Overwhelmed with caging options... help please!

[michaelt]

I'm not sure where they mount the lights in the t8 because I got mine without them but I put a 40w rbi from reptilebasics on both sides but also have it divided for 2 snakes. Are you using the whole enclosure for one? And from what I have read on here there lights do put off some heat.

[Blitzjg]

Ok well in that case I will see how it works out as is before springing for an RHP. The room he's in averages around 72 degrees during the winter so it might be needed but I'll post after its set up if needed

[Sauzo]

72f will probably be too cool for just a UTH to heat the whole cage. Remember a UTH only heats the ground, it doesn't heat air so given that in a small cage that is sealed pretty good a UTH might be enough to heat the whole thing, in a bigger cage like a T8, the UTH cant heat that whole thing. So while the floor will be 90f, the air will probably be closer to room temp and maybe a couple degrees warmer. Now if you kept the room around 78f+, you might be able to get away with it. If you are going for the AP cage, you can talk to them and have the RHP you order drop shipped to them and they will install it for you and channel a groove in the top so the RHP fits snug in there and looks clean. But if not, RHPs are really easy to install. As for which RHP, I personally use a PH3 Pro Products one which works great. I heard RB ones work pretty good too so you cant go wrong with either.

[Blitzjg]

even with the flourscent fixture installed you think heat will still be a problem?

[Sauzo]

Well the fluorescent will raise the temp but I'm not sure if it will raise it 10-15f. I mean you can try it. I personally just use only a PH3 RHP from Pro Products on my 48x23x14 Pro-Line cage. Its a 65watt and the ambient room temp stays at 75f or slightly higher in the winter. With my Herpstat 1 running it, I get 92f hot side and 82f cool side. Snakes don't NEED a UTH as long as the ambient air is warm enough thus why I always start with a RHP in a PVC or HDPE cage and then if you want to add flexwatt later, you can do that. The thing is a RHP alone will keep your snake warm alone as long as you get the right size RHP. A UTH might not keep your snake warm enough alone. Also RHPs don't dry the air out like a heat bulb so using one has no downside at all plus in a PVC or HDPE cage you will have no problem with humidity. I keep 60+ humidity with only a large water bowl in the cage and using aspen as the substrate since I personally hate Eco Earth after using it for 1 year but that's a different issue

[Blitzjg]

Ok. So a thermostat is necessary with a RHP? And the RHP is like $60-100 and if I went with a herpastat thats like $100-150? Could I use the probe I currently have connected to my UTH for it?

[Sauzo]

RHPs still need a thermostat to regulate it. Get something that is either pulse proportional or dimming. Dimming is better for stuff like CHEs and RHPs as they just reduce the power to it but keep it running so the element doesn't have to completely warm up and cool down like an on/off thermostat would do. You could get away with a Herpstat Intro or any Herpstat as they all have proportional dimming. For a UTH you can get away with just an on/off thermostat. As for the probe, if its not made for the thermostat you plan to use, I would say no.

The size of your RHP will depend on room temp and how warm you are trying to get the inside of the cage. If you go with a Pro Products, you have to call Bob and he will ask you questions like cage type, size, animal type, is the cage in a basement or upstairs, ambient room temps etc. Then he will match you up with one. You will probably end up with the PH3 which is the 65 watt one. If you go with RBI I would say get the 80 watt one. The dimensions are a good size for a T8 and with a thermostat controlling it, it will have plenty of power to keep the cage warm enough.

[jclaiborne]

Ok. So a thermostat is necessary with a RHP? And the RHP is like $60-100 and if I went with a herpastat thats like $100-150? Could I use the probe I currently have connected to my UTH for it?

A thermostat should be used with Flexwatt as well.