Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am the owner of a Columbian Rainbow Boa and in the summer time, I keep him in an aquarium and use a heat lamp to provide a gradient. I do keep him misted for humidity.

I have also been testing an 11" x 11" bean farm ultratherm heat pad with a rubbermaid enclosure. I have heard that these ultratherm heat pads are very safe. Does anyone here have experience with them? Any opinions from long term users?

tulsaherper

1. Heat lamos kill rainbows
2. You need a thermostat rehostat or dimmer. Where i live by 5 o clock in my room its 85 degrees, but in the winter its like 60
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Theres no need to ask directions if you ever lose you mind...

lamos = under tank heater?

My room stays around 76º

What was meant (IMO) heat lamps are bad for rainbow boas. They tend to dry out the enclosure. Belly heat or a "softer" radient heat is better. And we all agree a thermostat is a must in any room that has temperature swings, not saying yours does. If the external to the enclosure temps are steady, then a rheostat could work just fine. Not usual for a heating element to be just the right temp so need some way to adjust.
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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

Yes this heat pad is safe with rubbermaid type containeters. This pad is made in Scotland and there at least 5 places that sell it under different brands in the US. This heat pad is a lot like flex watt in that it does not get really hot spots like many of the UTH out there.

I have one (different Brand) the exact size you have that I used in my temporary set-up (rubbermaid container) before my last cage / rack order was delivered.
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Mike

2.4 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

Yeah but does a rheo or thermostat work with such a low voltage heat pad, it seems like I remember reading it doesn't?

Also, Columbians don't require AS MUCH humidity as Brazilians? Correct? They still require humidity but not the high humidity of a BRB?

tulsaherper

I have used a thermostat with this size pad with no issues. I can not think of any reason why a dimmer (what a rhetrostat is) would not work either. If your room temp varies at all a thermostat is the way to go.

As far as humidity - Jeff Clark's website does state that Columbians do not require as much humidity as BRB's. His site does not list what % humidity is ideal though.
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Mike

2.4 BRB
1.2 Spotted Python
1.0 Cal. King

Gotcha Mike,

He has been shedding well, I will try the dimmer switch for that heat pad.

Thanks!!!

I picked up a Lutron Lamp Dimmer and it is working great with my Columbian RB!

It holds his temp perfectly at 80º in the bask spot.

These dimmers were $10.97 at Home Depot and they work well!

I have read a lot from other sites that suggest that Rainbow's (Brazillian or Columbian) like hotter basking spots which I am finding out isn't true. They (at least mine) seems to like it cooler.

Tulsaherper