How to set up a PVC cage (AP T8) With Pictures!

If a thread survives for two years and more importantly helps people that long I think it should be stickied

I second that. This is definitely a sticky worthy thread. I have the link saved so I dont have to search for it

Can we start a petition for this thread to be stickied?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

First off when would a rat have a chance to chew through a cord inside your snakes cage? A live rodent shouldn't ever be left in a cage long enough for that to happen. Live rodents shouldn't be left unattended with a snake for any reason. I've seen too many snakes be killed by unattended rats already.

As for probe placement you have a few options. I personally don't recommend using a single thermostat for more than one heat source, but it can be done. You are going to have to carefully monitor your temps as there won't be anything to prevent disaster on the RHP that isn't being directly monitored by a thermostat.

You want your probe to be placed to that it is centered on the lens of the RHP:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...0.jpg~original

1. You can use hot glue to attach it directly to the lens
2. You can suspend the probe so that it is hanging under the lens
3. You can use hot glue to attach the probe to the bottom of the cage directly under the lens.

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Thanks, Aaron. I went ahead and mounted the probe on the bottom of the T8, along the center divider, using hot glue. I put the wire in a 1/4" PVC pipe to keep it from being chewed on, but the probe is sticking out of the PVC pipe.

Because the temps in the two sides of the T8 seemed to be a few degrees off and because I want to be able to control each side independently, today I ordered a Herpstat 4. It should arrive in about a week. Once I receive it, I'll run each RHP on its own channel of the Herpstat 4 (I'm going to use a third channel to run a UTH that is heating a tub that sits on top of the T8).

As your question about how the rats were able to chew through the thermometer cords, you really don't want to know. I've done a few stupid things as a result of my snakes' winter hunger strikes. Luckily, the rats didn't hurt the snakes at all. I'm hoping that the cooler winter temps in the T8 caused the hunger strike and that the RHPs will keep the T8 temp constant year-round. In fact, today (I installed the RHPs yesterday) one of the two hunger striking BPs actually ate! :-) In any event, I'm not leaving things to chance any more. I'll be keeping a closer eye on the rats and won't be leaving them in the T8 nearly as long as I had been.

- - - Updated - - -

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

First off when would a rat have a chance to chew through a cord inside your snakes cage? A live rodent shouldn't ever be left in a cage long enough for that to happen. Live rodents shouldn't be left unattended with a snake for any reason. I've seen too many snakes be killed by unattended rats already.

As for probe placement you have a few options. I personally don't recommend using a single thermostat for more than one heat source, but it can be done. You are going to have to carefully monitor your temps as there won't be anything to prevent disaster on the RHP that isn't being directly monitored by a thermostat.

You want your probe to be placed to that it is centered on the lens of the RHP:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...0.jpg~original

1. You can use hot glue to attach it directly to the lens
2. You can suspend the probe so that it is hanging under the lens
3. You can use hot glue to attach the probe to the bottom of the cage directly under the lens.

---

Thanks, Aaron. I went ahead and mounted the probe on the bottom of the T8, along the center divider, using hot glue. I put the wire in a 1/4" PVC pipe to keep it from being chewed on, but the probe is sticking out of the PVC pipe.

Because the temps in the two sides of the T8 seemed to be a few degrees off and because I want to be able to control each side independently, today I ordered a Herpstat 4. It should arrive in about a week. Once I receive it, I'll run each RHP on its own channel of the Herpstat 4 (I'm going to use a third channel to run a UTH that is heating a tub that sits on top of the T8).

As your question about how the rats were able to chew through the thermometer cords, you really don't want to know. I've done a few stupid things as a result of my snakes' winter hunger strikes. Luckily, the rats didn't hurt the snakes at all. I'm hoping that the cooler winter temps in the T8 caused the hunger strike and that the RHPs will keep the T8 temp constant year-round. In fact, today (I installed the RHPs yesterday) one of the two hunger striking BPs actually ate! :-) In any event, I'm not leaving things to chance any more. I'll be keeping a closer eye on the rats and won't be leaving them in the T8 nearly as long as I had been.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BPGuy

Thanks, Aaron. I went ahead and mounted the probe on the bottom of the T8, along the center divider, using hot glue. I put the wire in a 1/4" PVC pipe to keep it from being chewed on, but the probe is sticking out of the PVC pipe.

Because the temps in the two sides of the T8 seemed to be a few degrees off and because I want to be able to control each side independently, today I ordered a Herpstat 4. It should arrive in about a week. Once I receive it, I'll run each RHP on its own channel of the Herpstat 4 (I'm going to use a third channel to run a UTH that is heating a tub that sits on top of the T8).

As your question about how the rats were able to chew through the thermometer cords, you really don't want to know. I've done a few stupid things as a result of my snakes' winter hunger strikes. Luckily, the rats didn't hurt the snakes at all. I'm hoping that the cooler winter temps in the T8 caused the hunger strike and that the RHPs will keep the T8 temp constant year-round. In fact, today (I installed the RHPs yesterday) one of the two hunger striking BPs actually ate! :-) In any event, I'm not leaving things to chance any more. I'll be keeping a closer eye on the rats and won't be leaving them in the T8 nearly as long as I had been.

- - - Updated - - -



Thanks, Aaron. I went ahead and mounted the probe on the bottom of the T8, along the center divider, using hot glue. I put the wire in a 1/4" PVC pipe to keep it from being chewed on, but the probe is sticking out of the PVC pipe.

Because the temps in the two sides of the T8 seemed to be a few degrees off and because I want to be able to control each side independently, today I ordered a Herpstat 4. It should arrive in about a week. Once I receive it, I'll run each RHP on its own channel of the Herpstat 4 (I'm going to use a third channel to run a UTH that is heating a tub that sits on top of the T8).

As your question about how the rats were able to chew through the thermometer cords, you really don't want to know. I've done a few stupid things as a result of my snakes' winter hunger strikes. Luckily, the rats didn't hurt the snakes at all. I'm hoping that the cooler winter temps in the T8 caused the hunger strike and that the RHPs will keep the T8 temp constant year-round. In fact, today (I installed the RHPs yesterday) one of the two hunger striking BPs actually ate! :-) In any event, I'm not leaving things to chance any more. I'll be keeping a closer eye on the rats and won't be leaving them in the T8 nearly as long as I had been.

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Sounds good. I love my herpstat 4's. They are the pinnacle of reptile thermostats in my option.

I just got my Herpstat 2 Redline in the mail today! It's awesome! Now I'm just waiting to get my T8s in so I can have everything set up. I second the sticky, this thread was extremely helpful! I'll post a few pictures of the set up when I get them in. Aaron how easy is it to drill holes in the T8s? I originally ordered the T8s with a single light in the middle but I may change my mind once I breed them. Think it would be pretty easy to throw a divider in, drill a couple holes in the top for two lights and just fill the middle hole with the plastic drilled from one of the new holes?

It actually VERY easy to drill. If you ever drilled plexiglass, it's kinda like that. You can also fill the holes you don't want with non-toxic filler from Lowes or Home Depot.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Commandokev

I just got my Herpstat 2 Redline in the mail today! It's awesome! Now I'm just waiting to get my T8s in so I can have everything set up. I second the sticky, this thread was extremely helpful! I'll post a few pictures of the set up when I get them in. Aaron how easy is it to drill holes in the T8s? I originally ordered the T8s with a single light in the middle but I may change my mind once I breed them. Think it would be pretty easy to throw a divider in, drill a couple holes in the top for two lights and just fill the middle hole with the plastic drilled from one of the new holes?

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Drilling holes in the PVC is very easy. No need to worry about it cracking like when drilling glass or some other types of plastic sheets. The only thing you have to watch out for is too much heat as you can melt it to some extent. You just have to find the right balance between how fast the bit is spinning and how fast you can push through the material. (this is pretty easy, your nose will tell you if you are getting the PVC too hot)

The divider itself might cover part of the hole. This is what the holes AP machines into the top of the cage for the fluorescent light fixtures looks like:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...7.jpg~original

The hole itself is 1.125" in diameter and is located 4" in from the back of the cage. They then route in a slot for the cord. This slot is so you can stack cages one on top of the other without any gaps, and to improve the aesthetics of the cage, but aren't necessary as long as there isn't a cage stacked on top.

Worst case you can use something heavy to cover the hole tom the outside of the cage.

You can also drill your own U shape in the rear pannel before screwing in the top part of the cage. That way you don't have holes on the top of the cage.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/01/gyba5era.jpg

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They finally came in! They are built and almost done being set up. I have found that the bottom cage has a harder time reaching the 90 degree hot spot than the top, which makes sense to me. What do I need to do to get the bottom to get closer to the 90 degree temp?

Here is my setup
Herpstat 2
Output 1 config is at 103.5F and is keeping the top cage at 91-92 (I plan on lowering this slightly).
Output 2 config is at 107.5!!! and my hotspot is still only like 85-86.

What is the highest and safest temperature I can set that daytime temperature at to keep my hotspot warm enough?

Thanks,

Kevin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Commandokev

They finally came in! They are built and almost done being set up. I have found that the bottom cage has a harder time reaching the 90 degree hot spot than the top, which makes sense to me. What do I need to do to get the bottom to get closer to the 90 degree temp?

Here is my setup
Herpstat 2
Output 1 config is at 103.5F and is keeping the top cage at 91-92 (I plan on lowering this slightly).
Output 2 config is at 107.5!!! and my hotspot is still only like 85-86.

What is the highest and safest temperature I can set that daytime temperature at to keep my hotspot warm enough?

Thanks,

Kevin

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What do you have your cages sitting on?

How long has the heat tape been powered up?