Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So i gathered from that other tread down there that having constant under the tank heat is bad? i have a small black sticky pad under the dry/hot side of my tank that is ALLWAYS plugged in . . the temps (via the therm stuck to the side of the tank) allways says its like 72*-76* But i got worried by some stuff said in that other post about having to have it controlled some way or it gets way to hot . . . . .
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Russ
1 Brazillian Rainbow Boa (< 1 year old)
1 Rosy Boa (G/F's Snake)

Somehow i have to feed both?!
Melbourne, Fl

This type of question comes up a lot Russ. You are providing information that is very similar to Triton's post. You say that your temperature ranges from 72° to 76°. But it sounds like this reading is coming from a thermometer that is up off the ground - away from the heat source.

In my opinion, there is very little reason to monitor the air temps for our BRBs. They spend 90% of their time coiled up on the ground. If we're using under tank heat (UTH) then we need to know the temperature of the surface of the floor of the cage. This is where our animals are contacting the heat.

All of the stick-on heat sources I've had experience with get way too hot unless they are controlled with a dimmer switch or, better yet, a thermostat. However, I won't argue with facts. In triton's post, he said that even though he wasn't controlling the heat, the pad in the cage seemes to buffer it. When he read the heated surface of the cage it was within acceptable range.

If you're not controlling your heat source, my guess is that it's getting too warm. Again, if you measure the temp of the floor of the cage above the heat source and it's no warmer than 85°, then I won't argue with you.

All of a sudden, I wonder if people are using UTH to try and warm the air of the cage. This is probably not the best way to do it. If you want your air temps to be controlled and not your floor surface temps, the best product I've seen are the Radiant Heat panels from Pro-Products.

Hope this help a little. If you're still unsure of your set-up, ask away,
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Mike Lockwood
www.tooscaley.com

yea i really had no method of measure with anything other then the sticky temp gauge. by no means do i feel the need to control the ambient air temps of the enclosure. However the air temps SHOULD be a byproduct of the bottom heat source rising into the tank yes?

its funny i've allways worried about it being to cold . . .
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Russ
"Cousin IT" the unsexed Brazillian Rainbow Boa
"Athena" the female non-eating Rosy Boa

Somehow i have to feed both?!
Melbourne, Fl

Many think the same way, but food for thought:

Short term too cold - np, happens all the time in shipping.
Long term too cold - can cause RI and if not treated can eventually lead to death
slightly too hot - can lead to dehydration, again, if not treated/fixed can eventually lead to death
significantly too hot - quickly leads to death, no know treatment

IMO always better to start a little on the cool/cold side and inch the temps up.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.24 BRB
12.14 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Hey Russ, the point was "most" UTH's will put out more heat than should be allowed for BRB's. Not saying all, but without some sort of control, you can only get full power. The therm stuck to the side of the tank can only measure the temp of the side of the tank where it's stuck to.

I recommend ALL keepers to get a temp gun, Like many of us, I went for years without one but now that I have it I just can't figure out how I did without it!! It's soooo cool to be able to measure temps anywhere I want at an instant. Takes longer to open the cage then it does to take a reading. I even measure my snakes external temps. I still keep a mounted thermometer in the cage for a visual glance, but the temp gun is my preferred method of measuring temps.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
13.24 BRB
12.14 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

My thread down there for Triton- I plugged in a zoo-med 4x6 pad with no control and let it run 100% for an hour and it got the glass up to 106ish

For my dimmer, I measure the glass with my tempgun and wants it hit 82ish or so I put my reference on the knob and receptacle cover and this should always put out the same amount of heat because they are stuck together (note I always keep my room about 73-76 with a heater during the winter). So only the bottom of the glass is 82 so if he wants he has to burrow for it. In another pic my gauge on the side glass read 78-now I whipped out my tempgun and measured a hot spot of 87 next to the coconut and 82 inside of the coconut just inches away from the gauge. This just illustrates that the temp of the gauge on my side glass is way different from the actual floor temp and means everyone should have a tempgun. Triton uses the rubber as a buffer zone so a lot is absorbed but I use only substrate and moss so I have no buffer zone. If my 4x6 pad reaches 106 then what does a 11x14 do? I do notice that most of them prefer that 75-78 range but burrowed. I reduced heat before and they don't change their habits so I put it back to 82.
Bob

I guess i have a 4x6 . . its fairly small. i use aspen for the hot side of the tank but come to think of it my snake does spend all his time on the cold side . . . .

I have no Qualms with getting a Temp gun, they are just good to have in general, expecually since i like to drag race etc and its good to see the temps of your Tires/engine/turbos/intercooler etc

oh well after i get a temp gun ill see if i need a dimmer
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Russ
"Cousin IT" the unsexed Brazillian Rainbow Boa
"Athena" the female non-eating Rosy Boa

Somehow i have to feed both?!
Melbourne, Fl

Turbos and intercoolers oh yeah. I got my '99 civic hatchback built for speed baby and it got totaled from behind on Oct. 3 last year. I had a integra type R from japan in there then threw a valve that hit my #3 cylinder wall and gave me a hairline crack. So I got a gsr longblock (head block) sleeved from Golden Eagle in CA (same machine shop that works on the all-motor skunk2rsx). I am running rods, pistons, sleeved block, 9.4 compression with integra type R camshafts, titanium valvesprings, retainers, arp head studs, breather can, and anything that you could do with a head and block. I didn't get it bored out I stayed with a 1.8 bore and thick sleeves for my 20 psi on a full race turbo kit. Before the wreck, my stock type R setup ran 13.9 @101. Impressive for fwd and 60 ft. was 2.18. I love cars but mine is now totalled but in about a year I will have a new car and full race turbo kit. Should have about 390-410 whp on pump gas alone and run 10.9 - 11.2 with some slicks. I also just put in a new 2nd, 3rd and rev. gears so my motor and tranny (with limited stock Kaaz differential) only has 2,500 miles on it. Even broke down right now, I raced my friend's honda s2000 and pulled a little with my built motor at 100 and my compression is only 9.3 now and with the type R it was 11.1. I could talk cars all day and this is getting lengthy on the rainbow forum Please drive responsible
Bob
Bob

I am on kinda the other end of the spectrum. I am a domestic guy

Domestic RWD cars FTW!!!!

I have a 1994 Mustang its kinda an odd ball but its a v6 mustang with a twin turbo kit (twin ported 16g turbochargers) its got a built 5 speed tranny, aluminum drive shaft, and built reared. I've got some suspension stuff and a few other mods but the motor itself is mostly stock.

I make 300whp @ 8psi and 388whp @ 15psi on a stock long block.

I trap about 104 in the 1/4 mile on low boost and ~ 113mph on high boost. I've got slicks but i've yet to be to the track yet. its a bit hard because my mustang is my ONLY car, this means i drive it 20 minutes to work every day

Here is my high boost dynograph

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Russ
"Cousin IT" the unsexed Brazillian Rainbow Boa
"Athena" the female non-eating Rosy Boa

Somehow i have to feed both?!
Melbourne, Fl

Once you use slicks and see your 1.6-7 60 ft. you won't go to the track without 'em anymore. Any real drag racer (at the track) knows it is all about the 60 ft. and the rest is easy. We fwd tend to break cv shafts on street tires and especially drag radials but slicks are perfect. I'll post pics one day when I get another car and drop the motor. I just love the adrenaline and smell of burnt tires and clutches at the track and you know what I mean- oh yeah!!
Bob

ohh yea, with 1.6-1.7 60's i am hoping to break 11's If i dont im getting myself a C16 tune and throw gobs and gobs of timing at it.
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Russ
"Cousin IT" the unsexed Brazillian Rainbow Boa
"Athena" the female non-eating Rosy Boa

Somehow i have to feed both?!
Melbourne, Fl

2005 WRX here. Full 3" Stainless Exhaust, helix DP, gutted UP. Cobb Short ram intake. Cobb AccessPort stage2. 8" ground mod. STI hood scoop. 16.5 PSI on the turbo. 240 WHP, ( mind you its all wheel drive )

0-60 = 4.1sec
1/4 mile = 13.2sec

Just thought Id share. Ill post pics in a bit.

thats cool, my buddy (old roomate) has a 2003 WRX, he has full STI suspension, UP/DP catback (no cats) he has upgraded coolent stuff as well as a chip and a tune.

he goes 13.6 in the 1/4 mile but he is all about rally cross. He goes rallying like twice a month.
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Russ
"Cousin IT" the unsexed Brazillian Rainbow Boa
"Athena" the female non-eating Rosy Boa

Somehow i have to feed both?!
Melbourne, Fl

Russ,
....I was just looking at dyno sheets over on the Corvette forum. I like big American V8s and RWD. I drive a 98SS Camaro but have started looking at new Corvettes. The IR temp guns are perfect for working with engines. They are the quickest way I know to find which cylinders are not firing.
Jeff

>>I am on kinda the other end of the spectrum. I am a domestic guy
>>
>>Domestic RWD cars FTW!!!!
>>
>>I have a 1994 Mustang its kinda an odd ball but its a v6 mustang with a twin turbo kit (twin ported 16g turbochargers) its got a built 5 speed tranny, aluminum drive shaft, and built reared. I've got some suspension stuff and a few other mods but the motor itself is mostly stock.
>>
>>I make 300whp @ 8psi and 388whp @ 15psi on a stock long block.
>>
>>I trap about 104 in the 1/4 mile on low boost and ~ 113mph on high boost. I've got slicks but i've yet to be to the track yet. its a bit hard because my mustang is my ONLY car, this means i drive it 20 minutes to work every day
>>
>>Here is my high boost dynograph
>>
>>
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>>Russ
>>"Cousin IT" the unsexed Brazillian Rainbow Boa
>>"Athena" the female non-eating Rosy Boa
>>
>>Somehow i have to feed both?!
>>Melbourne, Fl

LS1 power eh?

Then you'd like my buddy nick.

He has a 1998 Trans-am he has a stroked LS1 to 383CI heads/cam/intake with a big o'l turbocharger.

His car is a bit ridiculous.

Here is a video of him and my on the street.

keep in mind on the first run i am on low boost (only 300hp) and the other 2 runs im on high boost (388whp 435wtq)

He on the other hand, makes 530whp on waistegate which i think is like 6-7psi.

http://s5.photobucket.com/player.swf?refURL=/&file=http://vid5.photobucket.com/albums/y159/ddnspider/rustyvsnick.flv
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Russ
"Cousin IT" the unsexed Brazillian Rainbow Boa
"Athena" the female non-eating Rosy Boa

Somehow i have to feed both?!
Melbourne, Fl