AP t8 cage?

[gusanr14]

As long as it has control for two it won't matter. Lots of people use the ez as well. It's up to preference.

ohhhh there is EZ 2! I see what you are talking about. What is the difference to herpstat 2?
I was looking into herpstat and there was like power controlling as percentage wise rather then just turning on and off, does ez 2 do that too?

I suck at electronics haha

[Sunnieskys]

Ez has a dial you set. Ask ttaylorr and I know someone else has it too. Both like it. No problems.

[sparky767]

They will do the full length led string for $40 per string. I know they have multiple colors (I ordered one red and one white). I don’t have pics, but I know the T8 mega thread does. You can call or email Ali, she’ll work with either you don’t have to use the website. Once you agree on what you want, she’ll email you an invoice. Once you tell her you agree with the invoice and you two settle on a down payment, she’ll send you a PayPal request. Easy peasy! Most people pick the T8 because it’s quick ship (roughly 3 weeks from initial payment) but when you start adding things like a second LED light string it adds a tiny bit of time. The rest of the options for the T8 are still quick ship and don’t add to the leAd time. Email or call Ali with any questions, it never took her more than a work day to get back to me!


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[dakski]

I mean if my room temp is not the ideal temp for ball python, like 70 during winter, I think I would need extra heat elements.
I wouldn't even consider pvc cage if my room temp stays perfect without my space heater which can get costly during winter haha.

My reptile room gets down to 66-67F in winter at the worst, and averages about 69-70F.

In the summer, it gets up to 77F (it's a finished basement).

In the summer, my RHP and Flexwatt run much less, and I might get away with just the latter. However, in the winter, they both run.

To be clear, I also have 6X2X1' tanks. I have large flex watt and a RHP on the left side and smaller flex watt on the right side. I am comfortably able to maintain temps for all my reptiles.

In a 4X2X1' tank, you might get away with just Flexwatt and RHP on the hot side, but frankly, I would have a small flex watt installed for the cool side as well.

The flex watt is cheap - the thermostats are expensive! As I said, do not skimp on the latter.

You might not need to run the flex watt at all on the cool side, but better safe than sorry, especially for a minimal cost.

I have one 6X2X1' that is split in two with a divider. So it's two 3X2X1' tanks. I keep two of leopard geckos on one side (who get along) and one on the other side (who likes to be alone). I have identical RHP's and flex watt heat for them. Since it's only 3X2X1 the RHP and Flexwatt together on the warm side of each tank work fine and keep the cool zone 80-82.

Not sure exactly what you would need. I have no experience with AP, but imagine they would be helpful in advising you. Again, in my opinion, go overkill on heating elements, and run them less, or not at all in summer, etc.

Also, unclear about your thermostat options, maybe someone else can chime in on that. However, one of my 6X2X1' tanks if for Figment, my corn snake. He does not like it too hot. I run all three heating elements off one thermostat. I have all Boaphile tanks and have their double/redundant thermostats. They can run 1500 watts each, I believe. So, no problem running a large flex watt, a medium flex watt, and an RHP of the same one.

I keep the warm side about 84-86F and the cool side stays about 78F with ambient between 76-80F depending on where in the middle of the tank I measure.

I think it would be cheaper to get a thermostat that can run three devices for heat than buying another thermostat for the cool side. Then put the probe(s) on the hot side and run all heating elements off it.

Again, you would have to discuss with AP and/or someone else who has more experience. Not 100% sure how to do that with the setup you are getting and what thermostat to buy.

I went with Boaphile because Jeff helped me figure all this out and actually advised me against getting more thermostats than I needed. I thought I would need many more. He pointed out that many of my reptiles need similar care temp wise and the tanks are identical, so one thermostat per temp zone, not per tank side. He knows his setups inside and out. NOTE: My tanks are stacked - if your tanks were spread out in a room, you might not want to do this. Since I have all the same temps stacked next to each other, there is almost zero, or no measurable difference, between say my BP tank and my BCI tank (one on top of the other - so same room temp and same heating elements etc). You are talking about one tank, but we all say that, and most end up with more! AP's and Boaphiles are stackable, and I wouldn't be surprised if you take advantage of that at some point .

It sounds like AP is similar to Boaphile/Jeff Ronne at customer service and knowing their products. However, make sure you get all your questions answered. I spent a lot of time working with Jeff to make sure all my needs were met. Big reason I choose to do business with him.

I too am not great with all the electronics (okay using them, but limited experience so figuring out what I need is difficult - especially with 5 different species).

[ckuhn003]

In a 4X2X1' tank, you might get away with just Flexwatt and RHP on the hot side, but frankly, I would have a small flex watt installed for the cool side as well.

I think w/ an enclosure this size, you can get away w/ just an RHP w/o any flexwatt on either side. At least that's what I'm banking on when mine is delivered and I've heard many others go that route. This is also what both ProProducts and Ali (AP) recommended. Just my thoughts but I guess the added flexwatt could help w/ any uncertainty and can't hurt.

[dakski]

I think w/ an enclosure this size, you can get away w/ just an RHP w/o any flexwatt on either side. At least that's what I'm banking on when mine is delivered and I've heard many others go that route. This is also what both ProProducts and Ali (AP) recommended. Just my thoughts but I guess the added flexwatt could help w/ any uncertainty and can't hurt.

Thanks Ckuhn003 for your input. Again, with a smaller tank and a warmer room, it could be fine. I prefer to be safe than sorry, but I also have bigger enclosures. I think I paid a nominal amount for the smaller flex watt on the cool side.

I like belly heat though, especially for snakes. I think it helps in digestion and they seem to prefer that. Just my two cents.

[ckuhn003]

I like belly heat though, especially for snakes. I think it helps in digestion and they seem to prefer that. Just my two cents.

That's a great point and I would love to hear others on the pros and cons of belly heat vs radiant heat.

[dakski]

That's a great point and I would love to hear others on the pros and cons of belly heat vs radiant heat.

In the wild, snakes don't have belly heat per say. However, they can lay on the ground where the sun has warmed up the ground and use that to heat them up more than just sunlight alone. If it's too hot, they move, if it gets too cool, they move, etc.

In my experience with snakes, and reading about belly heat vs. not having belly heat, I strongly believe in belly heat. In an enclosure like a T8, you can provide proper temp belly heat without worrying about it being too hot or too cold and the snake having to move to a better spot. Controlled environment vs. nature.

As an aside, some lizards should not have belly heat. Bearded dragons, for example, love it, but will choose it over basking and getting needed UVB. However, lizards and snakes are different (especially diurnal lizard species and nocturnal snake species like BP's). My BTS has both, but loves "sunning himself" and the UTH helps keep temps hot. He likes 95F for basking. I also provide low wattage bulbs and fluorescent UVB so he gets most of the heat from the UTH and RHP, but enjoys basking in the adjacent bulb/UVB light.

Anyway, I digressed.

I do not see how belly heat does not help in digestion, and used in conjunction with a RHP (and a proper thermostat), gives the best of both worlds. Additionally, having one heat source scares me. They rarely fail (modern heat sources like UTH/Flexwatt and RHP's), but G-D forbid, it's nice to have a backup.

Of course, I have backups for backups. I am an anxious person. I have a whole house generator so if we lose power, my reptiles are still A Okay! Overkill, maybe. However, I committed to care for my reptiles, and they are not getting sick or worse because I didn't take proper steps that I could afford.

Not saying everyone needs a whole home generator, but it sleep better at night. I also sleep better with redundant thermostats, multiple heat elements, etc. So, not one size fits all.

I would also like to hear others input on this subject.

Belly heat vs. no belly heat for snakes?