Basking Shelf

I’m curious if a basking shelf will be used in my enclosure by my BCI. I’ve struggled so much trying to get consistent temps with my RHP that I’m about to just take the shelf out and be done with it. Is it worth trying to make it work?

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

I’m curious if a basking shelf will be used in my enclosure by my BCI. I’ve struggled so much trying to get consistent temps with my RHP that I’m about to just take the shelf out and be done with it. Is it worth trying to make it work?

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Most of my boas always used there shelves, especially when they was younger, my Guyana is on his 90%of the time, but all are different

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I don't have shelves but I do have hides large enough to act as shelves in my boa enclosures, and the boas do perch on them occasionally.

I think the shelf is a cool idea, and I know many snakes, especially semi arboreal snakes, such as boas, like them.

Having said that, temps are much more important than a shelf.

If you take the shelf out he's not going to be wondering where it went. :).

I have no shelves in my boa cages, but I do let them climb on scaffolding (folding) that I keep in the reptile area. This gives them some exercise and enrichment.

I mentioned semi arboreal, which boas are, but not to the extreme that most carpet pythons are. Yafe, my CP, spends 50-90% of the time during the days in his hides, but is on his perches all night "hunting" or thermoregulating. I don't think a boa needs a shelf, or a perch, etc.

I talk to Jeff Ronne regularly, and will probably be getting another boa from him soon, and he built my tanks (Boaphile tanks). He offers perches on his taller tanks, but both my boa tanks are 1FT tall since my tanks are stacked and they don't need one (my 3 tall tanks are Yafe's - Carpet Python - with perches, Frank's - BTS and needs proper UVB and a basking spot, and the spare tank I have now that had Toref, my dwarf monitor). Jeff keeps some of his larger snakes in custom 4'X2.5'1.5' enclosures he makes, but are too big to ship. He puts a shelf in those to give the boas more floor space.

If your tank is large enough, floor space wise, for him, then a shelf is optional.

My last thought is to call the tank manufacturer and/or the thermostat manufacturer, to see what their solution is.

Good luck, keep us posted, and do not sweat it if you decide to take the shelf out as long as the floor space is adequate.

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Originally Posted by dakski

I think the shelf is a cool idea, and I know many snakes, especially semi arboreal snakes, such as boas, like them.

Having said that, temps are much more important than a shelf.

If you take the shelf out he's not going to be wondering where it went. :).

I have no shelves in my boa cages, but I do let them climb on scaffolding (folding) that I keep in the reptile area. This gives them some exercise and enrichment.

I mentioned semi arboreal, which boas are, but not to the extreme that most carpet pythons are. Yafe, my CP, spends 50-90% of the time during the days in his hides, but is on his perches all night "hunting" or thermoregulating. I don't think a boa needs a shelf, or a perch, etc.

I talk to Jeff Ronne regularly, and will probably be getting another boa from him soon, and he built my tanks (Boaphile tanks). He offers perches on his taller tanks, but both my boa tanks are 1FT tall since my tanks are stacked and they don't need one (my 3 tall tanks are Yafe's - Carpet Python - with perches, Frank's - BTS and needs proper UVB and a basking spot, and the spare tank I have now that had Toref, my dwarf monitor). Jeff keeps some of his larger snakes in custom 4'X2.5'1.5' enclosures he makes, but are too big to ship. He puts a shelf in those to give the boas more floor space.

If your tank is large enough, floor space wise, for him, then a shelf is optional.

My last thought is to call the tank manufacturer and/or the thermostat manufacturer, to see what their solution is.

Good luck, keep us posted, and do not sweat it if you decide to take the shelf out as long as the floor space is adequate.

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Thanks Daski...the enclosure is 48 x 24 x 15 so I'm assuming that's enough floor space for a male BCI. I wasn't even considering a shelf until a couple members on here suggested it before ordering. I agree that dialing in temps is more important then a shelf so here's where I stand currently.

Probe is dangling in the corner of the enclosure at the edge of the RHP. Herpstat is set to 81.5

Hot Bottom: most readings are 86 -88 but I have seen a low of 84 and a high of 91 *** is this a big enough range to scrap the shelf and dial in the temps more? ***

Cool Bottom: (78-80)

Ambient Middle (83-84)

Any cause for concern or am I way over complicating this?

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

Thanks Daski...the enclosure is 48 x 24 x 15 so I'm assuming that's enough floor space for a male BCI. I wasn't even considering a shelf until a couple members on here suggested it before ordering. I agree that dialing in temps is more important then a shelf so here's where I stand currently.

Probe is dangling in the corner of the enclosure at the edge of the RHP. Herpstat is set to 81.5

Hot Bottom: most readings are 86 -88 but I have seen a low of 84 and a high of 91 *** is this a big enough range to scrap the shelf and dial in the temps more? ***

Cool Bottom: (78-80)

Ambient Middle (83-84)

Any cause for concern or am I way over complicating this?

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How often are you checking temps? Have there been any changes in room temp or humidity?

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Originally Posted by dakski

How often are you checking temps? Have there been any changes in room temp or humidity?

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At this tstat setting, I've checked about 4 times over the course of the weekend. The room temp should be consistent since I have a heater set to 70. It's a finished basement so I wouldn't expect too much of influence; plus my other enclosure w/o the shelf never seemed to be influenced by the basement temps.

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

At this tstat setting, I've checked about 4 times over the course of the weekend. The room temp should be consistent since I have a heater set to 70. It's a finished basement so I wouldn't expect too much of influence; plus my other enclosure w/o the shelf never seemed to be influenced by the basement temps.

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That’s reasonable. I would scrap the shelf for now as your footprint should be perfect for a male BI.

In the meantime, when you have time, reach out to manufacturers as mentioned above and see if we are missing something.

Is your temp gun calibrated? Honestly I think it sounds like you’re making it over complicated. Either way, mix up a glass of ice water for half a minute or so and check it with your temp gun. Should read 32°. If it doesn’t then it’s not accurate.
Also some fluctuation is natural. As the probe reads the set temp or reaches it, it reduces or stops supplying power to the rhp. Unless you have something like a piece of slate under the panel that will retain heat for an extended period you will necessarily see a fluctuation in temps

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Originally Posted by jmcrook

Is your temp gun calibrated? Honestly I think it sounds like you’re making it over complicated. Either way, mix up a glass of ice water for half a minute or so and check it with your temp gun. Should read 32°. If it doesn’t then it’s not accurate.
Also some fluctuation is natural. As the probe reads the set temp or reaches it, it reduces or stops supplying power to the rhp. Unless you have something like a piece of slate under the panel that will retain heat for an extended period you will necessarily see a fluctuation in temps

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I checked the temp gun and it gave me readings anywhere from 31.3 - 32 so it's pretty close. I totally understand the reasoning behind fluctuations, I'm just trying to understand if the 84-91 outliers are natural and not a cause for worry. And like I said previously, my readings in my other enclosure (w/o shelf) are usually only a 1-2 degrees variance. Thanks again.

Only had 1 boa- large BCI (other than temp. rescues) & she loved to 'bask' on top of her very sturdy home-made extra large hide- rectangular & flat (made of water-
sealed wood & tile board top) with washable non-slip carpet on top. The height put her closer to overhead warmth as UTH below the hide warmed from underneath.
She enjoyed both being IN the hide, & on top of it as needed. It was very EASY to make, also...& not expensive, & a pair of doorways side by side at one end made
it much easier for her big body to come & go. I've not seen other hides made that way, it was my own inspiration that appeared to be well-appreciated as she often
cruised her cage, & would pass herself coming & going in/out of her hide, but it was very long ("deep") so she felt secure at the far end as well.

Just skimmed back through your other thread. Have you tried limiting the % power supplied to the panel? What size/wattage is your panel? I did the same thing with my 6’ and 8’ cages, 120watt and 190 watt respectively. Limited them to ~70% max power and temps stabilized a lot.

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Originally Posted by jmcrook

Just skimmed back through your other thread. Have you tried limiting the % power supplied to the panel? What size/wattage is your panel? I did the same thing with my 6’ and 8’ cages, 120watt and 190 watt respectively. Limited them to ~70% max power and temps stabilized a lot.

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I have not tried limiting the power but it has crossed my mind as the next option to try. I have the PH-12 100 watt panel. So do you recommend a certain % to start with?? I've never used this setting and couldn't find much in the way of helpful info in the Herpstat instruction booklet. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by ckuhn003

I have not tried limiting the power but it has crossed my mind as the next option to try. I have the PH-12 100 watt panel. So do you recommend a certain % to start with?? I've never used this setting and couldn't find much in the way of helpful info in the Herpstat instruction booklet. Thanks!

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I’d start with something like 70%, set your temps and keep an eye on it. 100watts seems like a lot for a 4x2x15 but Bob knows his stuff pretty well. I imagine that’s part of the reason it was spiking up to mid 90s, probably reaching upper range of power usage, quickly reaching the set temp, then falling again. Lather rinse repeat haha!

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Originally Posted by jmcrook

I’d start with something like 70%, set your temps and keep an eye on it. 100watts seems like a lot for a 4x2x15 but Bob knows his stuff pretty well. I imagine that’s part of the reason it was spiking up to mid 90s, probably reaching upper range of power usage, quickly reaching the set temp, then falling again. Lather rinse repeat haha!

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Got it set and ready to take some temps! Appreciate the advice.

I believe I told Bob to provide something with power so I don't have to worry about always heating my basement ;)

I think that will get you on track. Just monitor temps/fluctuations and adjust max power % and set temps as needed.

Your temps in the proper range CK. I wouldn't worry about the slight fluctuation. I keep my boas with a hot spot of 84-88. Both of my boas are in tubs right now and probably wont go in a pvc enclosure for at least another year. The shelves don't negatively effect the temps in the enclosures I currently have so I definitely plan on adding shelves to their adult enclosures.

I have a couple of T12's (4'x2'x2') with basking shelves in them. I use an 80w RHP in them, and that's almost overkill except during the winter when I use a space heater...are you sure you need a 100w?

I have the probes holes drilled underneath the basking shelves right under where the panel is, roughly halfway down the length of the panel. Then, I poke the probe through from the outside of the enclosure, and tape down the wire with aluminum tape on the outside. No wires inside the enclosure.

Then, using a thermometer and a temp gun I set up the thermostat so that the top right corner (where the panel is in my cages) reaches 88-90F ambients and no more than ~95F hot spot measured with the temp gun. This means I keep most of the enclosure at ambient temps, and the boas can utilize their shelves if they need extra heat. So they can stay at more comfortable temps most of the time. The top left sits around 85F+, and the bottom half of the enclosure sits at 80-85F during the summer and can drop down to 70-75F during weather transitional periods when I'm not running the space heater.

So, basically, I'm only really trying to heat the top half of the enclosure to warm temps, allowing the bottom to sit at cooler temps. Boas ime don't really like to be constantly exposed to higher temps all the time, but a 4'x2'x2' (or 15") doesn't really offer enough room to allow for a true cool end under most circumstances. So I *personally* would probably drop those temps, but part of the problem may just be the size of panel you're using. When my 80w panels are on, they heat the enclosure very strongly, and I imagine it would be even harder to control the amount of heat put out with a 100w, even in tandem with a thermostat.

With how short your enclosure is, I'd focus more on just offering a hot spot on the shelf vs raising ambients above 85F. But that's just my .02.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Your temps in the proper range CK. I wouldn't worry about the slight fluctuation. I keep my boas with a hot spot of 84-88.

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Thanks Ziggy. After reducing my power output on the Herpstat to 70%, my temp ranges seem to be getting better. I’m now in the 86-88 range on a pretty consistent basis. Sometimes I see a couple degrees in a different direction but I don’t think that will pose a problem.

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Originally Posted by CloudtheBoa

I have a couple of T12's (4'x2'x2') with basking shelves in them. I use an 80w RHP in them, and that's almost overkill except during the winter when I use a space heater...are you sure you need a 100w?

I have the probes holes drilled underneath the basking shelves right under where the panel is, roughly halfway down the length of the panel. Then, I poke the probe through from the outside of the enclosure, and tape down the wire with aluminum tape on the outside. No wires inside the enclosure.

Then, using a thermometer and a temp gun I set up the thermostat so that the top right corner (where the panel is in my cages) reaches 88-90F ambients and no more than ~95F hot spot measured with the temp gun. This means I keep most of the enclosure at ambient temps, and the boas can utilize their shelves if they need extra heat. So they can stay at more comfortable temps most of the time. The top left sits around 85F+, and the bottom half of the enclosure sits at 80-85F during the summer and can drop down to 70-75F during weather transitional periods when I'm not running the space heater.

So, basically, I'm only really trying to heat the top half of the enclosure to warm temps, allowing the bottom to sit at cooler temps. Boas ime don't really like to be constantly exposed to higher temps all the time, but a 4'x2'x2' (or 15") doesn't really offer enough room to allow for a true cool end under most circumstances. So I *personally* would probably drop those temps, but part of the problem may just be the size of panel you're using. When my 80w panels are on, they heat the enclosure very strongly, and I imagine it would be even harder to control the amount of heat put out with a 100w, even in tandem with a thermostat.

With how short your enclosure is, I'd focus more on just offering a hot spot on the shelf vs raising ambients above 85F. But that's just my .02.

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Thanks Cloud. I didn’t have much luck w/ the probes underneath the shelf even though they seemed to be placed in the same area you detail above.
One thing that I haven’t seen after a million temp checks is a hot spot warmer on the shelf then the bottom floor. I’m usually see a 2 degree lower temp difference on the shelf vs directly underneath on the floor.

For instance:

Hot Shelf: 83-84
Hot Floor: 85-86
Cool Shelf: 79-80
Cool Bottom: 79-90
Mid Shelf: 82
Mid Bottom: 82-83

I believe this is enough variance for my Boa to find the right area