Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I built a rack for Milks and Kings. The tubs are 23 X 16. I was planning to use two 3 inch/10 watt strips of flex watt as back heat, this would be along the 23 inch side.

Some of my friends are saying this would be fine, some are saying it's not enough.

What's the opinion here? The rack will be in the house so the room temp will vary.

If the room is cool and the rack is uninsulated, then it may not be enough during cool Spring weather.

The thing about belly heat is that it can work in all cases.

So, if you want back heat to work for you, insulate the back of the rack with Reflectix insulation, and maybe the sides too. In fact, if you can, run the Reflectix down the inside back of the rack, and tape the Flexwatt to it.

Also, for back heat, I would think one strip (run vertically) of 11-inch-wide Flexwatt is better than the 3-inch. Actually I know this for fact, as I have a back-heated rack that started with 4-inch-wide Flexwatt and ended up with 11-inch-wide after much struggling to get the temps high enough in the back of the boxes.

Snakes do best with a range of temps. Keeping the back of these boxes too cool is bad in the long run. So is not having a much cooler area. Do whatever you have to do to get a warm AND cool area in the cage. I have no idea how to do that without some size to the cage. For me, it is the CB-70 size box or nothing.

over the years I have used both back heat and belly heat.I have had better luck with the belly heat.I think the snakes prefer it also cause they can thermoregulate better and digest there food better with the belly heat.
I use sheet metal on all my shelves so that the tubbs don't catch the heat tape and because it will disperse the heat better back to front.

Shannon

Hey Shannon,

What species is that ?

Vinny
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“There is a grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that whilst this planet has gone on cycling according to the fixed laws of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” -C. Darwin, 1859

Natural Selection Reptiles

(L.T.Blanchardi)
Shannon

I really like the rich gold coloration in the triads!!!!.....best regards,..............................Doug
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Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!