Any ideas of how to raise ambient temperature?

[Dramatron]

Recently moved into a new apartment with a few roommates that love to keep the thermostat around 70 degrees.

My BP's heat pad/hot side is still around 92-94 degrees, but the ambient temp. in her enclosure (plastic storage bin) is now usually around 73-76 degrees.

I would like to raise the temp. to around 80 degrees but I'm not sure what the best method would be.

I've thought about getting heat emitting bulb or maybe a general space heater for her side of the room but there are a few problems I've thought of such as increased humidity from the bulb being close to her water bowl.

Any thoughts on how to raise the ambient temperature?

[Coluber42]

How big is the tub? Here are some suggestions:
First, try insulating the tub with a blanket. If that works, you can figure out a more permanent/attractive insulation strategy.

You could get a second UTH for the cool side on a separate thermostat.

You could get a CHE or heat lamp positioned above the lid of the tub, although doing that always seems to me like a whole lot of heat is going to waste and you're putting something that gets pretty hot next to the plastic lid.

If the second UTH doesn't work though, I think the better solution is a radiant heat panel. The panel distributes its heat output over a large area so it never gets anywhere near as hot on its surface as a CHE or an incandescent bulb. I have used one to maintain a perfect ambient temperature in a glass tank in a room that is 55-60° in the winter. The panel will also work well in any other style of enclosure you might switch to down the road too, so even though it's a more expensive investment than lamps and UTH's, it will continue to serve you well in whatever other kind of cage you use later.

Using a space heater in order to heat one little box is probably the most inefficient thing you could do. Add up a few months' worth of electricity for that and compare it to the price of a RHP and the RHP starts to look like a pretty decent deal.

[Dramatron]

How big is the tub? Here are some suggestions:
First, try insulating the tub with a blanket. If that works, you can figure out a more permanent/attractive insulation strategy.

You could get a second UTH for the cool side on a separate thermostat.

You could get a CHE or heat lamp positioned above the lid of the tub, although doing that always seems to me like a whole lot of heat is going to waste and you're putting something that gets pretty hot next to the plastic lid.

If the second UTH doesn't work though, I think the better solution is a radiant heat panel. The panel distributes its heat output over a large area so it never gets anywhere near as hot on its surface as a CHE or an incandescent bulb. I have used one to maintain a perfect ambient temperature in a glass tank in a room that is 55-60° in the winter. The panel will also work well in any other style of enclosure you might switch to down the road too, so even though it's a more expensive investment than lamps and UTH's, it will continue to serve you well in whatever other kind of cage you use later.

Using a space heater in order to heat one little box is probably the most inefficient thing you could do. Add up a few months' worth of electricity for that and compare it to the price of a RHP and the RHP starts to look like a pretty decent deal.

I estimate the tub is about 2' x 1.5' x 0.7'

UTH don't really increase ambient temps so I don't think I could go with that option.

I thought the same thing about the CHE/heat lamps and plastic, it would also be likely to quickly evaporate the water and humidify the enclosure.

I am thinking about upgrading her enclosure, although she doesn't really need the upgrade yet. I also looked into little personal space heaters (~$20 on amazon) which would probably get the job done (if I am there to turn it off and on...).

Tell me more about RHP.. which do you have and how can it fit any enclosure?

[Coluber42]

I have an 80-watt panel. What I meant by "fit any enclosure" was that you can use an RHP in any style of enclosure because it mounts to the ceiling on the inside, as opposed to things like lamps and UTH's which can get more complicated when you have to put the lamp on the inside with a guard, or the UTH has to heat through a thick wood bottom, etc. Not that any size will fit any size of enclosure! But you could screw it into the ceiling of any enclosure you ever get later (tank, tub, PVC, wood or melamine, etc) except for a lid-less rack.

In my 20-gal. tank, the 80-watt panel basically took up almost the entire ceiling, so I used it just for the ambient temperature with a UTH for the hot spot. More commonly, I think people use a panel that is smaller in relation to the size of the whole ceiling, and put it only on one side. That side becomes the warm side, and the spillover heat takes care of the cool side.
The 80-watt panel from Reptile Basics is about 22" x 12" or so. The entire surface of it gets warm, which heats everything it's pointed at. But no part of it ever gets hot enough to burn just from touching it or brushing against it, unlike a CHE or an incandescent bulb. It could cause a belly burn if it were on the floor and the snake sat on it, but it is on the ceiling and unless you have an anti-gravity snake, it can't sit on the ceiling.

[Dramatron]

I have an 80-watt panel. What I meant by "fit any enclosure" was that you can use an RHP in any style of enclosure because it mounts to the ceiling on the inside, as opposed to things like lamps and UTH's which can get more complicated when you have to put the lamp on the inside with a guard, or the UTH has to heat through a thick wood bottom, etc. Not that any size will fit any size of enclosure! But you could screw it into the ceiling of any enclosure you ever get later (tank, tub, PVC, wood or melamine, etc) except for a lid-less rack.

In my 20-gal. tank, the 80-watt panel basically took up almost the entire ceiling, so I used it just for the ambient temperature with a UTH for the hot spot. More commonly, I think people use a panel that is smaller in relation to the size of the whole ceiling, and put it only on one side. That side becomes the warm side, and the spillover heat takes care of the cool side.
The 80-watt panel from Reptile Basics is about 22" x 12" or so. The entire surface of it gets warm, which heats everything it's pointed at. But no part of it ever gets hot enough to burn just from touching it or brushing against it, unlike a CHE or an incandescent bulb. It could cause a belly burn if it were on the floor and the snake sat on it, but it is on the ceiling and unless you have an anti-gravity snake, it can't sit on the ceiling.

That sounds ideal! Thanks for the info, I'll look into getting a RHP.

Quick question, I'll have to get another thermostat for it right?

[Coluber42]

Yes, you'll need another thermostat for it.

[BPGator]

You mentioned you had a tub - you may have to make some mods if you're using an RHP in a plastic tub.


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[GoingPostal]

Safest, easiest option imo would be a pvc cage with a rhp-I like to have flexwatt also so I have options. A space heater would work but you would need a thermostat to control it and a few months of use plus the original cost would equal a new setup anyways. I think I paid about $150 total for a heater and ranco to control it and it jumps my bill $30-$40/month during the winter to keep one bedroom around 80. You could do a fish tank with overhead lamps to raise ambient but that brings a new list of problems and hard to regulate well ime. I don't know how you would do a rhp in a tub but maybe? Heat lamps and plastic tubs are not really a safe option ime.

[Coluber42]

The Reptile Basics panel mounts with two screws. You'll probably have to put a piece of wood on top of the lid so you have something to screw into and keep the top from sagging, but it's very simple. The 40-watt panel would probably be plenty, although since the price isn't that different it might be worth getting the 80-watt anyway if you think you'll move to a much bigger enclosure later. As long as it's on a thermostat it won't overheat, so as long as the lid is big enough for it, there's really no downside to getting a bigger one.

Just make sure you don't set the panel down on its face when you take the lid off!