How do you keep the enclosure at a safe temp?

[SquirmyPug]

I know that sounds like a good idea but it will never work. I run the largest RHP’s on the market and they wont do a thing in a room under 66-68.
The problem is they will run constantly if they are trying to reach a temp they just cant get to.. that causes 2 problems, first it cooks the Hot Spot to 110+ degrees and the ambient never gets met. So you have a dangerously Hot basking area and a ambient that is dangerously cool... i had to close off the AC vent in my snake room after I tried everything under the sun. Now the room only gets down to 66 at the coolest of times and thats the limit of the RHP’s for safe operating. Just going down to 62 and my Hot Spot skyrockets because the Thermostat probe cant reach the temp to cut it off if its on the cool side. Move the tstat probe to the Hot side and it shuts off before there is a safe Ambient.
No win situation. This isnt a room for reptiles.



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It might not but that's where I would start if I was trying to deal with a cold room.

[CALM Pythons]

It might not but that's where I would start if I was trying to deal with a cold room.

I wouldn’t, id listen to everyone that knows what works and what doesn’t so I wasn’t fishing in a pond that doesn’t have fish. No disrespect to anyone but several people here have been at this for several decades and it helps to learn from others. If this person is in a situation where their only option is their room then buying all these things they will need to keep a reptile would be a complete waste of $1000. A cheap Glass Tank, heat mat and CHE isnt a option period. So your talking about a $500 PVC enclosure off the bat without anything else needed... just my 2cents.


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[SquirmyPug]

I wouldn’t, id listen to everyone that knows what works and what doesn’t so I wasn’t fishing in a pond that doesn’t have fish. No disrespect to anyone but several people here have been at this for several decades and it helps to learn from others. If this person is in a situation where their only option is their room then buying all these things they will need to keep a reptile would be a complete waste of $1000. A cheap Glass Tank, heat mat and CHE isnt a option period. So your talking about a $500 PVC enclosure off the bat without anything else needed... just my 2cents.


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I'm not saying they should try it. Just saying what I myself would try if I had to deal with cooler temperatures. I was just giving them ideas of things that could potentially help. That's all

[CALM Pythons]

I'm not saying they should try it. Just saying what I myself would try if I had to deal with cooler temperatures. I was just giving them ideas of things that could potentially help. That's all

Understood. Cooler temp is one thing... Ive never heard of someone living in a home at 50 degrees. Thats unbearable to me.


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[reptilemom25]

I know that sounds like a good idea but it will never work. I run the largest RHP’s on the market and they wont do a thing in a room under 66-68.


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My house thermostat is set at 68 as well. We run 66-68. I just set up a 3x2x12" pvc enclosure with a 40 watt VE RHP. It is my first setup with RHP heating. It seems to have no problem maintaining 88 hot side 80 cool side and isn't on constantly. I was concerned I would need a larger one, but it seems to be doing well. It's been running perfect temps for 24 hours. I am giving it another 24, then setting up with substrate and dialing in humidity.

[SquirmyPug]

Understood. Cooler temp is one thing... Ive never heard of someone living in a home at 50 degrees. Thats unbearable to me.


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I agree I would be freezing

[CALM Pythons]

My house thermostat is set at 68 as well. We run 66-68. I just set up a 3x2x12" pvc enclosure with a 40 watt VE RHP. It is my first setup with RHP heating. It seems to have no problem maintaining 88 hot side 80 cool side and isn't on constantly. I was concerned I would need a larger one, but it seems to be doing well. It's been running perfect temps for 24 hours. I am giving it another 24, then setting up with substrate and dialing in humidity.

Yup that will work. Your enclosure is much smaller than most. My smallest ones are 4’x24”x24”. Mine run fine at the temps 66-68 but any lower like 62 and the RHP runs hard at 100% power to get a 80 degree ambient and that skyrockets the Hot Spot.
This OP is talking about 50 degrees being the Warmest his room is.


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[Bogertophis]

Unless the OP clarifies or amends their room temperature, all we have to go on is their preference for 50* or below: by adding all necessary heating equipment
to keep a snake enclosure adequately warm, it's also going to raise the room temperature... I don't see this being a win for the OP or any living reptile, sorry.

The amount of insulation needed to maintain proper temps. in ANY KIND of enclosure will preclude opening the cage for maintenance, interaction, or even routine
& necessary observation for health & safety of the enclosed animal. Why keep a "pet" you cannot see or interact with? Wishing won't make this work...sorry.
And ESPECIALLY since knowing their "dream snake" is a ball python...

[Bogertophis]

Thank you! Honestly, I can keep my room at higher temps, but I do have to literally wear ice packs. I'd honestly do anything to own a bp because it's been my dream since I was 11. I don't know, maybe I just have to be in the heat more to adapt a tolerance for it. ��
I guess I'm going to try and train myself to tolerate higher temps before I own a snake, that's for sure!

Yeah but other than the whole room thing, I was worried about the heat lamp because I heard from some people that they would recommend having one but then others were saying that you shouldn't have one and I just want my snake to be happy and warm.

I don't see this working for you, I'm sorry. Wearing ice packs is no way to live & the gap between what you need to make this work to keep a BP healthy & safe and your
own personal need or preference for a cold room is just too big of a bridge to cross. And using a heat lamp & other methods of heating a snake enclosure is going to raise
the temperature of your room...it's really a recipe for disaster, in my opinion. When you ask too much of heating equipment it becomes a safety issue. Wanting a pet and
being the right owner for the animal are two very different things. You say that you "want my snake to be happy and warm" so obviously you know what they need & care about the welfare of the animal- I'm sorry to say that it's just not compatible under these conditions. I don't know how old you are now, but maybe in a few years, if your living arrangement changes and you have a room that is warm & safe, where a snake can be properly kept, that may be an option to look forward to. But please don't waste your money or risk the life of a pet snake by trying to do this now. It's both a health & safety issue for you AND any snake you'd get.

[Bogertophis]

Bavouyeir, when I was about 11, all I could dream about was having my own horse. Some neighbors had a horse and even a school friend had a horse...but there
was no way for my family to even think about it. Over the years, I got to ride now & then, and later took some dressage lessons for a while. I learned a lot: how
to ride much better...how much work, money & constant dedication horses require, and that I didn't love it all enough to make that commitment, that there were
other things in life that suited me better, including other animals. I also volunteered in a zoo for a while, and even that was before I got into snakes. I wasn't even
remotely jealous when my older sister & her family got several horses for her boys to ride (hint: they made a lot of mistakes too). My point is that even though you
can think of little else right now besides having your own ball python, trust me when I say there is a lot more in this world that will interest you, and things for which
you'll be better suited. It may seem like a huge let-down right now, but do you realize that some got into keeping snakes & other reptiles because their allergies to
furry pets meant reptiles were their only option? Don't be discouraged & don't be too stuck on one thing...there's so many cool things to enjoy. (no pun intended)