Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm getting ready to build a cage for my adult Speckled Kingsnake and need your opinions on heat. I've read in various posts that snakes like belly heat best and don't really bask like lizards. However, I've also read about the advantages of radiant heat from above - don't have to worry about waterproofing or snake burrowing through the substrate - it heats from above like the sun and also heats objects in the cage which the snake can lay on. Thanks.

i would go with radiant heat panels from big apple herps. you can also throw in some belly heat. i have lights in my tanks but the next ones i build will have radiant heat panels in them. good luck

froggy

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The next time the shuttle lands, lets all get dressed up in ape suits and charge at the astronaughts yelling and ranting. That way they can try to figure out where they took a wrong turn.

This is a subject of much debate and personal opinion. I don't think it really matters much with most snakes what type of heat is used (except of course, open flames) as long as it is accurately controlled and the snake has options for heat levels so he can thermoregulate. It doesn't do a lot of good to monitor and regulate the heat at the top of the cage if the snake is always hanging around on, or burrowed under, the substrate. Likewise, if you have an arboreal snake that is always on a limb at the top of the cage, you can get into a dangerous situation if you are attempting to heat the substrate to 90 degrees with overhead bulbs. UVB, etc. is not much of a consideration, especially with burrowing and noctournal species.

The problem with convection type heat is that a large animal will burn himself before get warm. these type of heater burns are very common in larger snake boas, pythons etc. Colubrids rarely experience this. I use undertank heaters for all of my colubrids and they do well with it.undertank heaters distribute the heat better then heat rocks and are alot safer. With a large cage you should use a combination of both.