Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok i am setting up my shoebox cage and i wanted to know how would i put on the heat tape? do i put it on the bottom of the box itself or would i have to clear a space of my dresser or something a attach it on the wood it self and then put the box on top of that? i know and seen many of you use the rack system, but i dont have one and i dont want to make my dresser the permanate spot for it. but if it can be place on the bottom of the shoe boc i can move the whole encloser whenever i want to. well hope this make sense and hope to hear soon thanks?

Hmmmm, one shoebox might be too small a piece of heat tape. Contact Calorique for specs.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

how would i be able to do that. is there any heat mat alternative then?

There is only one heat mat that I know of to use with plastic containers. It is made in Europe (I think Scotland or Sweden). There are several companies that sell this mat in the US. I got one from Fluker's.

I would the think the mini one would work fine with a shoe box. It is 4" by 5". I have a much larger one that I used with a blanket box as a temporary hold until my cage order arrived.

Actually I believe that pretty much all of the smallest size heat mats can be used on plastic - I needed a larger one and this is the only thing I found.

No matter what - Always Use a Thermostat.

On top of a dresser I would set a towel down, then a piece of plywood, then the heat mat and the container on top of that. This way the dresser is protected from the heat mat.
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Mike

2.4 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

ok so what kind should i get for a 16qt. sterilite. thanks

I only have rubbermaid - and nothing that is 16 qt.

Measure the bottom of the container and you want something that is 1/3 to 1/2 as big as the bottom of the container.

You may not get much of a variant for temps (warm end and cool end), so you will want to adjust a thermostat to be in about the middle or just above the middle of the range (BRB's probably 77 to 78 degrees).
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Mike

2.4 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

ok right now im confused i ask this question before and i thought one strip of 3" flexwatt was fine. im using a 16qt container for my Brb should i get a bigger one or a smaller one. or should i get a rubbermaid?

A 16 qt container is roughly a sweaterbox size. Like one of the two in the middle shelf here:

A 3" wide piece of flexwatt is sufficient to heat it. My only real concern is a piece cut to fit just one tub might be too short and cause problems. All my 3" applications are at least two of those tubs wide.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

I dug around a bit and sems like 1foot is minimum length so should be OK for a singel sweaterbox application.

Do you have the flexwatt? Have you ever soldered flekxwatt or used the crimp connectors?
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

It also depends on the temp of the room. I did most of my testing in winter (upper midwest) and my room temp was 68 degrees. Now my room temp is about 72 degrees, and I have 2 new racks, so I am not messing with my temporary set-up.

One 3" wide piece of flexwatt should work fine as long as your room temp is not too cool. Also the rack type systems hold the heat in vs. setting a container on the heat source. The Melamine and other materials help insulate (hold the heat in). If your room temp is cool or the container is set to close to an air conditioning vent you may have issues.

I thought the heat pad that I bought would be more than OK. In testing it did not work well when set under the container (with nothing surrounding the container), as the cool side was room temp - 68. Once I built a single slotted rack from spare plywood I had around it worked fine. Thus the plywood helped hold the heat in the tub.
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Mike

2.4 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

77 is what I have my hatchling racks set at and seems to work great!! At least the babies seem to thrive!!!
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

first and foremost i want to thank everyone for input. i was wondering then how do i build or get a two tub rack and then use the flex watt as both heating sources thank again.btw i live in NJ my room stand between 74.4 to 78.4 without cooling, and with 51 humidity.dave i like your rack system tho how would you then lay down the flex watt? thanks again.

For my racks I run a single piece of flexwatt for each shelf. That way I can run only the shelves I want to. How much woodworking experience do you have? Also, can you solder?
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

i have some if little wood working but i have a friend that can help me out with that and other things. also i cant solder i was going to buy it already pre clipped or whatever it is called.

Yeah, some vendors will sell you a piece pre-wired. I just do all my own. So, what sizes are your tubs (outside dimensions) and what configuration do you want? How many tubs high/wide. I really like my sterilite version below. With a three x three configuration, can have anywhere from three larger tubs to 6 smaller tuba and any combination.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

i plan on using two 16qt sterilite wide like the one you use.

So a 1 shelf version of my Q-rack?
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

yes it WOULD be .. seeing my typo from before ha. thanks dave

Easy rack to build, you'll need the following pieces:

2x shelves 18" x 24" (edge banded on one 24" side) If you want the heat tape to last longer, cut a shallow recess in one shelf for the heat tape.
2x sides If you want the lower raised area like my Q-rack then 10" x 18" OR, if you want just the rectangular box then 7 13/16" x 18" Note, the sides should be edge banded on both 18" dides and one other side (facing front)
1x back cut to fit
1x filler of you make it 10" tall to fill in the area under the shelf...cut to fit.

1x 2' heat tape with cord.

After edge banding the exposed edges, assemble the sides and shelves into a box watching the tub gap. should be loose enough to slide easily but not so loose as to allow an escape.

Tape down flexwatt with aluminum tape NOT duct tape.

Tape t-stat probe directly to heat tape in one corner. Make sure it is in far enough so it's on a heated section.

Add back, will have to cut slots or holes for wires.

Add tubs, power one and use heat gun to measure temps, adjust t-stat to whatever temp works on the t-stat to get the tub temps you want!!
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

hey thanks dave ill get right on it your very helpfull person.

Any time, keep us posted!!
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

ok as far as using t stats can i make do with the BAH-1000 Thermostat ? bc i have been looking around and i see the helix s and they go for 150 plus and then you have to pay more for the night drop cord? im only using it for one or 2 cages.

My only experience is with Helix and Herpstat Pro. Both high end stats with high end price tags. Maybe someone on the caging forum could help?
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

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

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

ok thanks