New snake building heating..... ambient or heat tape?

[trooperjd]

Ok guys so I have read and visited some ball.python breeders. I have noted that some ball python breeders use ambient Temps in their snake rooms vs heat tape in racks. On a small scale building, is heat tape necessary if ambient temp is maintained?

My.new.building is a 10x16 on a slab with AC, oil heater for winter and its heavily insulated. It will be used only for reptiles. I live just north of Houston, TX were humidity is never lacking. Any opinions or experience to help me decide which is best option, best option for the snakes and breeding not cost associated with either choice.

[KMG]

Ambient temps alone will work.

My collection is in their own room and a oil heater is their primary heat source. I do have UTH on most my cages though. Many I will only use when it's cold and simply leave them off the rest of the year. Just makes me feel better to have it. Certainly not needed though. I actually forgot to turn it on during the freeze but the oil heater did fine keeping temps good.

While in the building stage think about backup power. I don't know how you did in the freeze but I was without power for 18 hours the first two days and then for hours at a time the next several days. Having a generator was a huge relief for me. Might be worth you adding a socket to get power from a small generator if ever needed. That's what I was going to do but ended up getting a whole home generator instead as it was just best for my needs.

[trooperjd]

Yep my building will have a transfer switch to be able to run off of a generator. I planned this thing with a reptile room exclusively in mind. I have plugs high to be above a rack setup vs behind it. I have plugs down low as well for other items. I over built the room electrical wise in case expansion is needed.

[KMG]

Yep my building will have a transfer switch to be able to run off of a generator. I planned this thing with a reptile room exclusively in mind. I have plugs high to be above a rack setup vs behind it. I have plugs down low as well for other items. I over built the room electrical wise in case expansion is needed.

I like your style. Sounds nice.