Temp Problems - Thoughts on what I did?

[dakski]

Yes, it's for belly heat. My question was more so that with my room temperature range (68-72) do you guys think that it is nescessary to have both a UTH and a RHP or should I be good with just a RHP. Also that if that same type ZooMed UTH would work on the AP cage (wasn't sure if it would be bad for the plastic or something) but it sounds like based on your answer, a UTH on AP should be fine. Leaving just the - do you guys think it's necessary in my scenario to have both?

To be clear, it is difficut to know 100% for sure what you will need. Environmental/room temps and humidity, substrate, hides and placement, etc. all play a role.

I think in a 3X2' an RHP will be fine. I would not use the UTH to start unless you want to spring for a Herpstat 2 and then it is arbitrary (the limiting factor being cost).

A UTH on a proper thermostat is fine on an AP tank. Heat tape is more uniform and probably more efficient. It is designed for PVC type tanks. However, a UTH on a proper thermostat is ok.

If you want heat tape, a 2'X1' section is about $17.

https://www.reptilebasics.com/heat-t...ape-connected/

RHP's running enough to heat an entire tank at your potential temps could create ground temps that are too hot directly under it. I have 6x2X1, 4X2X1', and 4X2X1.5' tanks, and run both heat tape and RHP (on the warm side) and heat tape on the cool side. Why? In the winter when it gets (high) 60's in my reptile room, running the RHP to create proper temps on the cool side could make it too hot on the warm side. Additionally, I am huge proponent of belly heat for digestion. I run heat tape on the hot side to give me more control as well. I run it on the cool side to maintain proper cool side ground temps and have more control.

For my BP, for example, who is in a 4X2X1.5' enclosure, has about 88F on the warm side and because of the height and size (amount of air in the tank) of the tank, to maintain temps at 78-80F on the cool side, it can make it too hot on the warm side. Answer? Heat tape on the cool side maintains ground temps at 78F.

In a smaller enclosure, especially with less height, an RHP should be able to heat the warm side and cool side without issue.

However, IMO, the best thing would be to get a thermostat that can handle 2 devices and have both. Worst case is you set the UTH to 80F or less and it is a backup and/or prevents the RHP from working too hard. To be clear, I would run the UTH on the warm side in a 3X2' to start, not on the cool side.

Again, optimal vs. necessary is the issue here.

I think optimal is both. Necessary is an RHP.

Very quickly on belly heat. Heat = health and digestion. A BP will probably spend more time on the cool side except when digesting. My snakes also often go into the warm side hide when they are going to shed. Since they are cold blooded and heat is needed for digestion, it is up to nature or the keeper to provide that heat. Belly heat means easy digestion. Further, things like hides and substrate can mean that the ground temperature (which is what matters the most) can be different than desired without a under tank heating source.

When I check temps in my tanks, with an IR temp gun, I look or ground temps that meet the animal's requirements. I do not worry as much about the air temp on the ceiling or the middle of the tank, especially with BP (a ground snake vs. my carpet python, for example, who climbs a lot and uses every inch of the 4X2X1.5' he is in). I want that to be adequate, but I am more interested in ground temps being optimal.

Again, optimal is both an under tank heat source and an RHP on the warm side. However, 90% you are probably fine with an RHP.

The question is really do you want to spend more for either 2 thermostats, or ideally, one that controls two devices?