Heating Products

Hi, everyone!
I'd like to know what is better to keep the proper temperature in your ball python tank, a heating pads, ceramic heat emmiters, light bulbs, without hurting too much your pockets with the monthly power payment, also for the ball python safety ( burns).
Thanks!

Flexwatt heat tape or an under tank heater would be your best bet. This is generally regarded as being better for the snake, as it provides belly heat to aid digestion. They are also considerably less demanding wattage wise. However, be sure to control it with at least a rheostat or dimmer, preferably a thermostat. Flexwatt is typically not advised unless you are willing to buy a proportional thermostat. Hope this helps, but I am sure others will chime in.

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Originally Posted by betoiguanas

Hi, everyone!
I'd like to know what is better to keep the proper temperature in your ball python tank, a heating pads, ceramic heat emmiters, light bulbs, without hurting too much your pockets with the monthly power payment, also for the ball python safety ( burns).
Thanks!

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heat tape/ flexwatt and a Ranco

UTHs and Flexwatt heat tape, as well as RHPs(radiant heat panels), are the best way to go since snakes prefer belly heat to overhead heat. Flexwatt is also rather gentle on the pocket.

Lamps and other bulb heat sources are best for raising ambient temps.

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Originally Posted by Argentra

UTHs and Flexwatt heat tape, as well as RHPs(radiant heat panels), are the best way to go since snakes prefer belly heat to overhead heat. Flexwatt is also rather gentle on the pocket.

Lamps and other bulb heat sources are best for raising ambient temps.

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Ok, I've been using a UTH, but the temperature overall in the tank is 80 degrees so, do you think if I insulate the tank 3 sides, that would be enough for the ball, or I might need add another heat source?

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Originally Posted by betoiguanas

Ok, I've been using a UTH, but the temperature overall in the tank is 80 degrees so, do you think if I insulate the tank 3 sides, that would be enough for the ball, or I might need add another heat source?

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Insulating will definitely help. It depends on you room temps. If that's enough. I have also used a infrared lamp on a dimmer. For some extra heat.
Do you have a hot side and a cool side? It shouldn't be just one temp over the whole tank, ya know.

Oh, you should always insulate the back and sides of any tank. Just leaving them uncovered leads to a huge heat loss since glass does not hold heat. Try insulating and make sure your screen top is covered and see what that does.

Also, do you use only one UTH or do you have one on each side? I find that colder areas, and homes, require the use of a UTH on each side with a thermostat for each one. More expensive in the initial output, but a lot better for stable temps in the longrun.

Radiant heat panels are excellent for raising ambient temps if you keep your snakes in a chilly room; they'll do better than flex watt with this.

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Oh, you should always insulate the back and sides of any tank. Just leaving them uncovered leads to a huge heat loss since glass does not hold heat. Try insulating and make sure your screen top is covered and see what that does.

Also, do you use only one UTH or do you have one on each side? I find that colder areas, and homes, require the use of a UTH on each side with a thermostat for each one. More expensive in the initial output, but a lot better for stable temps in the longrun.

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Yep, I have only 1 UTH on the hiding place, however the room temperature is 80 degrees, but do you think that I should place another UTH at the other end, or above the other one, you know, on the side?

Hmm, what are your temps now? Warm cool and ambient. That would help us to determine if you need any other heat sources. Also, how do you control the UTH and how do you measure those temps?

Sorry for all the Q's, but info is good when trying to help others. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Hmm, what are your temps now? Warm cool and ambient. That would help us to determine if you need any other heat sources. Also, how do you control the UTH and how do you measure those temps?

Sorry for all the Q's, but info is good when trying to help others. :)

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The temps are still 80 degrees, it remains at that temp all time, but I just have 1 thermometer set on one side, ( where the UTH is placed ) I just bought a rheostat to adjust the temp on the UTH this weekend, but it didn't work, so I returned it to the store and ask for something else, but they didn't have nothing to adjust the temps ( they never have NOTHING), I went to Petco, same thing, just ceramic heat emitters, but this room is always at 80 degrees, we don't use it, I closed the a/c grill, to keep it warm, the thermometer reads 80 inside the tank, but I always place some newspaper sheets, along with the aspen bedding, to prevent possible burns, I just place my hand in the bottom's tank, and I can find out if is too hot, but I need to improve the heating sources, what it happens is that here around they don't have too many stuff! And I've been working out to town, so sometimes I can't go somewhere to look for the stuff I might need, maybe I could get it online, but I like to check what is the items I'm gonna get, you know, the info, label product, etc., so I think I'm in the middle of nowhere!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Oh, you should always insulate the back and sides of any tank. Just leaving them uncovered leads to a huge heat loss since glass does not hold heat. Try insulating and make sure your screen top is covered and see what that does.

Also, do you use only one UTH or do you have one on each side? I find that colder areas, and homes, require the use of a UTH on each side with a thermostat for each one. More expensive in the initial output, but a lot better for stable temps in the longrun.

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I have a question, how do you insulate a screen top? And how the ball is going to get fresh air? Excuse my ignorance, please!

Ignorance is completely excused as long as you're asking questions. :)

Hmm, it sounds like you need to pick up a few things, then. You should try and get an Acurite digital thermometer with probe and set the unit on the cooler side and the probe under the warm side hide.
You should get a thermostat, even if it's just a cheaper ZooMed ReptiTemp 500R (found at ReptileSupply.com for around $25-30), ASAP and make sure your heat pad is one for reptiles. It sounds like you have a low heat pad made for small mammals, but I can't be sure without a picture. :)

With the room at 80 all the time, you won't need another heat source for the cool side, but you do need to get your warm side up about 10 degrees and get a good digital thermometer or temp gun to keep accurate track of the temps.

As for the screen treatment, I'll PM you the detailed instructions since they're kinda long.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Argentra

Ignorance is completely excused as long as you're asking questions. :)

Hmm, it sounds like you need to pick up a few things, then. You should try and get an Acurite digital thermometer with probe and set the unit on the cooler side and the probe under the warm side hide.
You should get a thermostat, even if it's just a cheaper ZooMed ReptiTemp 500R (found at ReptileSupply.com for around $25-30), ASAP and make sure your heat pad is one for reptiles. It sounds like you have a low heat pad made for small mammals, but I can't be sure without a picture. :)

With the room at 80 all the time, you won't need another heat source for the cool side, but you do need to get your warm side up about 10 degrees and get a good digital thermometer or temp gun to keep accurate track of the temps.

As for the screen treatment, I'll PM you the detailed instructions since they're kinda long.

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First at all, thanks again babe, you are the # 1!
And yes, I tried to get the Repti Temp 500R, not because is cheap, but that's what I told to get, but couldn't find it anywhere, I was told that in Petsmart could get it, but the stu...
as...( excuse my french), said, We are sorry, sir, but we don't know what are you talking about. " (And I accept that my english is very bad, I was born in Brownsville, Tx., but I spent all my life in MEXICO, Matamoros, to be precise, but I'm here in Houston, TX). But the employees at Petsmart they don't know nothing!
The heat pad that I have is from Zoo Med, so it's the indicated for reptiles, and also I've been trying to get the Accurite thermometer everywhere I was told, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, drug stores, but no luck, I've seen others, but I wanted to get that one, let me hear your opinion, babe!

:oops: You are most welcome... and your way of speaking is rather endearing. :) I lived in ElPaso, TX for 19 years...

And yes, most Petsmart employees know nothing about proper animal care...I should know, I worked there for over 9 months. That's why new reptile owners should find forums like this. :)

Ok, it's good that you have the ZooMed UTH, but without control it's probably a lot hotter than it should be.
No pet store that I know of carries actually carries any type of thermostat. Petsmart.com has them, but they're higher in price than other online places. It's stupid, since they are a major piece of equipment for reptile owners, but that's how it is. The best spot I've found so far to get a ReptiTemp stat is called ReptileSupply.com and they have it right now for only $22. On that same site, you could also get the Exo Terra digital thermometer and hygrometer, which aren't as good as the Acurite but are still good and have the probes you would need. You could use those until you found the Acurite.