Gregg brings up a very valid point. Heat is heat regardless of location. However, the consideration of placement of a heat source is still a viable one I believe. First off, we all accept the fact that hot air rises and cold air lowers.



Let's consider this scenario, if your placement of a heating element is on the back side of the tank, then how much heat is really being displaced for the animal? Really, the only heat the animal is getting is close to the bottom where the animal resides. All the rest of the heat near the top is, in my opinion, being wasted as it quickly rises to the top. Sure, it might help create some ambient temperature, but if you have enough ventilation, that heat is escaping. So really, your usage of space for heat is quite small.



Now, let's consider placing your heating source under the tank. The entire dimension of that heating element is now being used to displace the heat on a larger area for the animal to use. And typically the tank contains some sort of substrate which diffuses the heat as well and can also hold in a certain amount of heat unlike placing the heating element on the back where there is no substrate to hold and diffuse the heat and where it's in direct contact with only one side of the animal and quickly dissipates.



The only argument I can see where back heating might win over under tank heating is that the size of the heating element is too big and by placing it underneath the tank ends up heating the entire surface area, therefore not allowing the snake to have a cool spot. In that scenario, back heating might be more better suited.



My overall preference however is placing the heating element underneath for better surface coverage, better diffusion and substrate heat retention. But that's just me.
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Troy Rexroth

Rextiles

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