How to use CHE without drying the enclosure?

As winter comes my house is starting to get cold, right now I use a red lamp during the day and close at night, night temperatures are 73 which is too low. I have been thinking about useing a CHE but that would just dry out the enclosure, I keep my BP in a 120 gallon so it will be very hard to keep the humidity up, right now is just above 50, after CHE it’s probably going to be 30. Is there a way too keep humidity while keeping heat?

CHE are going to dry out anything, you can soak bedding, you can spray often, you can add a misting system, room humidifier, block off airflow. Personally I'd skip the effort and look into a pvc enclosure more properly suited to a reptile, with a radiant heat panel. Much better at keeping heat and humidity than an aquarium is going to be.

Do radiant panels heat ambient temperature?

Yes, radiant heat panels heat the ambient temperature, but if you are using one in a glass aquarium it will also dry out the enclosure. If you're not able to get a PVC enclosure like GoingPostal suggested, I would recommend trying a Sterilite tub with holes drilled in it. The tubs are cheap, easy to acquire and set up, and they hold humidity and heat much better than glass enclosures. You can also mount a CHE onto it if needed, I can link a tutorial on how to do that safely if that's a method you want to go with.

Ok, thanks. But I do think that sterile tubs are a bit small, the biggest I can find is a 50 gallon but the dimensions shows that is only a 30. I never used PVC enclosures, where can I buy them?

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Originally Posted by Ooo

Ok, thanks. But I do think that sterile tubs are a bit small, the biggest I can find is a 50 gallon but the dimensions shows that is only a 30. I never used PVC enclosures, where can I buy them?

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It is indeed challenging to find a Sterilite tub that is the appropriate size for a full-grown BP, they're typically better as starter enclosures for growing BPs which will eventually be upgraded to a PVC enclosure.

If you're in the U.S., Animal Plastics and Boaphile Plastics are some of the biggest names for PVC enclosures.

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Originally Posted by GoingPostal

CHE are going to dry out anything, you can soak bedding, you can spray often, you can add a misting system, room humidifier, block off airflow. Personally I'd skip the effort and look into a pvc enclosure more properly suited to a reptile, with a radiant heat panel. Much better at keeping heat and humidity than an aquarium is going to be.

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Having a humidity box helps too.

Like the OP I've been having humidity issues since my banana boy is in a 30 gal setup (will aquire a proper PVC enclosure when he's older) and have utilized a soaking strategy with the coco fiber/spagnum substrate. But just to make absolutely sure there's a spot where he can always get moisture if things get too dry at any point I leave a humidity box in at all times with wet (but not waterlogged) moss inside.

I've already seen him use it several times so it's clear he appreciates the gesture, albeit maybe a little too much as he left a huge dump inside it once and the whole basement subsequently stunk to high heaven.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by Snagrio

Having a humidity box helps too.

Like the OP I've been having humidity issues since my banana boy is in a 30 gal setup (will aquire a proper PVC enclosure when he's older) and have utilized a soaking strategy with the coco fiber/spagnum substrate. But just to make absolutely sure there's a spot where he can always get moisture if things get too dry at any point I leave a humidity box in at all times with wet (but not waterlogged) moss inside.

I've already seen him use it several times so it's clear he appreciates the gesture, albeit maybe a little too much as he left a huge dump inside it once and the whole basement subsequently stunk to high heaven.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

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I do this method as well while waiting on my Animal Plastics enclosure to get here. Spagnum moss covering his third hide on the cool side. The humidity in there is about 10-20% higher than the rest of the enclosure, so he can get in there if needed. This is a quick fix but doesn't eliminate the need to mist still. As other's have said, def look into a PVC enclosure. I also used tin foil with duct table on my screen cover which helped a lot.

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Originally Posted by Ooo

As winter comes my house is starting to get cold, right now I use a red lamp during the day and close at night, night temperatures are 73 which is too low. I have been thinking about useing a CHE but that would just dry out the enclosure, I keep my BP in a 120 gallon so it will be very hard to keep the humidity up, right now is just above 50, after CHE it’s probably going to be 30. Is there a way too keep humidity while keeping heat?

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A 120-gal glass tank will take a bit of work and modifying to get it set up correctly, compared to maintaining a PVC enclosure. I have a 120-gal aquarium with home-built plexiglass tops that have a few ventilation holes each, so that heat and humidity stays in it. Heat is done with two large UTH's (once set at 80*F, the other at 90*F) and in the winter months I use two deep heat projectors (DHP's) to bump up the ambient temp since the radiation will penetrate plexiglass and heat objects in the tank. I have a carpet python in it and he likes to perch/bask on driftwood set up under the DHP's.

I live in Canada, is there a source for pvc here? I will add a humidity box and how it works. Should I be using CHE right now at night?

Seal the top of the enclosure, and place a large water dish under the CHE.

CHE will work day or night. In a 120 I would use three smaller CHE instead of one large one. Make a top or use foil to cover most of the screen top. So the top would be solid with O.....O....O. that would be if the CHE is on top. If you can find the right safety cage for a CHE you can hang it inside the cage an cover the top with R-Max foam board. Place a large water bowl under one of the CHE's. That will help a bunch. I'm slowly replacing all my glass with Animal Plastics. An ran CHE or heat lamps for years (1970's).


Any Reptiles shows in the Great White North near you? Somebody has to be making or carrying PVC cages. Or a sheet of PVC an a router an have at it.


Good luck!

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Originally Posted by Ooo

I live in Canada, is there a source for pvc here? I will add a humidity box and how it works. Should I be using CHE right now at night?

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I am Canadian as well :) It's a bit harder to find PVC enclosures up here and they are more expensive but the sellers I've found are:

https://www.cornelsworld.com/
http://www.pvccages.ca/
https://allreptiles.ca/

Currently it seems that only Cornel's World still has stock. I've tried contacting PVC Cages by phone and email as I am looking to upgrade but haven't gotten any response so they may be inactive due to Covid. Allreptiles is out of all except 24"x24"x12" PVC cages and that is too small for a BP.

How much do pvc enclosures cost? Will it be more cost efficient then try to get right husbandry in a 120gallon? Or just move her into a 40 gallon?

Cost in US $$$:

https://apcages.com/

Cost efficient would depend on:
1) Your skills.
2) Long term use. PVC in the long run is cheaper then glass (heating). Up front (an ten years or so) glass wins.

I have glass an Animal Plastics. My T8's replace 125-175 tanks. PVC is much easier to clean, heat an get into. Heat panels outlast 1,000 CHE an cost less to run.

Glass works, it has for 100 years. It's just more work. In the dark cold Great White North I would think a glass an plywood tank would work well an still be cheap. Not much skill is needed to cut 4x8 sheets an screw them together. OK, some skill is needed to make it look clean an straight. A free 20GL tank would give you front glass.

If you search the forums you'll see some home made setups that are very nice. Same with glass an all the tricks to keep the heat in (foam board insulation).

Everything takes time an money. Only you will know what's right for you an your pet. Me, if I hit power ball for 90 mil, I building a reptile zoo (someplace warm):D

Good luck!