How do you keep the enclosure at a safe temp?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WhompingWillow

...It is UTH's that do not increase ambient temperatures by more than maybe a degree or two, if at all.

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And sorry, but that's not true either, lol. Like the other heat devices, you might not overcome really cold temperatures (depending on the brand & type of UTH you use)
but I've been using it for decades, & all heat rises. UTH is actually the most efficient since the heat goes right up into the cage, & IF you bother to insulate the cage and
also under the UTH also (leaving the required gaps for the UTH to "breath" & not over-heat) you will maximize the efficiency of the UTH. You also need to size it correctly
for the needs of the kind of reptile being kept and the size of the cage. Many reptiles do best with a basking spot, so extra overhead heat is often needed for that. Also,
some brands/types of UTH get HOTTER than other types...so do your homework for best results. I'm a fan of Flexwatt because I keep mostly colubrids & don't need as
much heat in my cages (glass tanks!) and it's low-wattage & very dependable, but it doesn't get as hot as some other types. (It's also made of thinner material.)

Where I would NOT advise using UTH is when you have an enclosure that's say made of wood...wood is a great insulator so the heat will have trouble getting
thru to the interior of the cage, and you'll be running it so much higher that it's apt to over-heat & burn out...could even be unsafe. Plastic cages are not as
good at "insulating" and the UTH heat WILL rise into the cage, but for the amount of heat needed for something like a ball python, or to overcome a cold room,
you'll likely be warping the plastic from the UTH...so carefully consider both the kind of reptile and the kind of enclosure when choosing how to keep it warm.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

And sorry, but that's not true either, lol. Like the other heat devices, you might not overcome really cold temperatures (depending on the brand & type of UTH you use)
but I've been using it for decades, & all heat rises. UTH is actually the most efficient since the heat goes right up into the cage, & IF you bother to insulate the cage and
also under the UTH also (leaving the required gaps for the UTH to "breath" & not over-heat) you will maximize the efficiency of the UTH. You also need to size it correctly
for the needs of the kind of reptile being kept and the size of the cage. Many reptiles do best with a basking spot, so extra overhead heat is often needed for that. Also,
some brands/types of UTH get HOTTER than other types...so do your homework for best results. I'm a fan of Flexwatt because I keep mostly colubrids & don't need as
much heat in my cages (glass tanks!) and it's low-wattage & very dependable, but it doesn't get as hot as some other types. (It's also made of thinner material.)

Where I would NOT advise using UTH is when you have an enclosure that's say made of wood...wood is a great insulator so the heat will have trouble getting
thru to the interior of the cage, and you'll be running it so much higher that it's apt to over-heat & burn out...could even be unsafe. Plastic cages are not as
good at "insulating" and the UTH heat WILL rise into the cage, but for the amount of heat needed for something like a ball python, or to overcome a cold room,
you'll likely be warping the plastic from the UTH...so carefully consider both the kind of reptile and the kind of enclosure when choosing how to keep it warm.

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Do you mind if I ask what your room ambient is? I briefly tried tubs for our ball pythons last year (when we only had a couple lol) and all went off feed. I could not maintain a warm enough air temperature with just the UTH. And our bedroom isn't exactly chilly. Around 74 degrees typically. There'd be no way a UTH could increase ambients in my PVC or glass tanks sufficiently for my BPs, boas, and carpets without a source of supplemental heat - whether RHP or heat lamps. One of the primary reasons I don't use a rack is because of the difficulty in maintaining temps. :/ Colubrids can generally be kept at much lower temps, but I still prefer other heat sources for achieving a gradient for our corn. My UTH's are for hot spots only. (Not trying to be argumentative, just don't want new keepers to think they can always get away with just a UTH.) :)

I’ve experimented myself. I had two identical pvc enclosures with the largest heat panel for that size. It raised the ambient air temp at the bottom 6” of the enclosure 2 degrees. This was connected with a herpstat 2 with the probe 3” from the heater. Also my background as a Mechcanical engineer got me really experimenting with this.

I don't mind, and I also don't want keepers to think that only a UTH is enough, though it might be...as I tried to explain, it all depends...each set-up is different.
Using UTH, you ALWAYS need part of the enclosure that has NO heat, for safe thermo-regulation by the occupant...but for a colder room or a reptile that needs
to be warmer, you might need to increase the ratio of UTH : cage floor.

FYI- My home thermostat (& therefore ambient room temps.) is set to 70* winter & 80* summer. I have an Aussie Spotted python & desert rosy boa that prefer
the warmest temps, but you're correct- most of my snakes now are colubrids. (including 4 large Florida rat snakes that also like a fair amount of warmth, but still
not like BPs) FYI- when I had a large BCI, she was kept in a huge glass tank, with about 2/3 of the floor heated with 11" wide UTH (Flexwatt), and in winter I put
a towel over part of the screen top and with an over-head warming light used for her basking. So it all comes down to the variables. (her tank was insulated too)

All of this is why we all recommend setting up & trying out cages & equipment for at least a week prior to reptile arrival...so there's time to tweak or even buy some
additional stuff as needed. It goes without saying that the larger cages have more air space to heat up than smaller ones do.

About your tubs: I've seen racks that have open sides, and some that are enclosed...that alone could make a huge difference.

And back to the OP in this thread, I just don't see it working safely at all, not in a room that's 50* or thereabouts, & especially not with a BP or snake with similar
heat needs. WW, I appreciate where you're coming from...

Cant believe this is still going.. thought it FROZE a long time ago hahahahaha


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