Actually, as far as the temps go, I've never had a problem with that. It's only 6 3/8" high so there isn't much height for the heat to escape or spread out. And actually, I think 74 quarts makes it sound bigger than what it is or looks like. Being that he's about 54 inches long in a 44 inch long container, and being as fat as he is, since he's a typical stocky BP, it's not as much room as you might think. I've sometimes worried that it wasn't enough room for him actually. But, getting back to the 3 foot long bp, I'd agree that it might be too large for a snake that size. I've had mine 6 1/2 years without any signs of stress in any setup I've used while he has grown so he seems to be happy anyway.Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.