Running off of my previous post concerning AP cages and ambient air temps, I'm taking this one step further.

Here's the planned set-ups;
Animals: one Blood Python, one Colombian Boa
Tanks/Cage: two Animal Plastics T-25 (72Lx30Dx18H) stacked
Radiant Heat Panel: Reptile Basics, 80W placed off to one side in each tank

After reading quite a bit of information regarding in particular the Reptile Basics radiant heat panel, if I coupled that with a TOP NOTCH thermostat to regulate the temp coming off of it, would I even need a UTH at this point? Placed on one side, the overall ambient air temps would seem to be very reachable from what I have read, plus being radiant heat they would be able to heat the snake much more efficiently (objects, i.e. tissues) causing it to warm more so than the surrounding air if need be on the warmer side of the tank.

Seems like adding a UTH on top of all of this would be driving the warm half for basking even higher as it would introduce more heat directly to the snake via belly heat (when they are already gathering heat from the panel).

Right now, they are kept warm through a UTH (no thermostat) and an oil filled heater in the den and are doing fine. I think if during all of this time they have been okay, stepping up to the AP's and a really good RHP and thermostat would be a huge leap forward as it is.

Let me know if I am off-base here! Anybody use the Reptile Basics RHP's? Feedback would be appreciatted!

Thanks again!
Jeff in Tucson AZ