New AP cage clarifications

[KMG]

By safeties, do you mean that they shut off at a certain temperature or is there some other safety feature?

As in a failure in the off position.

I vote Herpstat. I have four, soon to be five, and love them all.

[Crowfingers]

So, herpstat is a little pricey to be honest. Took me a year to save up for the tank... is there a second best recommended? A friend of mine has corns and uses hydrofarm jump start and says they're great. Also, does the brand of thermostat matter, or will they all work with the ultratherm? I want to do what is best for my snake but I can't break the bank either

[Sallos]

Ultratherm is a good choice. I have several.

This may be a stupid question: The Ultratherm mats I have seen make a point to say that they don't get above 95 degrees. Are they hot enough to get the AP hotspot up to 90? Most tstats I've seen with AP cages are set between 100-105 to get the hotspot up to temp.

[KMG]

So, herpstat is a little pricey to be honest. Took me a year to save up for the tank... is there a second best recommended? A friend of mine has corns and uses hydrofarm jump start and says they're great. Also, does the brand of thermostat matter, or will they all work with the ultratherm? I want to do what is best for my snake but I can't break the bank either

You may check around and find a nice used one online or local.

There are others like

Helix

helixcontrols.com

and these VE from Reptile Basics.

www.reptilebasics.com/thermostats


I had a Hydrofarm that I was using in a pinch when I needed another. It failed within two months of use and failed in the on position. Since then I have never suggested them.

If you had to save that long for a tank you certainly can not afford a burn treatment or RI treatment. Any tstat is better than none but I always suggest the best you can get your hands on. The tstat is the most important thing you will buy for your snake.

[KMG]

This may be a stupid question: The Ultratherm mats I have seen make a point to say that they don't get above 95 degrees. Are they hot enough to get the AP hotspot up to 90? Most tstats I've seen with AP cages are set between 100-105 to get the hotspot up to temp.

That is what is stated but Ive tested these with a tub with a thick layer of cypress mulch for my Bloods to borrow in. I found the mulch insulated the uth and made the hotspot much hotter than my snakes would ever want or need.

In a normal situation with a normal tank and layer of substarate they would probably be fine but I dont chance it as I dont like 90-95F hotspots.

The snakes I have them on I only need a hotspot of 85 so I need a tstat for them anyways. Even my Ball only has a 88F spot.

[Crowfingers]

I appreciate the link to reptilebasics. Those are much more within my price range than what I was looking at on amazon.