Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have animal plastic cages and was wondering if anyone else with them can share with me where you place your probes. I had them on the floor of the cage above the heat elements. I was thinking I should have them elevated to regulate the ambient temp and not the floor temp. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Miller
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1.1 Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.1 Black Milksnake
0.1 Honduran
1.1 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.0 N. Pinesnake
0.0.1 Black Ratsnake
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.1 Cats (Shug)

howdy miller,
im not familiar w/those cages but imho kings do better w/belly heat as oppossed to heat from above. 6 of 1 half dozen of the other i suppose as long as they can get away from the heat they should be fine. i try and keep my room (mass)temps at 70/74 and offer a warm end on cages w/heattape 85/90 maybe 8/10 hrs. a day. these temps are no means exactly like this year around but its what i shoot for. id like to get/keep offer them from 60 to 100 gradients... the bigger temp gradient offered the happier the snakes will be. just ask FR
,,,,,,,,thomas
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Morphs... just like baseball cards BUT ALIVE, how cool is that???

my website www.barmollysplace.com

Hey Thomas! Dude I still staring that corn pic lololol I guess I am confused on how to get such a drastic temp gradient in such an enclosed space. The cage is only 4x2x15(if I a remembering the dimensions correctly). The cage has belly heat and the probe was sitting directly on the floor of the heated side. My thought was to elevate the probe to measure ambient temp and not the actual floor temp. i would imagine the floor wood be a bit hotter than the air in the cage allowing for a hotter spot on the floor of the heated side. Just trying to figure out the best way to heat the cages. I have a t10 cage from them so if you go to their site you can see what they look like.

Miller

"howdy miller,
im not familiar w/those cages but imho kings do better w/belly heat as oppossed to heat from above. 6 of 1 half dozen of the other i suppose as long as they can get away from the heat they should be fine. i try and keep my room (mass)temps at 70/74 and offer a warm end on cages w/heattape 85/90 maybe 8/10 hrs. a day. these temps are no means exactly like this year around but its what i shoot for. id like to get/keep offer them from 60 to 100 gradients... the bigger temp gradient offered the happier the snakes will be. just ask FR
,,,,,,,,thomas"
-----
1.1 Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.1 Black Milksnake
0.1 Honduran
1.1 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.0 N. Pinesnake
0.0.1 Black Ratsnake
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.1 Cats (Shug)

yeah the corn colored up nicely. im gonna chop your post up to try and answer some of your questions...

>>>Hey Thomas! Dude I still staring that corn pic lololol I guess I am confused on how to get such a drastic temp gradient in such an enclosed space.

>yes this problem plagues us all but drastic temp gradients are not needed watch the individual snakes and they will tell you what temps they like/prefer of course this changes with whats going on digestion,shedding,etc., i shoot for 70to74 ambient/mass room temps and offer an area in the cage 10to15 degrees higher. this is done with some cages on a strip of heattape others like my racks are done w/ropelights(no dimmer/rheostat needed) i also only have my heat on for 8to10 hrs a day sometimes less watch the snakes.

>>>The cage is only 4x2x15(if I a remembering the dimensions correctly). The cage has belly heat and the probe was sitting directly on the floor of the heated side. My thought was to elevate the probe to measure ambient temp and not the actual floor temp. i would imagine the floor wood be a bit hotter than the air in the cage allowing for a hotter spot on the floor of the heated side. Just trying to figure out the best way to heat the cages.

>my 4ft. cages have a strip of heattape warming 1ft. of one end leaving the other 3ft as a buffer away from the heat. my concern w/elevating your temp probe is it would in turn raise the floor temp but as long as the floor temp doesnt get above say 95 or so and they can get away from it my guess is it would be fine, but again watch the snakes and either have a temp gun or several thermometors never guess temps. imho long term high temps are bad, that being said snakes like us are individuals and some prefer warmer and some prefer cooler. post some pics of your easterns! i imagine they are getting up there in size now and they are real beaties i can tell ya my easterns like 85/86 as warm spot much higher they will avoid it altogether
,,,,,,,,thomas
-----
Morphs... just like baseball cards BUT ALIVE, how cool is that???

my website www.barmollysplace.com

Here are some pic of the Easterns. I dont' have a photo editing program right now so attaching a link to them on photobucket. The male went off feed for a long time only eating maybe once a month so his growth slowed down considerable but he is still one of my favorites. The female has a bit of an attitude and was not being very cooporative in the photo session. That corkbark is 15 inches and the repti habitat is 12 inches to give you an idea of their lengths. The male is from Snakesunlimited and the female was is from keith Hillson

Miller

http://s189.photobucket.com/albums/z82/Joeycoco98/Eastern/

>>yeah the corn colored up nicely. im gonna chop your post up to try and answer some of your questions...
>>
>>>>>Hey Thomas! Dude I still staring that corn pic lololol I guess I am confused on how to get such a drastic temp gradient in such an enclosed space.
>>
>>>yes this problem plagues us all but drastic temp gradients are not needed watch the individual snakes and they will tell you what temps they like/prefer of course this changes with whats going on digestion,shedding,etc., i shoot for 70to74 ambient/mass room temps and offer an area in the cage 10to15 degrees higher. this is done with some cages on a strip of heattape others like my racks are done w/ropelights(no dimmer/rheostat needed) i also only have my heat on for 8to10 hrs a day sometimes less watch the snakes.
>>
>>
>>>>>The cage is only 4x2x15(if I a remembering the dimensions correctly). The cage has belly heat and the probe was sitting directly on the floor of the heated side. My thought was to elevate the probe to measure ambient temp and not the actual floor temp. i would imagine the floor wood be a bit hotter than the air in the cage allowing for a hotter spot on the floor of the heated side. Just trying to figure out the best way to heat the cages.
>>
>>>my 4ft. cages have a strip of heattape warming 1ft. of one end leaving the other 3ft as a buffer away from the heat. my concern w/elevating your temp probe is it would in turn raise the floor temp but as long as the floor temp doesnt get above say 95 or so and they can get away from it my guess is it would be fine, but again watch the snakes and either have a temp gun or several thermometors never guess temps. imho long term high temps are bad, that being said snakes like us are individuals and some prefer warmer and some prefer cooler. post some pics of your easterns! i imagine they are getting up there in size now and they are real beaties i can tell ya my easterns like 85/86 as warm spot much higher they will avoid it altogether
>>,,,,,,,,thomas
>>-----
>>Morphs... just like baseball cards BUT ALIVE, how cool is that???
>>
>>my website www.barmollysplace.com
-----
1.1 Florida King
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.1 Black Milksnake
0.1 Honduran
1.1 Kankakee Bull Snakes
1.0 N. Pinesnake
0.0.1 Black Ratsnake
1.0 Chow Chow (2003 Papi)
0.1 Cats (Shug)

they are looking awsome miller!
,,,,,,,,thomas
-----
Morphs... just like baseball cards BUT ALIVE, how cool is that???

my website www.barmollysplace.com

Belly heat is MUCH more important to a snake then ambient heat. This is because a huge amount of a snakes surface area rests on the ground, as opposed to a person who has tiny feet on the ground but basically hangs out in the open air.

Think about this. Imagine walking on a cold tile floor (which is actually the same temp as the air in the room it just FEELS colder). Not a big deal if the room temps are good. Now imagine laying on that floor naked. Not so pleasant. Conversely, you could be pretty cold outside naked on a sunny 60 degree day, but if you lay down on a black parking lot you would probably warm right up.

I always put my probes on the floor of the cage.

To increase your temp gradient you can do several things. 1)increase ventilation, just be careful you don't totally loose your humidity.

2)make the room cooler

3) use a smaller heat source the only warms a smaller area. I prefer 3 inch flexwatt over 11 inch for almost everything except the largest cages

4) put a hide on the warm side. Hides over a heat source will hold in heat giving you a nice hot spot and allowing you to turn down the heat a bit.