Interesting Ball Python Heating Options

[connorology]

Good Evening,

I am a new member, but have been keeping reptiles for most of my life (~22 years). Recently, I have become interested in building bioactive/naturalistic vivaria for my animals. I currently have a fully planted setup for my dart frogs and another for my panther chameleon.
Panther chameleon vivarium that has successfully housed my panther chameleon for two years. Recently I added dozens of additional plant species.

I have decided to make the switch for my 22 year old ball python as well. I got him when I was seven, and he has been in the same 1990's era plywood vivarium his entire life. It meets the often cited husbandry requirements for the species, but I am looking to upgrade to an enclosure where he can completely stretch out and have access to climbing branches and some other basic reptile enrichment items (probably a removable pond he can submerge in and some durable plants he can hide in, along with more hiding options than he currently has access to). I purchased the larger version of his current enclosure, and this new vivarium is about 3' x 3' x 2'.

So here is my question: I am curious about ways to heat it that will not bake all my plants (ie, other than a ceramic heat emitter). I am planning to build up a backdrop using the spray foam method. Would it be reasonable to embed a heat cable into a spray foam ledge to create a hot hide for him? Or would that be a crazy fire hazard? I have not used heat cables in the past, only heat pads, ceramic heat emitters, and the typical incandescent heat lights. Realistically, mid summer where I live my house is likely to be 75-80 ambient temperature, which is roughly the target ambient temp for BPs. I was thinking that I could embed a ceramic heat emitter in the back of the vivarium and cover it with a heat guard so he can't touch it (for use in the winter) and then embed a head cable in a ledge to make a heated ledge for summer use. Alternatively, I could have the single ceramic heat emitter and rig it up to a dimmer switch so that I can just adjust the temperature manually as is needed. I am planning to put the vivarium directly on a carpeted floor, so I probably don't want to use a heat pad.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, if anyone on the forum is known for making planted/bioactive/enriched python enclosures, I'd appreciate a referral. I can send them a DM, I have a few other questions to ask someone who has done this before.

Thanks,

Connor