Rack Heating Assistance :D?

[Akren_905]

Good non rapture everyone,Ive got a conundrum. My girlfriend and I are making a snake rack we have the bins 6 - 17L on sale($38.64) reallyusefullyboxes,i wanted 18Ls (95.94). They will be like a bookshelf one on top of the other and its heating. So i have a couple of questions so here they are:

1. I want to use flexwatt but im unable to find it in any petstore, thinking about ordering online but where?

2. If i do order online what whould i need? 6 connection cords? and how long are roll of 11"?

3. besides flexwatt what else could i use? besides 6 sticky heat pads and 6 thermostats.

[SpiffyYoshi]

1. http://beanfarm.com/index.php?cPath=...0502a805221120

2. I'm not sure what exactly you are asking, but I just used lamp wire from Home Depot. Pretty much anything will do. Just strip the ends off and solder or use the clips (solder lasts longer I've heard).

3. Besides Flexwatt and heat pads all I can think of for a rack is ambient temperature... but then there is no gradient.

[Kymberli]

Bean Farm or Reptile Basics are good places to order Flexwatt from..

If you're using Flexwatt you don't necessarily need six separate cords, I've seen people wire a certain amount of feet of Flexwatt to one cord, not sure exactly how they've done it but I'm sure there are quite a few threads on here, just use the search option.

Other than Flexwatt... I'm sure you could use Ultratherm heat pads, but that would mean plugging in six individual heat pads, would be more expensive, and would probably need more than one thermostat! Go with Flexwatt..



EDIT: Here is how you can wire multiple strips of Flexwatt to one thermostat on a rack..
http://www.reptilebasics.com/images/...t_parallel.pdf

Here is another great explanation from Slitherin' Sisters:
http://www.slitherinsisters.com/how-...e-flexwatt.php

[Akren_905]

Thanks everyone ill go with flex watt. My bins are 17"x14" so im thinking of the 17" strip or should i leave a small space with out a heat strip for a cooler area. Say i got with the 11" and turn it sideways so its got 2/3 of its lenght heated. Or the 17 and full heat over all the bottom.

[Highline Reptiles South]

Flexwatt is working well here. Be careful with Beanfarm. Ask them if they have it in stock. My order took over 3 weeks...

[Akren_905]

My bins are 17 x 14 , should i go with the 17 x 12 and heat the whole bin, or the 11 x 12 and heat 2/3rds of the bin?

Thanks for the advice everyone. and i will check for sure before i order thanks womsterr.

[fluffy3]

flex watt and heat tape arent legal in canada however you have to know where to look and it can be found check reptile shows (one coming up may 29 in toronto) also some pet stores do sell it however they wont sell it to just anyone You could use the heat cord sold at most home depots or garden places you may have to route out a channel for it to sit properly in your rack Hope this helps!

[Akren_905]

yeah it helps thats poop about its not legal-ness lol ill try to order it either way if i cant ill go with the heat cord. How long do they come in?

[Kymberli]

Wait, what?? Flexwatt is illegal in Canada? For what reason?



Edit: When you do lay down whatever heating element you choose, do not heat the entire surface. They need to be able to get away from the heat in order to regulate their own body temperature. Also if for any reason it were to get too hot for them they need to be able to escape the heat or risk physical and neurological damage. Most people will say heat 1/3 to 1/2 of the enclosure. I heat 1/2 of my tubs.

[Akren_905]

sweet thanks alot I thought about that just as I was about to order it lol