Radiant Heat Panels-- Which brand to get?

[viper69]

I may need to get a Radiant Heat Panel. The question is, which one do people recommend, and why did you choose that brand? There are a lot of brands now so I'm not sure which one is the best.

Thanks!

[Scottywelsh]

I have 3 vivs with Habistat reptile radiators in and seems to be very good to be fair. Didn't have much of a choice in brand in the UK since these seem to be the only ones available but I couldn't be happier with them so I would definitely recommend

[chrid16371]

If you live in the USA or Canada then either pro products or reptile basics. Either of those choices will make you happy. Reptile basics is easier on wallet, there 40w is 78 including shipping and pro products 40w is 100 including shipping. I have 2 reptile basics ones and I'm completely happy. I've heard many great things about pro products but never used there products but either company is a win IMO.

What kind of cage you going to be mounting one in?

[viper69]

If you live in the USA or Canada then either pro products or reptile basics. Either of those choices will make you happy. Reptile basics is easier on wallet, there 40w is 78 including shipping and pro products 40w is 100 including shipping. I have 2 reptile basics ones and I'm completely happy. I've heard many great things about pro products but never used there products but either company is a win IMO.

What kind of cage you going to be mounting one in?

I'm in the USA.

I've know Pro-Products thanks, and of his prices too. That's a significant difference in cost in my opinion. I'll have to see who has the better warranty etc. I too have heard great things about Pro-Products in the past, but times change. I'm glad their quality seems to be the same.

As for the cage, that's a really good question. It's for my boa actually. I'm not sure to be quite honest. I don't want a rack system because I'm not a breeder and I like being able to see my animals as they are in my office. There's a lot of variables in my mind, like

1. Pro/cons on getting a wood based cage, vs a plastic one like a Boaphiles, or a Neodesha, esp pro/cons when it comes to HEATING them.

2. Top opening vs Front opening (meaning screen top (top) vs front opening as we see in larger setup. My concern here is in feeding. I've only fed from the top. My boa was VERY docile when she's out of her home, is very protective when inside. She has a powerful and lightning fast feeding response. SO I need access that allows me to have a quick movement/control.

Those are my immediate concerns.

[chrid16371]

I'm in the USA.

I've know Pro-Products thanks, and of his prices too. That's a significant difference in cost in my opinion. I'll have to see who has the better warranty etc. I too have heard great things about Pro-Products in the past, but times change. I'm glad their quality seems to be the same.

As for the cage, that's a really good question. It's for my boa actually. I'm not sure to be quite honest. I don't want a rack system because I'm not a breeder and I like being able to see my animals as they are in my office. There's a lot of variables in my mind, like

1. Pro/cons on getting a wood based cage, vs a plastic one like a Boaphiles, or a Neodesha, esp pro/cons when it comes to HEATING them.

2. Top opening vs Front opening (meaning screen top (top) vs front opening as we see in larger setup. My concern here is in feeding. I've only fed from the top. My boa was VERY docile when she's out of her home, is very protective when inside. She has a powerful and lightning fast feeding response. SO I need access that allows me to have a quick movement/control.

Those are my immediate concerns.

Pro products and reptile basics I'm pretty sue both have 10 year warranties.

As for the cage PVC will last you forever where wood won't do to moisture. Plus PVC is light and easy to move where wood weighs a ton. I built one of my bearded dragons cages out of cherry and it weighs a ton! If I could do it again I would of used PVC. Good choices are animal plastics, boaphile, and vision. Any of these companies you should have no problem heating your cage as long as you have the proper rhp.

Don't get a screen top! Kills humidity, idk what the humidity requirements are for a boa but either way I would get a cage with sliding front doors or swing open doors, I like the sliding doors the best though but that's just my opinion. I would think it would be easier to move your hand straight out of the way then up and out of the way. That's also a good thing about sliding doors, you can open one just enough to get your feeder in or the tongs with f/t in so then you dont need to have the door wide open for the chance of getting bit, you don't really have that option with screen tops and swing doors.

[viper69]

Pro products and reptile basics I'm pretty sue both have 10 year warranties.

As for the cage PVC will last you forever where wood won't do to moisture. Plus PVC is light and easy to move where wood weighs a ton. I built one of my bearded dragons cages out of cherry and it weighs a ton! If I could do it again I would of used PVC. Good choices are animal plastics, boaphile, and vision. Any of these companies you should have no problem heating your cage as long as you have the proper rhp.

Don't get a screen top! Kills humidity, idk what the humidity requirements are for a boa but either way I would get a cage with sliding front doors or swing open doors, I like the sliding doors the best though but that's just my opinion. I would think it would be easier to move your hand straight out of the way then up and out of the way. That's also a good thing about sliding doors, you can open one just enough to get your feeder in or the tongs with f/t in so then you dont need to have the door wide open for the chance of getting bit, you don't really have that option with screen tops and swing doors.

That's true wood weighs a ton. I remember when companies were making herp homes out of melamine/pressed particle board. Sawdust and glue is HEAVY hah. I never owned one of those due to the weight. Thanks for the reminder on that, I move a lot so that's an advantage for plastics.

Your cherry setup must look nice! I love cherry wood. Ah yes Vision Cages, I see them a lot and for some reason I haven't quite taken to them for some reason. I don't know why. They seem decent.

You make a good point about sliding doors! I'll go with that design for sure. I had not considered that one. Are your doors glass or acrylic etc?

On the companies you recommended, will a UTH work well, I use Ultratherms?

I have also seen people use Kane pig blankets. I hear they are excellent.

Also, with RHPs is there an issue with potential burns?

[chrid16371]

That's true wood weighs a ton. I remember when companies were making herp homes out of melamine/pressed particle board. Sawdust and glue is HEAVY hah. I never owned one of those due to the weight. Thanks for the reminder on that, I move a lot so that's an advantage for plastics.

Your cherry setup must look nice! I love cherry wood. Ah yes Vision Cages, I see them a lot and for some reason I haven't quite taken to them for some reason. I don't know why. They seem decent.

You make a good point about sliding doors! I'll go with that design for sure. I had not considered that one. Are your doors glass or acrylic etc?

On the companies you recommended, will a UTH work well, I use Ultratherms?

I have also seen people use Kane pig blankets. I hear they are excellent.

Also, with RHPs is there an issue with potential burns?

You don't need a uth if your using an rhp. The rhp will heat your hot side and the heat will radiat over to the cool.side and heat that up giving you a gradient. But yes a uth will heat the floor of the cage fine. Ive never used Kane heat blankets but I use Kane heat mats inside my male super pastels enclosure and I love it but I got them at $30 each from a local company moving sale. I would go with rhp over anything though. Visions are really nice, I own three models, I bought a used v211 and a used v221 and a new v400. They are expensive though. If I could go back I would of just bought animal plastics since I could of got 2 t8 for the price of the v400. I would of still bought the 2 used ones though since I got them for next to nothing. My doors on my visions are glass, they are pretty thick though. I know animal plastics you have the choice of glass or acrylic but acrylic costs a little more.

[viper69]

You don't need a uth if your using an rhp. The rhp will heat your hot side and the heat will radiat over to the cool.side and heat that up giving you a gradient. But yes a uth will heat the floor of the cage fine. Ive never used Kane heat blankets but I use Kane heat mats inside my male super pastels enclosure and I love it but I got them at $30 each from a local company moving sale. I would go with rhp over anything though. Visions are really nice, I own three models, I bought a used v211 and a used v221 and a new v400. They are expensive though. If I could go back I would of just bought animal plastics since I could of got 2 t8 for the price of the v400. I would of still bought the 2 used ones though since I got them for next to nothing. My doors on my visions are glass, they are pretty thick though. I know animal plastics you have the choice of glass or acrylic but acrylic costs a little more.

Yeah I remember Vison Cages when they came onto the scene big. They were the first herps cages as far as I know that took herp owners into consideration in their designs. I also recall their prices!

Also, didn't know a RHP would be sufficient. My concern with an RHP is the substrate floor won't get warm enough. Clearly that's not the case otherwise people wouldn't use them, but I only know UTHs to be honest, and never had a problem w/them. Always wanted to try a RHP once I touched one at a herp show.

Yeah Kane blankets are pretty expensive, but hear they are made to last. They are actually a company that makes their product for pigs, herps came later. In the Ag industry, they are called pig blankets.

Wow 30$, what a steal!!!

How does one determine the proper size RHP for a given container size? I THINK my next cage will be 4 ft long, not sure on height, at least 1 ft, not sure on depth.

My boa is pretty active at times, and I'd hate to see her get a thermal burn. I'm not sure what is the best way to prevent that in mounting RHP. I'll have to see.

[chrid16371]

Yeah I remember Vison Cages when they came onto the scene big. They were the first herps cages as far as I know that took herp owners into consideration in their designs. I also recall their prices!

Also, didn't know a RHP would be sufficient. My concern with an RHP is the substrate floor won't get warm enough. Clearly that's not the case otherwise people wouldn't use them, but I only know UTHs to be honest, and never had a problem w/them. Always wanted to try a RHP once I touched one at a herp show.

Yeah Kane blankets are pretty expensive, but hear they are made to last. They are actually a company that makes their product for pigs, herps came later. In the Ag industry, they are called pig blankets.

Wow 30$, what a steal!!!

How does one determine the proper size RHP for a given container size? I THINK my next cage will be 4 ft long, not sure on height, at least 1 ft, not sure on depth.

My boa is pretty active at times, and I'd hate to see her get a thermal burn. I'm not sure what is the best way to prevent that in mounting RHP. I'll have to see.

Rhp actually heat up objects more than the air, they still affect ambient as well though. They actually heat your substrate. That's what makes them a lot better than uth and heat bulbs and they don't cost you humidity like bulbs would. For a 4x24x12 cage an 80w from reptile basics is usually recommended. Depends on the average and low temps of the room the snake will be kept in.

[viper69]

Rhp actually heat up objects more than the air, they still affect ambient as well though. They actually heat your substrate. That's what makes them a lot better than uth and heat bulbs and they don't cost you humidity like bulbs would. For a 4x24x12 cage an 80w from reptile basics is usually recommended. Depends on the average and low temps of the room the snake will be kept in.

Thanks for the information and your time today. For now, I ordered the Accurites! I'm still doing the research on the rest, but your help gave me a better start and I appreciate that.