Radiant heat panels in Ball Python cages

[DutchHerp]

In my new AP cage, I got an RHP installed to heat the cage, without belly heat. The top of warm hide box gets to about 94, but inside it is maybe 88 during the day. People on this forum say that the warm side should about 90-94, but this is nearly impossible to achieve without overheating the cage.

Wouldn't hiding areas in the wild be cooler than the surrounding area? I mean, there are no UTHs in the wild, so does it really matter that the inside of the hide box is cooler than recommended?

Some people say that belly heat is completely foreign to snakes because it doesn't happen like that in the wild (at least not a constant source of energy), so I was wondering what people think.

Thanks for the replies,

[starmom]

Yes- hidey holes are cooler than the outside part in Nature~ I suppose.

I have 6 cages heated by RHP's; mine are made by Rich at RBI and are the 80watt variety. On top of the warm hide it is the temp that I have my t'stat set to and under the hide (also made by Rich at RBI ) it is two degrees warmer.

What type of hide do you have? RHP's warm the air as well and so the heat accumulates under the hide- mine at least!

[DutchHerp]

Yes- hidey holes are cooler than the outside part in Nature~ I suppose.

I have 6 cages heated by RHP's; mine are made by Rich at RBI and are the 80watt variety. On top of the warm hide it is the temp that I have my t'stat set to and under the hide (also made by Rich at RBI ) it is two degrees warmer.

What type of hide do you have? RHP's warm the air as well and so the heat accumulates under the hide- mine at least!

Hmm I have the XL exo terra reptile cave which I'm getting rid of as soon as my two Medium hides from RBI arrive...

I have the same exo terra hide in my 24" high cage with an RHP, and inside it's cooler than the surrounding floor.

This new cage is only 15" high, so maybe that will make a difference...

I have a question for you... do you measure the temperature on top of the hide with the same device and the temp inside the hide? My tstat probe gives a different reading than my temp gun so that's what I measure all my temps with.

[starmom]

I measured both temps with my temp gun before I replied to your post.
My t'stat temp is the same temp as what I read at the top of my hide; this is why I think that the hide helps to hold in the heat
Also, my cage is an RBI and is 12" high. This might make another difference.

[DutchHerp]

The RBI hides are quite low to the ground and black, so that'll transfer heat better.

I'll see how it goes, thanks for the help!

One more question, how do you secure your tstat probes?

[starmom]

I have the probe hanging about 3/4 of the way down to the floor of the cage and have it zip tied through two little holes that I drilled through the back wall of the cage

[DutchHerp]

I have the probe hanging about 3/4 of the way down to the floor of the cage and have it zip tied through two little holes that I drilled through the back wall of the cage

Thanks again.

I have particular difficulty with probe placement as temperatures in my house fluctuate from 67-75, so letting them hang won't do the job.

It's a pain the buttocks.

[starmom]

Yeah, it should
My house fluctuates between 62F at night and 68F in the daytime... unless I cheat and turn the heat up to 70F

EDIT>>> Oh yeah, but my cages are also insulated since I live in the high desert and it's always cold here....

[DutchHerp]

Yeah, it should
My house fluctuates between 62F at night and 68F in the daytime... unless I cheat and turn the heat up to 70F

EDIT>>> Oh yeah, but my cages are also insulated since I live in the high desert and it's always cold here....

You think it should hang down by the cage wall?

I've tried this and because of the fluctuating temps the basking spot can get a lot hotter at night because the probe also measures ambients which are cooler at night...am I making sense?

I find that the best way to keep the right temps is to have the probe on a horizontal surface, but this is hard with a snake that loves to lie on top of the probe and heat himself up

[blackcrystal22]

In my new AP cage, I got an RHP installed to heat the cage, without belly heat. The top of warm hide box gets to about 94, but inside it is maybe 88 during the day. People on this forum say that the warm side should about 90-94, but this is nearly impossible to achieve without overheating the cage.

Wouldn't hiding areas in the wild be cooler than the surrounding area? I mean, there are no UTHs in the wild, so does it really matter that the inside of the hide box is cooler than recommended?

Some people say that belly heat is completely foreign to snakes because it doesn't happen like that in the wild (at least not a constant source of energy), so I was wondering what people think.

Thanks for the replies,

To be honest.. if it's not getting to hot in the cage, and there is a spot that is 90-95F regularly, it really doesn't make any difference. Some people may argue that they can thrive in a general ambient around 88-90. (BHB does it to an extent.)

If they can thermoregulate, you don't have to worry about too much in my eyes.