Don't try this at home

[starmom]

Hope the heat pad doesn't spike and cook your snake.

[Mike Cavanaugh]

who is jenn harrision?

[littleindiangirl]

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=66163

[Jenn]

WOW. I was reluctant to post how I did it because the tempratures in my house are quite consistant, and I didn't want to encourage such a set-up to beginners (or anyone really).

Here's the deal. I took a twenty long and a stand, and cut a piece of 1/2 inch plywood to fit on top of the stand (between the tank and the stand). Then I glued two strips of 3/8" wood along the front and back of the plywood (to elevate the tank)leaving the two ends open.

Next I drilled a 1 and 1/2" hole in the middle of the plywood for the heat pad cord to go through. The heat pad needs to be twice as large as normal. I used a heat pad designed for a 40 gallon tank. The heat pad now lays on the plywood, covering about half of it, with its cord going down through the hole in the middle.

Now the tank goes on top. With the recess in the bottom of the tank, and the additional 3/8 inch spacer strips on the front and back of the base, the tank now sits about 1/2" ABOVE the heat pad. I don't even peel the paper off the pad. It's key that air can flow between the heat pad and the tank bottom. Cool air comes in from the cool side and flows right out the warm side (BETWEEN the heat pad and the bottom of the tank).

Now the heat pad can be slid in or out a few inches from the end for fine-tuning of the tempratures.

The top is a piece of 1/4' plexiglass cut to fit exactly in the recessed top of the tank with about a dozen 1/4" holes drilled in the cool side and twice as many holes drilled in the warm side.

The set-up is insulated on top of the plexiglass (with holes cut above the air holes) and on three sides.

Everything else is the same as with any set-up.

I've had this set-up for six months and the temps and humidity run "nearly" as consistant as my thermostat controlled set-ups. But, like I said, the room temprature needs to be pretty consistant.

[JASBALLS]

WOW. I was reluctant to post how I did it because the tempratures in my house are quite consistant, and I didn't want to encourage such a set-up to beginners (or anyone really).

Here's the deal. I took a twenty long and a stand, and cut a piece of 1/2 inch plywood to fit on top of the stand (between the tank and the stand). Then I glued two strips of 3/8" wood along the front and back of the plywood (to elevate the tank)leaving the two ends open.

Next I drilled a 1 and 1/2" hole in the middle of the plywood for the heat pad cord to go through. The heat pad needs to be twice as large as normal. I used a heat pad designed for a 40 gallon tank. The heat pad now lays on the plywood, covering about half of it, with its cord going down through the hole in the middle.

Now the tank goes on top. With the recess in the bottom of the tank, and the additional 3/8 inch spacer strips on the front and back of the base, the tank now sits about 1/2" ABOVE the heat pad. I don't even peel the paper off the pad. It's key that air can flow between the heat pad and the tank bottom. Cool air comes in from the cool side and flows right out the warm side (BETWEEN the heat pad and the bottom of the tank).

Now the heat pad can be slid in or out a few inches from the end for fine-tuning of the tempratures.

The top is a piece of 1/4' plexiglass cut to fit exactly in the recessed top of the tank with about a dozen 1/4" holes drilled in the cool side and twice as many holes drilled in the warm side.

The set-up is insulated on top of the plexiglass (with holes cut above the air holes) and on three sides.

Everything else is the same as with any set-up.

I've had this set-up for six months and the temps and humidity run "nearly" as consistant as my thermostat controlled set-ups. But, like I said, the room temprature needs to be pretty consistant.

Good luck!

I know several breeders that have hundreds of snakes in there controled room. And use no extra heating for there racks. I'm working on that right now also..