Substrate

[Druzy]

Does substrate have anything to do with how temperatures run inside your cage? Does some substrate have a tendencies of staying warmer or cooler?

[Mike41793]

Yes
Were you looking for a more detailed answer? I can elaborate if you'd like...

[rebelrachel13]

Not that I know of, but some types of substrate can have a substantial effect on humidity levels. I could imagine that the density of the substrate would affect heat. The main variable of heat distribution in an enclosure is simply a heat source.

[Druzy]

My current heat sources are a UTH and a light bulb. I am successfully able to maintain proper hot side temps running anywhere between 93-95 degrees. Although I would like to warm up the cool side, and ambient temps slightly. Right now my snake is housed in a 40 gallon breeder which I hate! I can't wait until I buy a rack system!

[Druzy]

Yes
Were you looking for a more detailed answer? I can elaborate if you'd like...

I would like a substrate that would be able to keep my cage more warmer

[The Serpent Merchant]

You should look into paper based substrates, they let the heat from UTH's through really well. They don't look as nice but they are much easier to keep clean and handle temperatures better.

The paper based substrate options include:

Paper towels, butchers paper, newspaper, and corrugated wrap.

I personally use corrugated wrap, it looks the best out of the paper based substrates in my opinion



This is where I get mine:

http://www.papermart.com/Product%20P...x?GroupID=4608

[kitedemon]

Just use a thiner layer in the hides mine basically jus have a small amount in the hides and a banked pile outside the pile holds tons of heat and the interior is just enough to absorb liquids. Remember with a rack it generally need a heated room it makes them complicated it is not the be all end all answer just a new set of issues.

[Mike41793]

What aaron said then i what you want^ IMO paper based substrate would be your best bet. But the bark substrate could work fine too. You just have to get the depth of the layer right. I use switched from newspaper to sani chips recently and really like the look of them better. As far as heat i have not noticed a difference. If the snake is feeling cold then theyll just push all the substrate out of the way anyways. The hotspot is still 88 degrees no matter what haha

[Druzy]

Would aspen or cypress mulch work fine?

[The Serpent Merchant]

You can make them work, but you will need to keep the substrate layer nicer 1/2" thick. Paper based really is the only way to get the heat from a UTH to the surface without loosing most of it.