I only deal with heated rooms at this point in my Hobby, its just easier. As far as the CHE or Helix both will work but a lot of people like the belly warmth idea over the latter. Personally I think you have to have both or the animal will suffer. You can't have a cage thats Air temps are around 90 and the floor is cold or vice versa. Ever steped on a concrete floor in the morning, the air is warm but the floor is freezing.

I heat my room to about 80 mayby a little lower. You could do the same thing inside your cage with a CHE or a heat panel which would be better IMO. Like you said you could off set that heat with the heat tape but I would make the heat tape the hot side.

I would also insulate under the tank with foam isulation leaving the heat tape in an air space between the two. It will conserve energy as well as not waste heat because the heat tape heats in all directions not just up. Extruded Polysterene is flammable but Reflectix a product I recommend is not its not appealing but it works great.

My 2 Cents


>>Hi I am planing on getting a Hog Island Boa in the next couple weeks. I have a 55gallon tank that I want to use for a couple months until I have the money to go all out and build a custom enclosure or buy a boaphile tank.
>>
>>My room at night right now since it is winter gets down to around 62* so I need to know what the best heating methods would work for me. I was thinking on the warm side a 250 wt. CHE on a thermostat set to 95* and for the cool side have 2 ft of 11in heat tape on a thermostat set to 88*. I was going to use wood to make the top and drill holes in it for ventalation. Would all that do the trick? Or would the che not heat the air up enough? Any help would be great.
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"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Hypomelenistic Red Tailed Boas
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino Red Tailed Boas
0.1 Suriname Red Tailed Boa
0.1 Anerthrystic Red Tailed Boa
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse

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