Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone with experience with these?
I have had one given to me by a friend. He used it for a wire (open) iguana enclosure. I want to use it for a 5X2X3 display enclosure. Two sides glass (front and top) rest is 5/8 hardwood plywood. Airflow will be out each end in a couple 2 inch drilled out vents. As it is it is possible to 'crack' the sliding door in the back open a bit.

Question is, I have this 18X24 inch panel. Will it cook this thing? Can I just set it on a dimmer switch to regulate heat? What kind of wattage will this eat up?

I tried Proproducts and got a xerox copy answer that was not helpful at all. So any input would be great.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

BTW this is to heat it up for my SST, TealC now that he has a place to stretch out.....he JUST reaches end to end.

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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

Sonya,I have found that Ceramic Heaters and Radient heat panels have a very drying effect when it comes to Blood Python enclosures.

I was using a Over head heat source (ceramic heater) and it litterally Zapped the humidity out of the enclosure.

I even had a Big Cat litter pan Full over water in the enclosure.Big enough for the blood to soak in.

It didn't help and the low himidity KRINKLED his scales.

I have since then used under tank heat source like a heat tape.

This is a pic showing the Krinkled scales.

It was way worse.

The pic was taken 5 sheds later.

It it taking a long time .

I think I have at least 3 more till it looks normal and shinny again.

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Ashley Lopez's Black Forest Constrictors.
blackforestconstrictors@gmail.com
www.blackforestconstrictors.com

I know the over head heat will do that. I mostly wanted to get a feel for the heat coming out of this thing. Whether I use it for that or not. Thanks
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

My previous attempt at responding got deleted in error by me. So lets try this again!

I use heat panels by Pro-products in the Vision 322 models and I do like the way they heat the enclosure. Yes, evaporation is an issue, but it also works to your advantage if you set up the cage correctly. I place my water tubs/bowls right under the panel and it helps increase humidity. Also, if your room background humidity is good, you see less evaporation/drying in the cages. The panels MUST be on a proportional thermostat to operate at their optimum otherwise you get wide fluctuations in temperatures. The ideal is to heat the entire room and not need cage heating, but not everyone has this option. Though I am now at that point myself. I am just finishing up a 430sq ft herp room complete with all the bells and whistles. It has been a dream of mine and is finally coming to life. I really wanted 1000sq ft but the wife wanted her workout room and storage areas and I wasn't willing to sacrifice my bar area
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Support your local herp society
www.chicagoherp.org

Thank you. I thought this might be the case but haven't hooked anything up yet. I do have a herp room that I heat but this particular enclosure is up in the living room and I wanted to do something different. As it is I will stick with the heat tape for it.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

In my experience, heat tape isn't that great at raising the ambient temperatures inside a cage to their optimum levels. It might work in a well-insulated rack system with only one open side, like many melamine and PVC racks, but in a standalone cage in a living room, it doesn't have the radiant power to heat the air in an entire cage.

At least that's just my experience.

>>In my experience, heat tape isn't that great at raising the ambient temperatures inside a cage to their optimum levels. It might work in a well-insulated rack system with only one open side, like many melamine and PVC racks, but in a standalone cage in a living room, it doesn't have the radiant power to heat the air in an entire cage.
>>
>>At least that's just my experience.

I have the added benefit of being part reptilian myself and keeping my house 75-78, so the tape (11 inch five feet long) does okay.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny