Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Everyone,

I am making a bunch of stackable 3X2X2 wood cages for my jungle carpet pythons. I am torn on how to efficiantley heat these things. I have looked into heat panels but they are too pricey for me at this point. Maybe in the future but not now.

Here are my questions:

Ceramic Bulb or Heat Rope under tile. If ceramic bulb does anyone have any good ideas to set them up so that the snake does not get burned and i am still able to stack the cages?

For the bulb i have this mental image of Vision cages... how do i duplicate something similar?

I asume you were considering the RHP because of the infared heat it emits the safty involved in the unit and the semi aborial nature of the Carpet Python.

If that is true I would probably recommend sticking to the CHE, its not nearly as safe as a RHP but it will provide a similar type of heat to the enclosure.

A word of caution the animal must not be allowed to contact the CHE!!!

I would recommend using a thermostat of some kind to operate the CHE.

You could use bulbs but there are less efficiant and well I don't like light!

Cheers
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.1 Red Bearded Dragon's
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

What are some ways that people have used to keep the snakes off the CHE's?

>>What are some ways that people have used to keep the snakes off the CHE's?

Obviuosly distance the fther away from the animal the harder it is to reach. However, people have used homemade shrouds the block contact. Keep in mind that any metal used to block the CHE will eventually take on the same temp. There may be certain manufactured products that have a coating to prevent heat transfer but I am unaware of any ATM.

Cheers
-----
Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

0.1 Snow "Khal" RTB
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.0 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
3.1 Red Bearded Dragon's
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0.1 Child

I like to share this alternative heating element I've been using to warm my leopard geckos for years. These things are cheap, low-pro, and could be found in various sizes at thrift shops, garage/yard sales and swapmeets. They are those old 40's -60's (whatever year they're from)Salton food warmer plates.
The body housing are made out of aluminum and the heating element out of a special glass where the heat radiates from. Some of them even have a rheostat incorporated in them.
My plates are plugged on a on/off t-stat for safety and accurate temperature control, and placed on top of the screen tops of my tanks. You could probably hang them inside the roof of your enclosures.
Hope it helps.

The nature and mass of JCP's usually warrant overhead heating (or room heating) as opposed to floor heating.

CHE's are excellent heat sources, and reptiles do fantastic under them. You will need to touch-proof the CHE. A good way to do that is to cut and bend hardware cloth into the shape of a box and firmly attach the box around the CHE to the ceiling. Leave at least 1" space from any part of the CHE. The more space between the face of the emitter and the wire, the better. I think 3 inches is best.

Since JCP's have big heads, the hardware cloth can be as large as 1/2" squares if you want. The larger the space between wire the better as long as the snake can't get up into it. Put another way, the less obstruction between the CHE and the animal while still protecting the animal, the better.

The second choice for me would be infrared heat lamps. These do a fine job of heating and cost much less than a CHE. They do burn out sooner though, so you will need to replace them from time to time. CHE's last a long time. I have a few that are 5 years old and still work, though they haven't been on full blast all five years.

I've used 50 watt infrared bulbs with no wire cage to protect the animal. The bulb is very very hot but not damaging to flesh if touched very quickly. Still, a wire cage is recommended.

A word about heat panels: The advantage of heat panels is that the surface will not damage flesh if touched for a few seconds, and they heat a sizeable area without excessive wattage. You really should consider investing in those, and when you do, you will not need to replace them for perhaps 10 years. No wire cages neccessary.

An inverted, ceiling-mounted Kane heat mat makes a fine heat panel, but since they cost as much as a heat panel, it doesn't help your situation.
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Mark