Flexwatt in divided T8

[RobertsKitty]

I am getting flexwatt to replace my heat lamps, two questions: what size should I get? My local supplier sells 11" & 6". I was thinking about running 11" down the middle divider so both sides could reach it. Will this work? Also how long roughly after plugging in the flexwatt will it reach the t-stat temp so I can start dialing it up or down based on the thermometer reading in the cage?

[Mr. Misha]

The heat tape creates great belly heat hot spot, but it won't provide any ambient heat. So unless your room stays at 75-80 i'd suggest a radient heat pannel (RHP).

I'd definitely run two feet of 11" heat tape. I'd wait a good hour after turning it on to adjust the temperature. Start at 90 degrees and then go up if you need to.

[Eric Alan]

I've done my T8s two ways. 1) 11" strip down the middle of the divide like you're describing; and 2) 11" strip lengthwise along the bottom/back. After I changed from down the middle, I realized I preferred the 11" strip down the middle over the 11" strip across the back. However, I believe I would have had better results had I gone with a smaller strip across the bottom. In order of my experience/preference:

1. 6" strip (or smaller - 3 or 4") along the bottom towards the back (4 feet worth)
2. 11" strip down the middle of the divider (2 feet worth)

As far as how long, I always paid attention to my Herpstat. Once it stopped fluctuating and settled into place, I started using my temp gun to get a baseline hot spot reading and adjusting from there. Typically this didn't take any longer than an hour. I'd make my adjustment and then wait another hour then do readings again with my gun. As long as I was smart about my first adjustment, that's about all it would take to dial it in. The Herpstats are the thermostat of choice for a reason - they're solid as a rock for keeping accurate temperatures.

[RobertsKitty]

The heat tape creates great belly heat hot spot, but it won't provide any ambient heat. So unless your room stays at 75-80 i'd suggest a radient heat pannel (RHP).

I'd definitely run two feet of 11" heat tape. I'd wait a good hour after turning it on to adjust the temperature. Start at 90 degrees and then go up if you need to.

My house stays between 68 (lowest temp in winter) and 75 (hottest temp in summer) with temps normally in 72 to 74 range so I'm going to try without a RHP for awhile and see how that goes. I'm gonna have two fluorescent lights, one on each side for daytime light so that will also help a few degrees.

Eric, can you explain why you preferred the back to the middle? I've heard people like one or the other but never their reason why.

[Eric Alan]

Eric, can you explain why you preferred the back to the middle? I've heard people like one or the other but never their reason why.

I prefer having it along the back vs the middle because of the glass front of the T8s. When I had it in the middle, my BPs were typically found towards the middle in the back when they would be on their hot spot - never towards the middle in the front. Everything else being equal in the T8, my belief is that they were more comfortable towards the back where it was that much more dark and secure feeling for them (which is why I switched from the middle to along the back).

Having said that (and reading it myself), one could make the argument for having it down the middle which creates 4 zones (dark/cool, dark/warm, light/cool, light/warm) vs only 2 zones if the heat's across the back (dark/warm, light/cool). My recommendation is if you don't go down the middle, go with something smaller than 11" down the back - it's entirely too wide and creates too large of a hot spot for them.

[CORBIN911]

Im just here, simply because i saw your last post, about a cheap heat pad less then $40. RHPs are relatively expensive. Aswell You don't want to use one with a cheap or no thermostat, So you'd need to roughly save up 180$ for both of those for your cage.

[RobertsKitty]

Im just here, simply because i saw your last post, about a cheap heat pad less then $40. RHPs are relatively expensive. Aswell You don't want to use one with a cheap or no thermostat, So you'd need to roughly save up 180$ for both of those for your cage.

If it's really so important for you to know, I received a thermostat from a friend as a loan till I save up for my own and if you actually read my last post you would have seen I found a local supplier of flexwatt and as I stated in this thread because our house stays warm I don't think I will NEED a RHP.

While I am not exactly sure what your reason for posting is, if you're not helping answer the question please find somewhere else to post.

[CORBIN911]

If it's really so important for you to know, I received a thermostat from a friend as a loan till I save up for my own and if you actually read my last post you would have seen I found a local supplier of flexwatt and as I stated in this thread because our house stays warm I don't think I will NEED a RHP.

While I am not exactly sure what your reason for posting is, if you're not helping answer the question please find somewhere else to post.

People are very sensitive lately, I was telling you about the cost, nowhere did i say DO THIS THIS THIS...If you look i was saying that RHP are pricey, Suggesting that Flexxwat is better option (if given having a thermostat) Which IMO Husbandry should always be purchased first. And best of luck with your plant heater(hydro farm) I assume by your other post.

Please try to save up with 5-10$ week for a herpstat, and i promise you, that you will thank later, as of how amazing it actually is to have the comfort of knowing your snake, will be safe. With PROPER fail safes.

[RobertsKitty]

People are very sensitive lately, I was telling you about the cost, nowhere did i say DO THIS THIS THIS...If you look i was saying that RHP are pricey, Suggesting that Flexxwat is better option (if given having a thermostat) Which IMO Husbandry should always be purchased first. And best of luck with your plant heater(hydro farm) I assume by your other post.

Please try to save up with 5-10$ week for a herpstat, and i promise you, that you will thank later, as of how amazing it actually is to have the comfort of knowing your snake, will be safe. With PROPER fail safes.

The one I borrowed is a herpstat 4. At no point in your previous post did you say anything about flexwatt or offer any helpful suggestions and you were and continue to be rude so I will no longer be replying to your posts unless you have actual helpful answers about the question I asked.

[CORBIN911]

The one I borrowed is a herpstat 4. At no point in your previous post did you say anything about flexwatt or offer any helpful suggestions and you were and continue to be rude so I will no longer be replying to your posts unless you have actual helpful answers about the question I asked.

Guess explaining in last post about the ups/downs of quality and telling you not to waste 40$ on storebought heat pad, and telling you about the heat tape... Ohwell best up luck =)