Temperature gradient and heat sources: the never-ending headache!

[JoshSloane]

that is a super interesting notion, although i'd be a little scared to try it, "hedging bets" is a very good way to put it. Let me ask you about RHP's, i have a 40 watt (in my OP i said 80, but its 40) and it heats the surface 14 inches below it to about 82.5 F, which is great, but it's "footprint" is rather small. That is to say there is a very definitive line where the heat stops and beyond it the temp drops about 6 or 7 degrees. Would a more powerful one cast wider, or would it simply be able to get the same size area hotter?
i just checked out the T8, great price for great floor space, but the height (12") seems a bit short, especially with a RHP a few inches thick on the ceiling. what do you think?

So the thing with heating is that it isnt always about the wattage of heat that matters, but it is more the retention of heat that plays a bigger role. AP T8s are a standard these days for both boas and bps. The foot height is plenty. Some people provide higher enclosures to allow their animals to climb, but it never really seemed that necessary for me. A smaller height will allow you to maintain an ambient air temperature easier. The t8s hold heat extremely well, and will help you get a nice even ambient temperature. RBI claims that a 40w is sufficient to heat a T8 in a room that is above about 72 deg. Pro Products would sell you a 65w model for the same cage. Either of these work fine, Pro Products RHPs are thinner however. A larger RHP will give you a larger footprint, but honestly if you insulate well enough it shouldnt really matter. I wouldnt be scared to try the ambient heat only method. As long as you maintain this single temperature uniformly you will be fine. I would place the RHP in the middle of the enclosure, and take temperature readings of the air down by snake height.