A little confused about RHP's

[Bmocken]

I am in the planning stages of my PVC enclosure and I am trying to solve ambient temperature issues and have been reading up on Radient Heat Panels as an option. My issue is where I keep my BP. Currently he is in my office located in the basement. Ambient temps in the room are normally below 75 but for now I am using a space heater to compensate. What I would like to do is localize the heat to the cage and not have to heat the entire room all the time. Would an RHP be the solution in a pvc enclosure? I've also read where an RHP also provides the hot spot and then the gradient temps to the cool side. That doesn't make sense to me since the hot spot would be under a hide. Unless of course you take away the hot spot hide in that application? Looking for some guidance in my planning.

[Reinz]

An RHP should work fine. It must be regulated with a thermostat which will also help solve your problem.

Check with Bob at Pro Products and he will custom make the correct wattage for you. His panel is also the only UL listed one the market. His pricing is very competitive as well.

Don't forget to use two hides, one cool side and one hot side.

Also, you can add belly heat very cheaply for even more options and it will not effect the temp of of the cage except at the surface of the floor.


Lizzy, enjoying some warmth.


Herpstat thermostat considered one of the best.

[Bmocken]

An RHP should work fine. It must be regulated with a thermostat which will also help solve your problem.

Check with Bob at Pro Products and he will custom make the correct wattage for you. His panel is also the only UL listed one the market. His pricing is very competitive as well.

Don't forget to use two hides, one cool side and one hot side.

Also, you can add belly heat very cheaply for even more options and it will not effect the temp of of the cage except at the surface of the floor.




Lizzy, enjoying some warmth.


Herpstat thermostat considered one of the best.

Is your RHP in the middle or to the far right of the enclosure? I would think that if it's to the far right if I where to add belly heat that would be to the opposite side of the enclosure, correct?

[Bmocken]

This answer from reptile basics didn't help my confusion. "RHP's are not really designed to raise the ambient temp, it provides a bashing spot. Trying to control an enclosure temp in a cool room is a every tricky thing and really will just need some trial and error."

[Reinz]

I have the RHP on the far right as is the belly heat. My thinking was if the belly heat is on the cool side then the snake has no true cool side. And all of my snakes use the cool side much more than warm side. They seem to use the belly heat mainly to aid in digesting.

With the belly heat on the warm side the snake can stay away from belly heat is desired, yet still gain some direct heat from the RHP.

Nothing is set in stone. You can always move your heat source and or probes for your particular situation. There's nothing wrong with mixing some things up and experimenting if done safely and not jeopardizing good husbandry.

To me, it's all about options.


Here Lizzy is under the RHP and the belly heat is just a bit to the left of her.

[bigSAK]

I have an AP T8 heated only by one of Pro Products RHP's. It's on one side of the tank being controlled by a thermostat. I have my thermostat probe on my cool side so the RHP kicks on when the cool side get's too cool. This provides the basking spot, or hot side, for my girl and regulates the temp of the cold side. My tank stays at 90-93 for the hot side and 76-79 cool side. I didn't think belly heat was necessary and my BP is perfectly happy, eating regularly and having 1 piece shed's. My thought process was that they don't have belly heat in the wild, so if I have a hot side and cool side she's going to be fine.

[Reinz]

This answer from reptile basics didn't help my confusion. "RHP's are not really designed to raise the ambient temp, it provides a bashing spot. Trying to control an enclosure temp in a cool room is a every tricky thing and really will just need some trial and error."

This may be true per se, however an added bonus or side effect is that does/can control ambient temperatures DEPENDING upon conditions such as current ambient room temperature and probe placement.

[Reinz]

To add, and go along with Big Sak, I'm not saying belly heat is necessary. Three of my cages do not have it and the snakes are doing fine. It's just that as I have been adding permanent homes I added belly heat for more options at very little cost considering the overall cost of the new homes.

[Bmocken]

Sent a contact form to Pro Products so I'll wait until they get back to me on price.

[Stearns84]

I have the RHP on the far right as is the belly heat. My thinking was if the belly heat is on the cool side then the snake has no true cool side. And all of my snakes use the cool side much more than warm side. They seem to use the belly heat mainly to aid in digesting.

With the belly heat on the warm side the snake can stay away from belly heat is desired, yet still gain some direct heat from the RHP.

Nothing is set in stone. You can always move your heat source and or probes for your particular situation. There's nothing wrong with mixing some things up and experimenting if done safely and not jeopardizing good husbandry.

To me, it's all about options.


Here Lizzy is under the RHP and the belly heat is just a bit to the left of her.

Where is your probe placement for the RHP? Bob said to out it on the cool side.

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