winter heating question

I bought the below rack from Reptilebasics. for my BPs. It has back heat and works great (90/80) during the summer . However, the winter temps in the room where the rack is can get as low as 60-62 F. So I am slightly concerned that my cool side temps will get too cold. :sick: I have come up with two solutions and wanted to get opinions on which would be better. (I have a herpstat pro)

1) Get an oil filled space heater from lowes and run it on the herpstat to maintain 74 degrees in the room where my rack is.... This should allow the 90/80 to be maintained.

OR

2) Get some flexwatt and place it under the cool side to maintain 80 on the cool side.

I assume the flexwatt option would use less electricity, but the space heater may allow for a more overall temp maintaince.

Thoughts? pros or cons? other options?

http://www.reptilebasics.com/store/i...roductid=16197

I use an electric space heater without putting it into a T-stat, its built-in, and that works great. I monitor it with an Acu-rite. I'm not sure how much it will end up costing. Also, your herpstat pro might not be able to support the heater due to thier high wattage, mine is 750-1500 watts so my herpstat 2 won't work for it...

i have the same problem and i worry about my ball again this winter. we had a heck of a time maintaining proper temps last winter. so... i took a UTH and added it to the inside of the lid of dexter's enclosure. and i'm going to monitor his temps as the days and nights get cooler. i also moved him into my bedroom... cause it's warmer in there (i keep my tarantulas in there as well) so hopefully the temps will be fine.

if not... i'll add a heater to the room.

an oil filled heater is hard to beat. i have one that is adjustable low,med, high. this is 600,900,1500 watts. i run my on low for the whole room. also i use a ranco stat to control the heater, not the built in stat. this has performed well with no problems. i would try to get the room/area up to around 78 at least.



vaughn

Another option issome reflectix along the back wall ofthe rack. It is amazing what a difference it makes.


Neil

i do think reflectix will help and can't hurt. i don't think it will solve this particular problem. if the room gets down in the 60's, you need more heat!



vaughn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kavmon

also i use a ranco stat to control the heater, not the built in stat. this has performed well with no problems.vaughn

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How do you use a ranco to run the heater with a built in tstat?
I know plug the heater into the ranco, then....

where does the probe go? Do you set the heater to high?

I think you would place the probe by the racks since you want it to be a certain degrees in that area, no??

in my room the ranco is on the outer wall. i want it to sense the coldest wall. the probe is shoulder height and about 2 inches off the wall. i set my oil-filled heater to the low setting (600 watts). the dial thermostat on the heater is set to max. i them plug it into the ranco and adjust my temps where i want them. i have accurites around the room at shoulder,waist and ground level. i mainly look at ground temps and cool side tub temps.



vaughn

I need to invest in an inexpensive space heater as well. Wal-mart has one for like 25 bucks.

I have very succesfully used oil filled heaters for about 15 years. They are all over the place this time of year (Wally World, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) In most "bedroom" sized snakerooms the heater will do the job at the lower 600-700 watt setting. Takes it a few hours for them to gain momentum and then you are set. I feel a lot safer with those than the toaster style heaters as well. The Ranco or Johnson Controls is the way to go here for sure. It is actually pretty much what they are made for. Their wattage capacity is up to the task where most of the proportionals are not. Frankly a proportional really isn't all that needed for this anyhow. I will also have to add that room temps in the 60's, regardless of cage type or heating built in, will likely lead to trouble with most boids (not so much with most colubrids). It will also keep your heat source running at its maximum non stop all the time which will potentially also lead to trouble or premature failure. Just too cool. 72-75 is usually just fine. A few degrees makes all the difference especially at night when it is cold outside. I have also done the somewhat unsightly but bvery effective plastic over the window trick many times over the years in various houses and apartments when I lived on LI.


Rich
http://www.reptilebasics.com

Can you put the snakes in an enclosed room? If so, I would recommend an electric fan heater; we have no heat vent in our bedroom and it gets cold..we use the elec. heater at night (brand name is Holmes; model 1Touch)(no herps in the bedroom) and it makes things nice and toasty; has a built-in thermostat too. Honestly, our room gets into the low 60s and even the high 50s in the winter; we put the heater on an hour or so before bed and it is nice and warm (sometimes too hot!)
And plastic over the windows is a definite in this house; drafty, old farmhouse that it is, with weird 1970s crank windows, lol.