Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Some time ago, I was discussing the purchase of an expanded pvc cage or two with a certain cage builder. I believe the cages were 3/8" or 1/2" pvc.
This cage builder insisted the heat panel was the only way to go, as the insulation quality of the pvc rendered the heat tape option inefficient and not a good idea.
Any thoughts on this?
jsc

Well, I think it depends on the cage manufacturer.

Most cage manufacturers make the floor thinner (at least in one area), so that heat will pass through from heat tape beneath it.

If a manufacturer made all of the walls and the floor the same thickness, then I could see how for THAT cage, an internal heat source might be better... here's why.

I have a BARRs cage that I used for an arboreal python. Since floor heating wouldn't have helped her, I tried affixing heat tape to the rear wall of her cage. This hardly heated the cage at all (I tested before setting her up in the cage). This is because the back wall was much thicker than the floor, because the floor was meant to have the heat tape under it instead. The cage was expanded PVC, the same material used by a lot of plastic cage manufacturers.

So, for her cage, I wound up using heat cable zigzagged along the ceiling of the cage (inside), secured with cable ties, thermostat controlled. This worked, but I had to watch to make sure the snake didn't try climbing into the cable. Less than ideal and I no longer use that setup.

I know Boaphile cages are meant to have undercage heat, so probably have a thinner floor area at least in one section. If the cage your looking at has a thick floor throughout, then you'd probably have to go with using a radiant panel. Just depends on the method of construction.
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers
1.1 Ball Python, 1.0 Hog Island Boa, 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 1.1 Saharan Sand Boa