Need Some Help on Heating

[adOggy07]

Hello all!

Okay. I'm using a heat lamp with a 50 W bulb for a 10 gallon glass tank with wire mesh on top. This is NOT getting my basking area to the desired 90-95 degrees. I tried getting a 60 W bulb, but that didn't help much either?! At night the basking area becomes 78-82 and during the day 82-85ish. I'm getting a little frustrated with the heat lamp and am looking for alternate solutions.

I was suggested a Ceramic Heat Emitter but I think my tank is too small for one?! And I'm not quite sure how to go about putting that wire encasing around it and hanging it up from the top. The heat lamp just seemed so convienent by just being able to put it on top of the wire mesh top.

I'm leaning towards an under the tank heating pad. Does anyone use these? What brands do you recommend? I would have to place the pad on the side of the tank... would that be okay? And how long do they last for? They seem to run for around 20 dollars... so I hope it lasts a while?! And is it enough for day and night heat.. and is there a function to lessen and increase heat as desired?

Or does anyone's heat lamp actually work well enough?? mine kept burning out the 75W bulbs.... and I could only use 50 - 60 W... oy.

Thanks!!

[joepythons]

Point blank ditch the heat light idea as they dry your humidity out.On several of my enclosures at this time i have Exto-terra (i think its spelled close) Under tank heaters.I have zero problems while useing them and zero problems from my snakes in the heathy areas.I of course have thermostates on them to control the heat out put as they can crack tanks if they get to hot.I have no idea on how long they can last as i have had mine for a couple years at least.I hope this helps some.

[JenHarrison]

You may need both the lamp and the heat pad. Read this thread, I never had a problem with my tanks and they were all set up this way:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=32800

[JLC]

Whether or not the heat pad will be sufficient to warm the tank will depend on how warm or cold the room is that the tank sits in. It will certainly warm up the floor of the tank to where you need, it, but it may or may not keep the "cool" side warm enough on its own. If not, you'll want to continue with the supplemental lamp.


The heating pad you would buy in a petstore does NOT come with any sort of control, and it MUST have something, otherwise it can/will get too hot and risk burning your snake. You should get a good thermostat for it, or at the very least, go to the hardware store and get a rheostat (lamp-dimmer switch). They come already wired and ready to just plug in...very simple.

To use a CHE, you don't need that whole wire-mesh contraption. You can put it in a lamp dome....however...it must be a ceramic dome rated for high wattage....which is also what you should be using for higher-wattage bulbs. A standard house lamp, or cheap dome will not work (as you've already found out.) You should be able to find a ceramic dome (meaning the light fixture inside is ceramic...the outside still looks like cheap aluminum or black metal) at your pet store. That can sit on top of the screen...just make sure its big enough to hold the heat source up away from the screen so its not touching.

[adOggy07]

ooh... I got it now Judy. Thanks!! That makes a lot of sense. sorry.. first time snake owner and everything!

[rmune0750]

what r better??

CHE's or UTH's ???

[rmune0750]

adOggy, dont worry, im using the same thing as u, the light bulbs, but im gonna change to a UTH...

[mousch]

what r better??

CHE's or UTH's ???

From what I can tell, a UTH keeps your humidity in a more snake friendly range. I love the UTH.

[rmune0750]

From what I can tell, a UTH keeps your humidity in a more snake friendly range. I love the UTH.

coo

[adOggy07]

i know it says that you can put the UTH on the side of the tank, but are there any disadvantages to that? anyone know? thanks!