Quote Originally Posted by Zoe View Post
I have my bp set up in a 30” exo terra. I have a heat mat, set to 90F against the glass, and a RHP set to 80ish (78-82 depending on room temp). My bp does not burrow, and with the substrate, I don’t think he’s getting much belly heat out of the heat mat. I don’t dare turn up the heat in case he does decide to burrow some day.

So! I am wondering if I can get rid of the heat mat altogether, and just heat the cage with the heat panel. Maybe get a piece of slate rock, elevated, to absorb some rhp heat for him to lie on? And if so, what would I set the ambient temperature at?

And also if so, my rhp is almost the same size as the lid, so it’s not providing a huge range from cool side to warm side. I was relying on the heat mat to give him a warm side. Should I get a small one or can I use vertical levels (higher slate rock for warm, half-buried cave for cool)?
I don’t see why the levels thing wouldn’t work, as long as you got the temps right and have matching hides. Keep in mind that BPs are nocturnal so they aren’t baskers.... Your snake is unlikely to go sit on a slab of rock unless he’s got a place where he can be sheltered and hidden. They will choose security over warmth.

However, what I do is just push some substrate away under the hide so the glass is exposed and they have that hot spot to lay on for digestion.


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