Heating DIY Enclosure

[Griggs2121]

I'm just finishing up a 3 cage unit, but before I attach the sides, back and doors I was wondering how most people heat a wooden cage like this.

The picture is without the sides, back and doors on. Also, the sides have a 3"x6" vents on each side of the cage.

Currently I have have 2 heat pads for each of my glass cages I have the snakes in now. My idea is to stick these UTH to the under side of the wood for the bottom 2 cages. If that would work fine that what I'd like to do. The problem is I can't do that for the top cage, because if I stick a UTH to the underside of the top cage, it will be inside, on the ceiling of the cage below it.

Does anybody have any ideas for me? And will my idea for the bottom 2 enclosures work fine?

[invadertoast]

I'd say just do a trial run and see if the UTH's will work. I can't imagine a UTH on top of another cage would affect the temps much, at least it doesn't with my leo setup (stacked sterilite drawers.) In my wooden cage, the wood was too thick and a UTH wouldn't have worked. I ended up investing in a radiant heat panel and attaching it to the ceiling, but this option would be too pricey in a three enclosure setup.

[Griggs2121]

I just dont want the snakes living in the bottom cage to burn himself on the UTH for the cage above him

[ddbjdealer]

Why not just lay some flextwatt on the wooden shelves and you wouldn't have to worry about the heat transfer through the wood? It's super cheap stuff, and you can get it from Matt pre-wired.


Matt - My commision is 20%

[Griggs2121]

Why not just lay some flextwatt on the wooden shelves and you wouldn't have to worry about the heat transfer through the wood? It's super cheap stuff, and you can get it from Matt pre-wired.


Matt - My commision is 20%

where are you suggesting I put this heat tape?

Because as you look at it, I'm going to close off the sides and the back and put doors on the front. I dont want to put the heater inside the cage. Im not sure if thats what you meant.

[daniel1983]

I just dont want the snakes living in the bottom cage to burn himself on the UTH for the cage above him

You can put some plexiglass on the bottom of the enclosure... that would keep the snakes from coming into direct contact with the heating element and would also make cleaning alot easier Alot of people that build wooden enclosures will recess the flexwatt into the floor than just put some plexiglass on top of it so that the floor is even but your heating element is in place.

[Griggs2121]

You can put some plexiglass on the bottom of the enclosure... that would keep the snakes from coming into direct contact with the heating element and would also make cleaning alot easier Alot of people that build wooden enclosures will recess the flexwatt into the floor than just put some plexiglass on top of it.

on top of the wood floor, but under plexi glass?

[daniel1983]

on top of the wood floor, but under plexi glass?

Yep Make sure there is alittle air gap between the flexwatt and the plexiglass and make sure that any liquid in the enclosure can not come into contact with the flexwatt if spilt.

[Griggs2121]

ok, but Im not sure how I'd make that gap between the heater and the wooden bottom.


Also, everybody talks about flexwatt. I have a couple of those UTH with a sticky side, is it pretty much the same thing or what?

[ddbjdealer]

on top of the wood floor, but under plexi glass?

Yeah, just router in a recessed area on the wood to put the heating eliment and then lay plexiglass over the top of that to fill in the recess.