Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Which is better, back or belly heat?

Thanks
Will

Depends on the species and conditions of the room the rack is stored in.

Bart

It really depends. Technically belly heat should be better but it is often not utilized properly by keepers and it can actually be worse.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

You say that belly heat is often not utilized properly and that it can be worse. What would you recommend to "Properly Utilize" belly heat? And as always...Thank You in Advance...

If the room temp can stay above 70-ish deg, then back heat is effective and much easier to employ. If the room is cooler and you insulate the rack well (with Reflectix as mentioned by Chris Harper in many posts) then back heat can still work well.

Belly heat works in any conditions but has the nasty potential of overheating if not controlled properly and also can dry out the animal far quicker unless the snake is given either a moist hide or is soaked periodically (depends on the species of course) or some other provision for humidity has been rendered.

Belly heat is the most economical (when controlled properly).

For baby racks, I use back heat. I have some belly heat modules where I use thin (3/4" wide) heat strips instead of 3" wide heat tape. I don't like having that much heat energy (the 3" wide heater) under a baby enclosure, even with a controller.
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Mark

Most of the pre-made raks out there have belly heat. With a helix is that a bad thing?

Will

Helix is a proportional controller - that is a great thing to use with heat tape. You are in good shape with belly heat and a Helix. Just make sure to fix the sensor to the heat tape well (aluminum tape works) or else use one of the boxes as the sense point.
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Mark