How do you keep the enclosure at a safe temp?

(I do not own a reptile, I'm just researching before I do own one)

So, two things

Apparently, you shouldn't use a heat lamp to try and maintain a certain temperature because it dries everything out along with a couple of other things. Heating mats are a must, and I don't want to get one that's too hot because I don't want the snake to burn itself by accident. I'm worried that just a heat mat alone won't be enough to maintain a good temperature for a snake.

The other thing is, I get pretty hot at anything above 50°F (10°C), so I usually keep my room at a pretty cool temp. But I'm worried that the enclosure will be too cool because of this. (Take note that my room is the safest room to keep the snake since I have huge dogs and curious cats in every other room but my own.)

How do I keep the enclosure at a safe temp while not getting heat exhaustion myself from adjusting the temp of my room?


(Extra question, would the snake get too cold in my if I took it out of its enclosure for a while with my current preferred room temp? Or is it fine because it's only for a little while?)

I would advise you NOT to get a ball python or other reptile that needs higher temperatures...it's not impossible but will be much harder for you to keep them
successfully, and yes, it would NOT be good to handle them at anything near 50* either.

FYI, snakes brumate at 50* so even snakes that are more tolerant of cool temperatures may give you trouble unless you choose carefully (some Asian snakes
totally require cool temperatures, for example) or unless you really modify the kind of enclosure you use. The best way is a cage within a wood cabinet: wood
is great insulation...you could convert some sort of furniture/cabinet/wardrobe/etc but it would then be awkward to get into for you. As far as safely heating a
snake's cage, the best way is to use a reliable (& not the cheapest!) thermostat to control each heating device (UTH, light, CHE, RHP).

Good for you, doing your research ahead of time. I'm not sure a snake is the best pet for you, given the cold room you yourself need. Even a short time at such
chilly temperatures while handling would make many snakes think it's time to brumate & they might then refuse food. You want to look for species that exist in
the wild at cool temperatures...often they are mountain species...but you then have to make sure you can meet all their requirements as to food etc. Hopefully
we can think of some kinds that might work for you with a little group 'brainstorming" here.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bavouyeir

(I do not own a reptile, I'm just researching before I do own one)

So, two things

Apparently, you shouldn't use a heat lamp to try and maintain a certain temperature because it dries everything out along with a couple of other things. Heating mats are a must, and I don't want to get one that's too hot because I don't want the snake to burn itself by accident. I'm worried that just a heat mat alone won't be enough to maintain a good temperature for a snake.

The other thing is, I get pretty hot at anything above 50°F (10°C), so I usually keep my room at a pretty cool temp. But I'm worried that the enclosure will be too cool because of this. (Take note that my room is the safest room to keep the snake since I have huge dogs and curious cats in every other room but my own.)

How do I keep the enclosure at a safe temp while not getting heat exhaustion myself from adjusting the temp of my room?


(Extra question, would the snake get too cold in my if I took it out of its enclosure for a while with my current preferred room temp? Or is it fine because it's only for a little while?)

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If you keep your room that low, I honestly wouldn't get a snake, because even some species that can tolerate cooler temps, those are too low, and you may very well run into issues trying to give them proper temps.

All I can think of is a grass snake and maybe a rubber boa. Good luck finding them CBB

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Originally Posted by Toad37

All I can think of is a grass snake and maybe a rubber boa. Good luck finding them CBB

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He's still around a minimum of 15 degrees for the rubber boa, and that's minimum, and to get 15 degrees in that kind of temp would be terrible with humidity, and I don't know the exact requirements as I don't know much about them, but to do that 15 minimum degree swing I'd say the humidity would be under 20%. Also you'd have to do that for the whole tank, not just the warm side. Just not feasible to be honest and not worth killing the animal.

The grass snake requirements would be higher than the rubber boa so it's still a bad choice.

I'm no expert so I have no clue about their temperature requirements I just know they live in colder regions. Thanks for the info. A snake is just simply not a good choice for u. Sorry!

With your low temperature it could be difficult to keep a snake warm. If I was going to keep my room that cold I would do a few things... get a PVC cage like from Animal Plastics. Then I would put foam insulation on all sides but the front.

I would use a radiant heat panel on a thermostat to maintain ambient temperature in the low 80s. And use an under tank heater on a thermostat to maintain the hot spot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

With your low temperature it could be difficult to keep a snake warm. If I was going to keep my room that cold I would do a few things... get a PVC cage like from Animal Plastics. Then I would put foam insulation on all sides but the front.

I would use a radiant heat panel on a thermostat to maintain ambient temperature in the low 80s. And use an under tank heater on a thermostat to maintain the hot spot.

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That would be great only if you never opened up the cage...:confusd:...so that doesn't really make for a good "pet" experience. I think even the front "window" would require
insulation to maintain warmth, so I gotta recommend against trying to keep any snake in such a room. You'd waste a lot of money trying to set it up, just to fail & likely
harm the reptile for no good reason.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

That would be great only if you never opened up the cage...:confusd:...so that doesn't really make for a good "pet" experience. I think even the front "window" would require
insulation to maintain warmth, so I gotta recommend against trying to keep any snake in such a room. You'd waste a lot of money trying to set it up, just to fail & likely
harm the reptile for no good reason.

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I think it would work without covering the front window. Of course nobody knows until someone tries though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

I think it would work without covering the front window. Of course nobody knows until someone tries though.

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Either way, you'd still have to open the cage now & then to clean, change water, feed, handle...how miserable would that be for the snake, with such a fluctuation
of temperatures. I think the OP should stick to warm blooded animals with fur...there's a reason there aren't snakes in Alaska & very few in Minnesota.

Is it possible to keep the snake in another room of the house that doesn't get so cold? Possibly the living or laundry room?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

I think it would work without covering the front window. Of course nobody knows until someone tries though.

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It wouldn't, which is why I said that before the thread kicked off. When snakes are exposed to low temps, if they're a species that brumates, you're going stress the snake out. Even with never opening that cage, it's the ambient temperature that will still affect it. Giving a hotspot? sure, ambient temps, negative.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neal

It wouldn't, which is why I said that before the thread kicked off. When snakes are exposed to low temps, if they're a species that brumates, you're going stress the snake out. Even with never opening that cage, it's the ambient temperature that will still affect it. Giving a hotspot? sure, ambient temps, negative.

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That's why I said use a rhp for the ambient temp. With that being it's only job it could maintain the temperature pretty well. I suggested an uth for the hot spot. Both of those combined with a pvc cage and insulation around it I'm sure would work.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

That's why I said use a rhp for the ambient temp. With that being it's only job it could maintain the temperature pretty well. I suggested an uth for the hot spot. Both of those combined with a pvc cage and insulation around it I'm sure would work.

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A RHP isn't going to raise the ambient temperature, you'd have to have one the entire size of the cage, and then you'd fail to give a hot spot.

You can't use an UTH to raise temps because snakes like to burrow and move stuff out the way which would put them at even hotter temps, so as I said, it's not feasible period. I know you're new and everything, but if you stick around and heed what some of us vets are saying you'll learn a lot.

You get a snake in that kind of temp, no matter what you do, it's going to have issues, food not digesting properly, regurging and you can run into numerous other issues. Some may or may not kill the snake right away, some can. Either way it's not going to live a happy life and as a keeper your job IS to take the best care possible of an animal in your care. You can't do that with what the OP is asking. He'll either kill the snake right away, or he'll make it suffer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neal

A RHP isn't going to raise the ambient temperature, you'd have to have one the entire size of the cage, and then you'd fail to give a hot spot.

You can't use an UTH to raise temps because snakes like to burrow and move stuff out the way which would put them at even hotter temps, so as I said, it's not feasible period. I know you're new and everything, but if you stick around and heed what some of us vets are saying you'll learn a lot.

You get a snake in that kind of temp, no matter what you do, it's going to have issues, food not digesting properly, regurging and you can run into numerous other issues. Some may or may not kill the snake right away, some can. Either way it's not going to live a happy life and as a keeper your job IS to take the best care possible of an animal in your care. You can't do that with what the OP is asking. He'll either kill the snake right away, or he'll make it suffer.

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A rhp would raise ambient temps. I use two of them. An uth makes a hot spot. That's what they do. I don't know what you're not understanding with what I said.

I may be new here but I'm not new to keeping bps or life. I don't know what that even has to do with anything or why you're targeting me. If you read what I first said, I never said it would definitely work. If the op is going to get a snake anyway wouldn't you want them to have the best chance at keeping it alive? Or tell them it's impossible and just don't help at all?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

A rhp would raise ambient temps. I use two of them. An uth makes a hot spot. That's what they do. I don't know what you're not understanding with what I said.

I may be new here but I'm not new to keeping bps or life. I don't know what that even has to do with anything or why you're targeting me. If you read what I first said, I never said it would definitely work. If the op is going to get a snake anyway wouldn't you want them to have the best chance at keeping it alive? Or tell them it's impossible and just don't help at all?

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So you use a two RHP to raise the ambient temps 15+ degrees? That's what I thought. Sure they can raise the ambient temp a couple degrees, but anywhere close to enough in the OP's situation, it's not going to happen. I understand what you said, I think you don't understand how temperatures work.

I'm not targeting you, you're trying to argue what you think over logic and what actually works and doesn't work. You don't take a chance on an animals life like that. I know it's not going to work, and if the OP gets the snake anyways, then they're irresponsible. If they won't listen to facts, do you really think they're going to listen to anything you say? No, that's proven as well.

I know a guy Eric Pharr who used to free handle venomous snakes, I advised getting him getting venomous snakes. He got them anyway, hundreds of people advised him against free handling and he did it anyway. You know what made him stop? He got bit by a Cerastes vipera. When people do exactly what you advise them against even with facts, history shows they do what they want anyways. People know what's right and wrong and they break the law anyways.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neal

So you use a two RHP to raise the ambient temps 15+ degrees? That's what I thought. Sure they can raise the ambient temp a couple degrees, but anywhere close to enough in the OP's situation, it's not going to happen. I understand what you said, I think you don't understand how temperatures work.

I'm not targeting you, you're trying to argue what you think over logic and what actually works and doesn't work. You don't take a chance on an animals life like that. I know it's not going to work, and if the OP gets the snake anyways, then they're irresponsible. If they won't listen to facts, do you really think they're going to listen to anything you say? No, that's proven as well.

I know a guy Eric Pharr who used to free handle venomous snakes, I advised getting him getting venomous snakes. He got them anyway, hundreds of people advised him against free handling and he did it anyway. You know what made him stop? He got bit by a Cerastes vipera. When people do exactly what you advise them against even with facts, history shows they do what they want anyways. People know what's right and wrong and they break the law anyways.

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You're still not reading what I said. I do understand temperatures. It's literally one of the things I work with for a living. What bothered me the most is the fact you automatically had to point out that I'm new here so I must not know anything. You don't know who someone is based on when they join a forum.

The way I described doing things SHOULD work. Will it because of the low temperatures the op is dealing with? I don't know. You don't either. It's an option if he's going to get a snake. I haven't seen any others that might work yet.

DON'T USE HEAT ROCKS! They can seriously hurt your snake. Use heating mats, but do your research on certain brands; some get too hot and can also hurt your snake.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

You're still not reading what I said. I do understand temperatures. It's literally one of the things I work with for a living. What bothered me the most is the fact you automatically had to point out that I'm new here so I must not know anything. You don't know who someone is based on when they join a forum.

The way I described doing things SHOULD work. Will it because of the low temperatures the op is dealing with? I don't know. You don't either. It's an option if he's going to get a snake. I haven't seen any others that might work yet.

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Exactly, I stopped reading anything you said at the point SHOULD, because it's not definite which means you're putting the animal at risk in advance. I've seen another situation jut like this, and it didn't work, so actually I do know. This is why I said it won't work from the beginning. That's what I'm trying to tell you, but you're stuck on should.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I would advise you NOT to get a ball python or other reptile that needs higher temperatures...it's not impossible but will be much harder for you to keep them
successfully, and yes, it would NOT be good to handle them at anything near 50* either.

FYI, snakes brumate at 50* so even snakes that are more tolerant of cool temperatures may give you trouble unless you choose carefully (some Asian snakes
totally require cool temperatures, for example) or unless you really modify the kind of enclosure you use. The best way is a cage within a wood cabinet: wood
is great insulation...you could convert some sort of furniture/cabinet/wardrobe/etc but it would then be awkward to get into for you. As far as safely heating a
snake's cage, the best way is to use a reliable (& not the cheapest!) thermostat to control each heating device (UTH, light, CHE, RHP).

Good for you, doing your research ahead of time. I'm not sure a snake is the best pet for you, given the cold room you yourself need. Even a short time at such
chilly temperatures while handling would make many snakes think it's time to brumate & they might then refuse food. You want to look for species that exist in
the wild at cool temperatures...often they are mountain species...but you then have to make sure you can meet all their requirements as to food etc. Hopefully
we can think of some kinds that might work for you with a little group 'brainstorming" here.

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Thank you! Honestly, I can keep my room at higher temps, but I do have to literally wear ice packs. I'd honestly do anything to own a bp because it's been my dream since I was 11. I don't know, maybe I just have to be in the heat more to adapt a tolerance for it. 🤔
I guess I'm going to try and train myself to tolerate higher temps before I own a snake, that's for sure!

Yeah but other than the whole room thing, I was worried about the heat lamp because I heard from some people that they would recommend having one but then others were saying that you shouldn't have one and I just want my snake to be happy and warm. :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bavouyeir

Thank you! Honestly, I can keep my room at higher temps, but I do have to literally wear ice packs. I'd honestly do anything to own a bp because it's been my dream since I was 11. I don't know, maybe I just have to be in the heat more to adapt a tolerance for it. 🤔
I guess I'm going to try and train myself to tolerate higher temps before I own a snake, that's for sure!

Yeah but other than the whole room thing, I was worried about the heat lamp because I heard from some people that they would recommend having one but then others were saying that you shouldn't have one and I just want my snake to be happy and warm. :(

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If you have another room that is warmer, that would work for you though, just a thought as somebody else suggested.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neal

Exactly, I stopped reading anything you said at the point SHOULD, because it's not definite which means you're putting the animal at risk in advance. I've seen another situation jut like this, and it didn't work, so actually I do know. This is why I said it won't work from the beginning. That's what I'm trying to tell you, but you're stuck on should.

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If you're not even reading what I said then don't quote me and try picking apart what I said. And as I've said, it's been the best option so far.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

If you're not even reading what I said then don't quote me and try picking apart what I said. And as I've said, it's been the best option so far.

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It's really not. But thanks for your suggestion without having actual experience. OP has stated they will try other stuff, which means the took the advice of people who have actual experience.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Neal

It's really not. But thanks for your suggestion without having actual experience. OP has stated they will try other stuff, which means the took the advice of people who have actual experience.

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How don't I have experience? I have RHPs. I have uths. I have insulation on my tanks. I have lower temperatures in my room. The only thing I gave my opinion on was that it MIGHT work for him with his low temperature. And thanks for lowering my reputation for no reason other than the fact you didn't read what I said and wanted to seem "right".

This does not sound like a good idea. I myself cant imagine any of my rooms at 50* let alone trying to keep a reptile under those conditions. Im always warm myself and my house is kept at 68. During the summer with my central air running 24/7 its 66-68 with 20% humidity and feels freezing to everyone else that comes over so i cant believe your room could really be 50. But anyway thats a recipe for a disaster. I run several quality Radiant Heat panels and they wouldn’t even be able to keep a ambient temp of 78-80 let alone a Hot Spot of 90 in a 50 degree room. You cant just use a Heat Mat on a thermostat either because the cool draft of 50 in and around the enclosure is a sure case of respiratory infection sooner or later. I think this is the wrong pet under your current situation or until you can use another room in your home that you can keep at a min of 68 degrees so you can run a Radiant Heat panel in the enclosure to get a hot spot of 90 and a ambient of 80.
Without the proper habitat they can not survive.



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Honesty, I would get a pvc enclosure and give the gentleman at pro products a call and ask about their RHPs. Explain to him the temps you would be keeping the snake and see if he would have a panel that would work for you. I forget his name, but he is very helpful and would give you some legitimate information on keeping temps in an enclosure based on your ambient house temps. The entire house caaaaant be that cold!

i also tend to think 50 degrees may not be 100% accurate. That’s freakin cold man!

edit: if you have a small room like a laundry room or closet won’t outlets, you could set up and space heater on a tstat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

I would use a radiant heat panel on a thermostat to maintain ambient temperature in the low 80s. And use an under tank heater on a thermostat to maintain the hot spot.

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I know that sounds like a good idea but it will never work. I run the largest RHP’s on the market and they wont do a thing in a room under 66-68.
The problem is they will run constantly if they are trying to reach a temp they just cant get to.. that causes 2 problems, first it cooks the Hot Spot to 110+ degrees and the ambient never gets met. So you have a dangerously Hot basking area and a ambient that is dangerously cool... i had to close off the AC vent in my snake room after I tried everything under the sun. Now the room only gets down to 66 at the coolest of times and thats the limit of the RHP’s for safe operating. Just going down to 62 and my Hot Spot skyrockets because the Thermostat probe cant reach the temp to cut it off if its on the cool side. Move the tstat probe to the Hot side and it shuts off before there is a safe Ambient.
No win situation. This isnt a room for reptiles.



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Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

I know that sounds like a good idea but it will never work. I run the largest RHP’s on the market and they wont do a thing in a room under 66-68.
The problem is they will run constantly if they are trying to reach a temp they just cant get to.. that causes 2 problems, first it cooks the Hot Spot to 110+ degrees and the ambient never gets met. So you have a dangerously Hot basking area and a ambient that is dangerously cool... i had to close off the AC vent in my snake room after I tried everything under the sun. Now the room only gets down to 66 at the coolest of times and thats the limit of the RHP’s for safe operating. Just going down to 62 and my Hot Spot skyrockets because the Thermostat probe cant reach the temp to cut it off if its on the cool side. Move the tstat probe to the Hot side and it shuts off before there is a safe Ambient.
No win situation. This isnt a room for reptiles.



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Lol good luck trying to get anything across to him. Save yourself the annoyance now and ignore him calm. That's what I had to do.

As I read the original post, the room in question may not even be 50*? The OP said they're too hot if it's over 50* :confusd: and also that there are dogs & cats
in the rest of the house (safety issue). I just don't see it working at all, it's a recipe for a reptile disaster.

OP, what temperature exactly do you keep your house at in the summer and winter? Many are assuming you keep it at 50 degrees.

Now, if your house isn't actually 50 degrees (because as others have said, I don't think any heat source would overcome that), you can definitely use a heat lamp to raise ambient temperatures. Go for a blue light or infrared light because you will probably need to leave them on all the time if the area is cooler. You can use in conjunction with a UTH. Thermostat is required for UTH.

Do heat lamps and CHEs dry out enclosures? Yes. But this is also manageable with the right substrate, misting, humid hides, a room humidifier, etc.

The safest bet would be to try a practice setup of your enclosure for at least a week or two with no animal so you can determine whether your heating elements are sufficient or within the realm of being sufficient with adjustments.

And having cats and dogs is not a deal breaker either as long as you follow common sense safety precautions. :) Whatever you decide, best of luck!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

I know that sounds like a good idea but it will never work. I run the largest RHP’s on the market and they wont do a thing in a room under 66-68.
The problem is they will run constantly if they are trying to reach a temp they just cant get to.. that causes 2 problems, first it cooks the Hot Spot to 110+ degrees and the ambient never gets met. So you have a dangerously Hot basking area and a ambient that is dangerously cool... i had to close off the AC vent in my snake room after I tried everything under the sun. Now the room only gets down to 66 at the coolest of times and thats the limit of the RHP’s for safe operating. Just going down to 62 and my Hot Spot skyrockets because the Thermostat probe cant reach the temp to cut it off if its on the cool side. Move the tstat probe to the Hot side and it shuts off before there is a safe Ambient.
No win situation. This isnt a room for reptiles.



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It might not but that's where I would start if I was trying to deal with a cold room.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

It might not but that's where I would start if I was trying to deal with a cold room.

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I wouldn’t, id listen to everyone that knows what works and what doesn’t so I wasn’t fishing in a pond that doesn’t have fish. No disrespect to anyone but several people here have been at this for several decades and it helps to learn from others. If this person is in a situation where their only option is their room then buying all these things they will need to keep a reptile would be a complete waste of $1000. A cheap Glass Tank, heat mat and CHE isnt a option period. So your talking about a $500 PVC enclosure off the bat without anything else needed... just my 2cents.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

I wouldn’t, id listen to everyone that knows what works and what doesn’t so I wasn’t fishing in a pond that doesn’t have fish. No disrespect to anyone but several people here have been at this for several decades and it helps to learn from others. If this person is in a situation where their only option is their room then buying all these things they will need to keep a reptile would be a complete waste of $1000. A cheap Glass Tank, heat mat and CHE isnt a option period. So your talking about a $500 PVC enclosure off the bat without anything else needed... just my 2cents.


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I'm not saying they should try it. Just saying what I myself would try if I had to deal with cooler temperatures. I was just giving them ideas of things that could potentially help. That's all

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquirmyPug

I'm not saying they should try it. Just saying what I myself would try if I had to deal with cooler temperatures. I was just giving them ideas of things that could potentially help. That's all

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Understood. Cooler temp is one thing... Ive never heard of someone living in a home at 50 degrees. Thats unbearable to me.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

I know that sounds like a good idea but it will never work. I run the largest RHP’s on the market and they wont do a thing in a room under 66-68.


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My house thermostat is set at 68 as well. We run 66-68. I just set up a 3x2x12" pvc enclosure with a 40 watt VE RHP. It is my first setup with RHP heating. It seems to have no problem maintaining 88 hot side 80 cool side and isn't on constantly. I was concerned I would need a larger one, but it seems to be doing well. It's been running perfect temps for 24 hours. I am giving it another 24, then setting up with substrate and dialing in humidity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

Understood. Cooler temp is one thing... Ive never heard of someone living in a home at 50 degrees. Thats unbearable to me.


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I agree I would be freezing

Quote:

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Originally Posted by reptilemom25

My house thermostat is set at 68 as well. We run 66-68. I just set up a 3x2x12" pvc enclosure with a 40 watt VE RHP. It is my first setup with RHP heating. It seems to have no problem maintaining 88 hot side 80 cool side and isn't on constantly. I was concerned I would need a larger one, but it seems to be doing well. It's been running perfect temps for 24 hours. I am giving it another 24, then setting up with substrate and dialing in humidity.

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Yup that will work. Your enclosure is much smaller than most. My smallest ones are 4’x24”x24”. Mine run fine at the temps 66-68 but any lower like 62 and the RHP runs hard at 100% power to get a 80 degree ambient and that skyrockets the Hot Spot.
This OP is talking about 50 degrees being the Warmest his room is.


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Unless the OP clarifies or amends their room temperature, all we have to go on is their preference for 50* or below: by adding all necessary heating equipment
to keep a snake enclosure adequately warm, it's also going to raise the room temperature...:rolleyes: I don't see this being a win for the OP or any living reptile, sorry.

The amount of insulation needed to maintain proper temps. in ANY KIND of enclosure will preclude opening the cage for maintenance, interaction, or even routine
& necessary observation for health & safety of the enclosed animal. Why keep a "pet" you cannot see or interact with? Wishing won't make this work...sorry.
And ESPECIALLY since knowing their "dream snake" is a ball python...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bavouyeir

Thank you! Honestly, I can keep my room at higher temps, but I do have to literally wear ice packs. I'd honestly do anything to own a bp because it's been my dream since I was 11. I don't know, maybe I just have to be in the heat more to adapt a tolerance for it. ��
I guess I'm going to try and train myself to tolerate higher temps before I own a snake, that's for sure!

Yeah but other than the whole room thing, I was worried about the heat lamp because I heard from some people that they would recommend having one but then others were saying that you shouldn't have one and I just want my snake to be happy and warm. :(

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I don't see this working for you, I'm sorry. Wearing ice packs is no way to live & the gap between what you need to make this work to keep a BP healthy & safe and your
own personal need or preference for a cold room is just too big of a bridge to cross. And using a heat lamp & other methods of heating a snake enclosure is going to raise
the temperature of your room...it's really a recipe for disaster, in my opinion. When you ask too much of heating equipment it becomes a safety issue. Wanting a pet and
being the right owner for the animal are two very different things. You say that you "want my snake to be happy and warm" so obviously you know what they need & care about the welfare of the animal- I'm sorry to say that it's just not compatible under these conditions. I don't know how old you are now, but maybe in a few years, if your living arrangement changes and you have a room that is warm & safe, where a snake can be properly kept, that may be an option to look forward to. But please don't waste your money or risk the life of a pet snake by trying to do this now. It's both a health & safety issue for you AND any snake you'd get.

Bavouyeir, when I was about 11, all I could dream about was having my own horse. Some neighbors had a horse and even a school friend had a horse...but there
was no way for my family to even think about it. Over the years, I got to ride now & then, and later took some dressage lessons for a while. I learned a lot: how
to ride much better...how much work, money & constant dedication horses require, and that I didn't love it all enough to make that commitment, that there were
other things in life that suited me better, including other animals. I also volunteered in a zoo for a while, and even that was before I got into snakes. I wasn't even
remotely jealous when my older sister & her family got several horses for her boys to ride (hint: they made a lot of mistakes too). My point is that even though you
can think of little else right now besides having your own ball python, trust me when I say there is a lot more in this world that will interest you, and things for which
you'll be better suited. It may seem like a huge let-down right now, but do you realize that some got into keeping snakes & other reptiles because their allergies to
furry pets meant reptiles were their only option? Don't be discouraged & don't be too stuck on one thing...there's so many cool things to enjoy. (no pun intended) :D

As to lamps; heat lamps can be used on the screen of tanks, but not really with tubs. They can boost the ambient tempature and provide a hotspot if done right. However they do kill the humidty. Coupled with the fact tanks are already hard to maintain humidity in, it can be hard to sork with. And you don't want a light on 24/7 because it will stress out the BP and hurt its eyes.

If going with an overhead heat source though, a ceramic head emitter is generally better, as it puts out heat but not light. Unfortunately it still dries out the enclosure, so you will have to work extra hard to maintain humidity (misting multiple times a day, cover the screen top, bigger water bowl, get a humidifier for the room etc)


I have my BP in a tub and use a space heater to keep my room at 70f, and also use a heat pad. I'm not a huge fan of the tempature but I will sacrifice my comfort for my snake haha.

What about axolotls? They need a cooler temperature of water and they're pretty neat to watch

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Originally Posted by Toad37

What about axolotls? They need a cooler temperature of water and they're pretty neat to watch

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They're illegal to own where I live :(

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I don't see this working for you, I'm sorry. Wearing ice packs is no way to live & the gap between what you need to make this work to keep a BP healthy & safe and your
own personal need or preference for a cold room is just too big of a bridge to cross. And using a heat lamp & other methods of heating a snake enclosure is going to raise
the temperature of your room...it's really a recipe for disaster, in my opinion. When you ask too much of heating equipment it becomes a safety issue. Wanting a pet and
being the right owner for the animal are two very different things. You say that you "want my snake to be happy and warm" so obviously you know what they need & care about the welfare of the animal- I'm sorry to say that it's just not compatible under these conditions. I don't know how old you are now, but maybe in a few years, if your living arrangement changes and you have a room that is warm & safe, where a snake can be properly kept, that may be an option to look forward to. But please don't waste your money or risk the life of a pet snake by trying to do this now. It's both a health & safety issue for you AND any snake you'd get.

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Okay, thank you for the advice! Maybe I'm not suited to own one at the moment, but I think in the near future I will because I definitely need to get my heat tolerance up anyway. My family always tells me that I live in insane temperatures and that I should try to fix that. The highest I'm able to tolerate at the moment is around 75°and I'm told by my family that that's still way too low compared to what they can tolerate. I think this summer they're going to push me to my limits with this whole heat tolerance thing... So yeah, hopefully, that little push this summer will give me a way higher tolerance level (it gets up to the 100s where I live) and then I might finally be suited to own one! Wish me luck? :)

I certainly do wish you luck! :gj: Still, BPs are a species that need some of the higher temps. among snakes. Other species would be a safer compromise
and still great pets, you know.

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Originally Posted by Bavouyeir

Okay, thank you for the advice! Maybe I'm not suited to own one at the moment, but I think in the near future I will because I definitely need to get my heat tolerance up anyway. My family always tells me that I live in insane temperatures and that I should try to fix that. The highest I'm able to tolerate at the moment is around 75°and I'm told by my family that that's still way too low compared to what they can tolerate. I think this summer they're going to push me to my limits with this whole heat tolerance thing... So yeah, hopefully, that little push this summer will give me a way higher tolerance level (it gets up to the 100s where I live) and then I might finally be suited to own one! Wish me luck? :)

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Is there a medical reason you need lower temperatures? I've never heard of someone that feels hot like that

Radiant heat panels don’t do much for raising ambient air temperatures. He would have to heat the room or use a ceramic heater on a thermostat

OP: Did you just change your user name? :confusd:

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Originally Posted by Phantom1987

Radiant heat panels don’t do much for raising ambient air temperatures. He would have to heat the room or use a ceramic heater on a thermostat

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This is not true. RHP's do increase ambient temps, just not enough to overcome such a cold room. RHP's and CHE's work in a very similar manner with both emitting infrared heat. It is UTH's that do not increase ambient temperatures by more than maybe a degree or two, if at all.

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Originally Posted by Bedual

Okay, thank you for the advice! Maybe I'm not suited to own one at the moment, but I think in the near future I will because I definitely need to get my heat tolerance up anyway. My family always tells me that I live in insane temperatures and that I should try to fix that. The highest I'm able to tolerate at the moment is around 75°and I'm told by my family that that's still way too low compared to what they can tolerate. I think this summer they're going to push me to my limits with this whole heat tolerance thing... So yeah, hopefully, that little push this summer will give me a way higher tolerance level (it gets up to the 100s where I live) and then I might finally be suited to own one! Wish me luck? :)

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Your power bills must be nuts, and how do you go outside at all? I live in a hot climate, high 90's in the summer, and you have to deal with the heat in order to do basic things like go to work or get groceries. When it's that hot there is just no escaping it. Cars take time to cool down, and you have to get out and got back and forth, you never really get cool. How do you manage??