

Also for the RHP, if you call Pro Products and talk to Bob, he will probably set you up with the PH3 65 watt one as that seems to be the go to one for 4x2 cages in a mid 70s room. Or get the 80 watt one from RBI. It really wont matter as the T-stat will be controlling it. Just remember, a RHP is not going to work like heat tape and heat a single spot on the floor unless you put something down like a piece of flat slate or something it can heat under it. They are designed to heat an object under them which in turn gives off heat to heat the air.

The way I set my RHP and t-stat is I put the probe on the cool side about 2" above the substrate and then set that to 80F. That gives me around an 86F or so warm side. This is the way Bob at Pro Products says to set it up too. Some people will set the probe under the RHP about halfway down and set the hot side. Problem I see with that is the cool side can become too warm and then your snake has no where to go to cool down. Bottom line is you will know when its set right when the snake thermo regulates. If it is on the cool side all the time, you need to lower your temp. On the hot side all the time, need to raise your temp. I would just avoid setting it on the floor because if the snake pisses on it, it could destroy the probe and then you will need to get a new one not to mention it could give false readings. This is for the BP. For the carpet, I would definitely get a shelf and me personally, I would go for something higher like a T12.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

While it's true, you don't have to use bolts with the Pro Product one, I wouldn't want to just use wood screws or something like that. Its not exactly light as its an aluminum body unit. The RBI ones can get away with it since they are ABS body and a lot lighter. But to each their own.

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They screw I use for my pro products radiant heat panel are not just wood screw they are specialty screws from Lowes. My 88w ph-12 pro products rhp is way lighter then my 160w reptile basics and only 3lbs heavier then my 40w reptile basics rhp (according to shipping information from FedEx) so if screws will hold the 160w they will definitely hold the smaller pro products one.

Also there is really not a way to mount a rhp without at least some of it hitting the basking shelf. Your suppose to mount at least 6 inches from any wall so if you mount it toward the front of the cage then you are not out of the 6 inch range and void warranty. Yes you can mount it that way but if something goes wrong then you are not covered under warranty.


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I keep adult carpets in T10 and they do just fine. Nonetheless, this doesn't seem to be popular with other morelia keepers on this forum as most keepers seem to prefer the additional height.

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Angel

Hello everyone! It's me again. Annoying, aren't I?

I have some questions about Animal Plastics Cages.

I am look at a T8 for the ball python, and either a T11 or T12 (help me choose) for the carpet python, with or without basking shelves (again, help me choose). Both will have RHPs. Any tips on what size to get? Or do I need to call them and ask? I want fluorescent fixtures inside. Will they still fit with RHPs installed? Which are more secure - sliding glass, or swing doors? Both would need locks. I am thinking the swing doors since from what I have seen, you HAVE to lock them to close them. Am I off-base here? When I got my T8, my bp was about 5 months old, I think. I chose to get the divider as it was easy, and allowed me to change the size of the area my snake could live in. It was $20, but I liked it and chose to do it. It just fits snugly in place, so as the snake grows, you can move it. Now, having done this, I did have to go with two 40w RHP's, as one 80w would not allow the divider to fit in the center of the cage as I wanted it to. I also chose to get the white LED's from AP. I really like them. They light up the enclosure very well and don't affect my heating at all. They're bright and I don't have to worry about changing out the bulbs. They are available, but not on the website yet, I don't believe. The sliding glass doors are pretty heavy. I don't any snake would open them. I got the lock just as an extra level of security for my own piece of mind. Not for the snake trying to escape, but having visitors or children at my house and getting curious. The divider will not work with the basking shelf. I think if you have limbs and stuff in the enclosure, the basking shelf isn't really needed. Just my opinion though.

My plan with the ball python is to set up the T8 and put the tub inside it, on the cool side, to deal with the ambient temp problems. It will probably look silly, but I think the little one would be totally freaked out in a big enclosure at this size and it seems to be the most efficient permanent resolution. I would get the divider and not worry about the tub.

I have one of those fold up party tables that is 2' X 4' exactly. Would that hold one of these cages? What about both, since I plan to stack them after quarantine? I have read about issues with stacking when using RHPs - they get the bottom of the tub above them too hot. This can apparently be resolved by using 2" spacers... will the stacking pins still work that way, or are they even necessary? What size RHPs should I even get? That table should be okay. The T8's aren't really that heavy. I think you'll be fine to stack them. I wouldn't worry about any sort of spacers unless you were using UTH's of some kind. Then some air circulation would be good. If you have an RHP in the bottom cage, stacking is fine, and it will provide a little warmth for the cage on top. I currently have a bearded dragon setup on top of my T8 and it does help a little.

I would like to get a good thermostat or two. I will likely need two, since the RHPs for each cage will likely be different due to the height difference. Is there as single thermostat that could run both? What brand/model do you all suggest for this setup? In the past, I have always used different sized tubs with heat mats. I have always put the thermostat probe on the outside of the tub and the thermometer probes stuck to the inside, since I would rather have a minor heart attack than a cooked snake. I take it that isn't advisable with RHPs. How should I go about mounting the thermostat/thermometer probes? As others have said, I vote Herpstat. I got a cheapo thermostat starting out and never felt "confident" that it was doing what it should... I then upgraded to a Herpstat 2, and have not worried a day. they're pretty awesome.

Sorry for all the questions. I want to get everything right.

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I have pretty well decided on a t10 and t12, with 80 watt RHPs from reptile basics, and I will go ahead and get the basking shelf for the carpet python. If i can't keep it at a safe temperature I will remove it.

This thermostat is from reptile basics and I have a suspicion that it just a rebranded herpstat:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/ve-200

Does anyone know if it is?

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Angel

I have pretty well decided on a t10 and t12, with 80 watt RHPs from reptile basics, and I will go ahead and get the basking shelf for the carpet python. If i can't keep it at a safe temperature I will remove it.

This thermostat is from reptile basics and I have a suspicion that it just a rebranded herpstat:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/ve-200

Does anyone know if it is?

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I like tall for carpets but Dennis has been going about things fine as well. If you are worried about a shelf skip it and make perches. Heat will get to the floor and you will have different levels of heat up on the perches and below them if you want to make a display cage you can wrap the perches in vines it will look great. I will post pictures of my setup later if you'd like to see what it looks like. I use a radiant heat panel from Proroducts it works very well. All of this depends on what you want out of your caging. Great displays, or fast efficient and smaller. Both options are fine. If you are going with a shorter cage the shelf is an option for more floor space, but some properly spaced perches will provide a similar experience. Perches will allow light and heat to reach the floor. Also, a strip LED light from a hardware store will be nicer than a Flo light and probably less money. I'm on a cell phone now. If I remember I will post pics and info when I get home.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Angel

This thermostat is from reptile basics and I have a suspicion that it just a rebranded herpstat:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/ve-200

Does anyone know if it is?

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It is absolutely not a rebranded Herpstat, the ve-200 though is a good thermostat. The ve-200 is pulse proportional or on/off and has no additional settings really. The Herpstat can be set to dimming, pulse or on/off and has a ton more settings.

Since you are buying 2 different cages that have different heights you will need 2 thermostats or a ve-300x2 or Herpstat 2. You do have the same heating device but you will need the same exact cages in order to only use 1 thermostat. If you plan on stacking the cages you will need a Herpstat 2 or ve-300x2 bc the rhp on the bottom cage will heat into the top cage. So make sure you put rhp in the same place in both cages so the bottom cage will help heat the top.


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Vivarium Electronics makes a good stat. I have one but I still prefer my Herpstats.

You will be able to put your cage on a 4' x 2' table if it is a quality table. I have a table made by Lifetime that will hold a lot of weight. I would put a sheet of wood that is slightly larger than the area of the table top on the top of it so your cage doesn't over hang on any of the edges.

If you really enjoy realistic caging, I would go with perches and consider a background to spice thins up.

This coastal mix is over 6 feet long and easily fits and seems to enjoy this 48" x 24" x 24" cage. She uses every bit of it at different times of the day and night.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_3278.jpg

In this photo the daytime LED strip light is toward the back and behind the RHP, well half of it, and the other half is not. It is centered in the cage but obviously the RHP intrudes into the center of the cage as well. The other light is an Arcadia LED Moonlight.

I set up all 3 of my cages similar to this and enjoy them immensely. Part of the hobby for me is the display factor. I only have a collection of 3 so it allows me to spend a bit of time with decor.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2638.jpg


As far as the climate zones, the snake can climb into different zones, and as I said earlier, the perches do not block all of the heat going to the floor like a shelf may. However a shelf, especially for a more terrestrial species is a bonus because it is another level of ground floor.

You will still have a cool and warm side on the floor with perches, and "ceiling" offers vertical areas of climate. The snake can choose where to lie, or perch.

When using perches, spacing them properly helps the snake distribute body weight more evenly. With a heavier species like a boa constrictor, it is more important to do so if you want to see them use their perches. Too much pressure in one area isn't as comfortable for them as being spread out.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_3277.jpg


As Dennis M stated, you can use a cage with less ceiling and enjoy success too.

The top cage here is actually for our Royal. 48" x 24" x 14". I think if I were to get a carpet that got very large, my current female could easily go into the top cage here. However she could still grow another foot or two.

The boa constrictor has very thick perches here on the bottom and needs this 48" x 30" x 20".

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2657.jpg

Ultimately, you won't go wrong in choosing a shelf or perches. Personal preference, time, space, and number of animals come into play, finances play a role as well.

Animal Plastics makes a good cage. I would choose the sliding doors if I were to buy an AP unit.

My cages are Pro-Line from Constrictors NW. I know folks that have both AP and Pro-line and they are happy with both brands.

When you get set up I'm sure there are a number of folks that can guide and assist you here.

Good luck.

Sidetrack for a minute- @Gio, I want to put backgrounds in my AP cages but they would cover the ventilation holes in the back....any suggestions?

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Originally Posted by xcjumper

Sidetrack for a minute- @Gio, I want to put backgrounds in my AP cages but they would cover the ventilation holes in the back....any suggestions?

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Enough air goes between the cracks of the doors. Covering the ventilation holes are fine. Plus theres sill vent slots in the sides. All my vision cages and my ap T10 have the vent holes covered to help with humidity.

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Originally Posted by chrid16371

Enough air goes between the cracks of the doors. Covering the ventilation holes are fine. Plus theres sill vent slots in the sides. All my vision cages and my ap T10 have the vent holes covered to help with humidity.

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I appreciate you answering this. I don't have AP cages but have heard they have side vents. I have Pro-Line cages. On that same note, my tallest cage of the 3 has more covered up venting in the back than the other 2 cages. Because of that it holds humidity much longer but still breathes.
Perfect response above.

Thanks Chrid and Gio! I didn't think about the front doors. I was concerned because my humidity is really high in my AP cage but is slowly coming down (and I mean slowly!). But I want the pretty background especially for my new larger cage I have coming for my Carpet.

To the OP, Vivarium Electronics is not a rebadged Herpstat. It is it's own company. Herpstats are actually Spyder Robotics. My vote is go for the Herpstat. I got a Herpstat 1 and Herpstat 2 and next month I will be ordering a Herpstat 6 so I don't have to worry about a T-stat for awhile as I'll have the 2 and 1 as backups and I have 2 Hydrofarms laying around too lol. Think i'm going to order a 3rd AP T10 this week so I can make a clean sweep on the cages for my gals and probably throw the ProLine up on CL. Either way though, VE or Herpstats both work well. I have even been hearing some good reviews of the new to stateside ISTAT t-stats. Heard mixed reviews about them from EU guys but a few guys I've talked to here seem to like them.

Just set up my T11 a few weeks ago... still waiting on my first shed since moving my two BP's into the divided habitat. I ordered it around the 1st of the year.. it Arrived near the end of April. It is located on a custom built/stained entertainment center that we ordered with other furniture in late 2015 so the "stand" matches the rest of the suite's furniture. Glass sliding doors. Lock. No basking shelf. Ordered the LED strip in Red. I have the divider in the middle, two 40 watt Pro Products RHP's, one in each "inside" corner. Heat and humidity monitored/controlled by a Herpstat 4. The T11 is 18Hx24Dx48W... its partitioned into two 18x24x24 cages, each with two to three hides and some vertical relief... and big water bowls in one corner. The Herpstat gives me 88 degrees in the hot corner during the day and 80 degrees there at night. Temp probe lays on top of the bedding, directly under the respective RHP's. I installed the RHP's using gorilla glue on the back face of the RHP's and then I through-drilled the Enclosure top via the RHP's mounting hole and used a single pop rivet to ensure the panel doesn't fall. I've never.. EVER.. had a gorilla glue failure, so the pop rivet is simply belt and suspenders. I will get a flexible drill shaft if I want to get up close to the divider and through-drill the other hole.. but its low on my list.

I'm still finding the sweet spot with humidity. I previously had a glass cages with screen tops and basking lamps/UTH for heat. Previously the glass case with screen top required lots of screen being covered, and a mister/humidifier being piped in to keep humidity up, particularly during shed times.. The AP cage with cypress mulch goes to 98% humidity at first.. a month later its just now getting to 75%.. my next bedding will be a little drier, and I will just bump the humidity when shed starts either by spritzing it a bit, or tossing some fresh mulch in. No supplemental humidification used thus far.

My habitats are not complete yet.. and will have some sort of perch arrangement devised that will allow them or their prey to climb in the cage. The glass cages had a vine that my adult was fond of hanging along... I DID have a fake plastic log in the adult's cage that was awesome looking but was just hollow enough for him to go completely INTO but not get out of. We had to cut it apart to get him out as he wasn't appearing able to back out. Will be sealing the hole on the next fake log.

So far: The LED crapped out on day 1 and went from steady on to continuously pulsing. There are no user controls to adjust this. I think it was a faulty power supply. Just haven't gotten around to getting another one yet, but if the replacement craps out I will do my own led lighting install. Holds heat and humidity like a champ. I will need to revise my procedures to adapt to the humidity issues and keep it on target.

If I order another AP enclosure, I will likely not be using the LED lights. I would otherwise do it all the same again: Glass sliders, lock, RHP's

Not an expert.. just a few steps above noob, but sharing what I've done, based on what I learned on this forum myself.

Thanks for all the replies. I have been reading other threads about RHPs because I am getting ready to place my order, but most of them keep repeating that Radiant Heat Panels do not raise the ambient temperature.

In the winter, the temperatures in the room they must stay in after quarantine can drop below the low 60s. Heating the room is not an option for multiple reasons. Considering the amount of money I am about to drop on these two enclosures, I want everything to work year-round, automatically, without any fuss. If RHPs cannot raise the ambient temperatures in the PVC cages 20+ degrees (if necessary), I need to go with something else. I don't like CHEs for multiple reasons but if I need that instead to deal with the ambient temps, I will have them put in the screen cutouts and find a way to deal with safety/humidity issues. Does anyone have any input?

Again, heating the room is not an option and the ambient temperature in the cages may at times have to be 20+ degrees higher than the rest of the room.

Rhp heats objects like substrate, hides, decor, your snake etc and does heat the ambient some. Rhp is actually the best choice in your situation. My house stays around 60-65 all year round, I heat 2 of my snakes with rhp (soon to be 3) and one snake a uth on each side. They all eat good and are healthy. The 2 cages I have rhps in and the 1 cage I've been testing for the new addition I'm getting this week run a 90 degree hot spot with a 79 cool when it's the coldest in my house and 81.6 when its the warmest, one of the cages stays between 81-83 on the cool side. Rhp will work great in your situation like it does mine.

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Originally Posted by Doggtyred

Just set up my T11 a few weeks ago... still waiting on my first shed since moving my two BP's into the divided habitat. I ordered it around the 1st of the year.. it Arrived near the end of April. It is located on a custom built/stained entertainment center that we ordered with other furniture in late 2015 so the "stand" matches the rest of the suite's furniture. Glass sliding doors. Lock. No basking shelf. Ordered the LED strip in Red. I have the divider in the middle, two 40 watt Pro Products RHP's, one in each "inside" corner. Heat and humidity monitored/controlled by a Herpstat 4. The T11 is 18Hx24Dx48W... its partitioned into two 18x24x24 cages, each with two to three hides and some vertical relief... and big water bowls in one corner. The Herpstat gives me 88 degrees in the hot corner during the day and 80 degrees there at night. Temp probe lays on top of the bedding, directly under the respective RHP's. I installed the RHP's using gorilla glue on the back face of the RHP's and then I through-drilled the Enclosure top via the RHP's mounting hole and used a single pop rivet to ensure the panel doesn't fall. I've never.. EVER.. had a gorilla glue failure, so the pop rivet is simply belt and suspenders. I will get a flexible drill shaft if I want to get up close to the divider and through-drill the other hole.. but its low on my list.

I'm still finding the sweet spot with humidity. I previously had a glass cages with screen tops and basking lamps/UTH for heat. Previously the glass case with screen top required lots of screen being covered, and a mister/humidifier being piped in to keep humidity up, particularly during shed times.. The AP cage with cypress mulch goes to 98% humidity at first.. a month later its just now getting to 75%.. my next bedding will be a little drier, and I will just bump the humidity when shed starts either by spritzing it a bit, or tossing some fresh mulch in. No supplemental humidification used thus far.

My habitats are not complete yet.. and will have some sort of perch arrangement devised that will allow them or their prey to climb in the cage. The glass cages had a vine that my adult was fond of hanging along... I DID have a fake plastic log in the adult's cage that was awesome looking but was just hollow enough for him to go completely INTO but not get out of. We had to cut it apart to get him out as he wasn't appearing able to back out. Will be sealing the hole on the next fake log.

So far: The LED crapped out on day 1 and went from steady on to continuously pulsing. There are no user controls to adjust this. I think it was a faulty power supply. Just haven't gotten around to getting another one yet, but if the replacement craps out I will do my own led lighting install. Holds heat and humidity like a champ. I will need to revise my procedures to adapt to the humidity issues and keep it on target.

If I order another AP enclosure, I will likely not be using the LED lights. I would otherwise do it all the same again: Glass sliders, lock, RHP's

Not an expert.. just a few steps above noob, but sharing what I've done, based on what I learned on this forum myself.

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Same here with the LED lights. I ordered 2 T10s and just tonight ordered a 3rd T10 to round out the cages for what I got now. Now I have an extra Proline 48x24x14 which i'm not sure what I will do with it. Might put something else in it or sell it on CL and order another AP cage if needed. I was going to do the LED lights but opted to just order the ones from RBI along with the RHPs. The Proline has a Pro Products PH3 in it now but I want to try the RBI ones. Otherwise I did the same set up, glass sliding doors, locks but I did shelves in all of mine as my BP loves to climb around at night. Are the LEDs that AP mount in there sealed in place? I was thinking the exact thing of "what happens if they fizzle out?" Am I going to have to literally hack the roof of the cage apart to get them out to replace them.

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Angel

Thanks for all the replies. I have been reading other threads about RHPs because I am getting ready to place my order, but most of them keep repeating that Radiant Heat Panels do not raise the ambient temperature.

In the winter, the temperatures in the room they must stay in after quarantine can drop below the low 60s. Heating the room is not an option for multiple reasons. Considering the amount of money I am about to drop on these two enclosures, I want everything to work year-round, automatically, without any fuss. If RHPs cannot raise the ambient temperatures in the PVC cages 20+ degrees (if necessary), I need to go with something else. I don't like CHEs for multiple reasons but if I need that instead to deal with the ambient temps, I will have them put in the screen cutouts and find a way to deal with safety/humidity issues. Does anyone have any input?

Again, heating the room is not an option and the ambient temperature in the cages may at times have to be 20+ degrees higher than the rest of the room.

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An RHP should do fine. You will probably want to go with a higher wattage one though to play it safe. A RHP is basically a "touch safe" CHE in panel form. If your room gets that cold in winter, you might want to think about a space heater for that room. I use RHPs in my cages now and will be using RHPs in the 3 AP T10s I just ordered as well but I keep my house around 75F so in my quarantine/glass tanks, I just run heat tape on one side and just ambient room temps. Of course its all controlled with Herpstats.

Also you might want to place a flat rock like a piece of slate or flagstone under the RHP off to the side a little to act as a heater too.

RHPs do heat the air, that is their main function really. They heat whatever is under them which in turn heats the air and they also heat the air itself just from their warmth. Generally with my RHPs, I just set the Herpstat probe on the cool side of the cage and set it for 80F/ Then let the warm side get to whatever, which is usually around 86F. Never had a problem in over 3 years. You don't have to give a hot spot of 90F as long as your ambient is around 86F. I'm not really sure where the whole 90F hotspot idea came from as both my boas pretty much hate anything over 88F and my BP only sits on her 88F for a few hours after eating. Rest of the time she spends in her cool side hide.

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

RHPs do heat the air, that is their main function really. They heat whatever is under them which in turn heats the air and they also heat the air itself just from their warmth. Generally with my RHPs, I just set the Herpstat probe on the cool side of the cage and set it for 80F/ Then let the warm side get to whatever, which is usually around 86F. Never had a problem in over 3 years. You don't have to give a hot spot of 90F as long as your ambient is around 86F. I'm not really sure where the whole 90F hotspot idea came from as both my boas pretty much hate anything over 88F and my BP only sits on her 88F for a few hours after eating. Rest of the time she spends in her cool side hide.

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Im not sure of the 90 degree hot spot either but I think the point of the hotspot is to give a 10 degree gradient so the bp can choose where it wants to be rather than guess at the temp. As an owner you need to monitor your snakes behavior (like yours not liking anything over 88) and adjust accordingly. Two of mine love there hot 90 degree side and another spends most of the cool side and after eliminating everything else I have now dropped the temp a few degrees and seeing if that changes anything. The 90 degree is a good starting point to figure out what temp your snakes feel comfortable at and it usually works for a lot of people. I personally put my thermostat probe on the hot side so it will maintain one temp and being that my house maintains a pretty consistent temp my cool side stays in the appropriate range and only fluctuates a couple of degrees now and then.

The best option to make sure you get a rhp that will heat your cages right is to call pro-products and they will ask you some information of species, cage, room temperature, etc and will tell you what rhp to order. I would order from them bc they will give you one that is the appropriate dimensions for your cage and watts for your room temp. I own a couple of reptile basics rhp but you may need more power than the 80w but the 120w is a little to big measurement wise to put in 48in ap cage IMO. Pro-products is your best bet so you know everything will be right when you get it instead of being stuck with one that doesn't work for you and you can't send it back since it will be used once you figure out it doesn't heat correctly. I love reptile basics and even though they are cheaper I don't want you to end up having to buy a different one if one from them doesn't work.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Twisted_Angel

Thanks for all the replies. I have been reading other threads about RHPs because I am getting ready to place my order, but most of them keep repeating that Radiant Heat Panels do not raise the ambient temperature.

In the winter, the temperatures in the room they must stay in after quarantine can drop below the low 60s. Heating the room is not an option for multiple reasons. Considering the amount of money I am about to drop on these two enclosures, I want everything to work year-round, automatically, without any fuss. If RHPs cannot raise the ambient temperatures in the PVC cages 20+ degrees (if necessary), I need to go with something else. I don't like CHEs for multiple reasons but if I need that instead to deal with the ambient temps, I will have them put in the screen cutouts and find a way to deal with safety/humidity issues. Does anyone have any input?

Again, heating the room is not an option and the ambient temperature in the cages may at times have to be 20+ degrees higher than the rest of the room.

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In my T-11 the RHP's keep the enclosure plenty warm. The Under Tank Heaters provide belly heat but nothing of substance to warming the enclosure. Perhaps you are confusing the two?

Both of my snake's primary hides are fake stone (compressed mineral, not plastic) so they absorb and radiate heat, helping warm the air. The Herpstat probes are on the substrate next to the enclosures

If for some reason the RHP's you get are inadequate, you can always use a room heater or a heat lamp to raise ambient a little higher. To say that room heat is not an option as a backup is taking a very valid option off the table. If these are non-negotiable absolutes, without flexibility, then you might need to honestly look at what you are trying to do, and if its a good idea or not to proceed as planned. No sense setting oneself up for failure.

Talk to whomever is making the RHP's you might want to use, and ask them what they recommend for the size of your enclosure, the composition of your enclosure and the ambient temperature where it will be located. The vendor can help you size appropriately. Pro Products did so for me. I used a 40 watt for each side of my enclosure. They come much bigger than that, 80 - 120 watt.. and I cant imagine one not being up to the task in the setting you are proposing, with the insulating properties of a PVC enclosure.