Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a rack from boaphile today, and the heat tape gets up to what I need it to but the temps on the cold end seem to be to cold. How can I heat this up, from my understanding when I bought it, the rack said it was OK to use in colder rooms.

Thank you
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Still Thinking)

Heat tape/thermostat setups and the likes are designed to create a hot spot UP TO 20 degrees warmer than the room they're in. If you room is 20 degrees colder than your hot spot, buy a space heater.
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www.strictlyballs.ca

Thank you. I have looked at space heaters but they kind of freak me out to leave them running. What is a good brand. I also have heard people hooking them up to thermastats.

Thats funny you say that because when i bought the rack, I was advised with the temps in the room at 64 degrees, it would be fine. I have the therma stat and heat tape at 95 degrees, I am using aspen to help move the heat around.

Thanks again for your help.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Still Thinking)

You can pick up a space heater from Target, home depot, lowes etc. Lasko makes some with a thermostat already in them, they aren't exact thermostats but they will get the job done. They are very easy to use and run about $50.

I use a Delonghi oil filled space heater hooked up to a helix room system and it works GREAT. I am sure you could easily use the proper wattage Herpstat with the same results. If the room is well insulated you could set a background temp to properly heat the room.
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts

You can use a Ranco thermostat as well...
that's what I have in the inside "baby room" that I keep at 80-82 with only an oil filled space heater.

Susan - SSNAKES

Can you explain to me how aspen moves heat around? To my thinking, aspen would absorb and dissipate heat rather quickly, not "move it around".
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www.strictlyballs.ca

I agree with this thought. I use bits of tile to move heat further into cages. The ceramic seems to hold the heat and transport it farther into the cage. Whereas any aspen I have over a belly heater or heat strip seems to dampen the heat.
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1.0 normal ball python
0.1 greyband hybrid kingsnake
0.2 crazy cats
1.0 husband

>>I got a rack from boaphile today, and the heat tape gets up to what I need it to but the temps on the cold end seem to be to cold. How can I heat this up, from my understanding when I bought it, the rack said it was OK to use in colder rooms.
>>
>>Thank you

What temp setting do you have on the thermostat for the hot end right now?

I ask because in a room that chilly i would set the tape to around 92 to 94f..That way it creates an overall more agreeable temperature gradient(from the front to the rear of the tub)..Which will probably fix your issue,so long as you are able to accurately monitor the room temp throughout the seasons,and lower the settings if the room should ever increase in termperature.
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Charles Glaspie
http://www.myspace.com/coldthumb

Thank you, I set it at 95 last night and check the temps this morning, still a little cold on the cool side, so I bumped it up to 97 and will check then.

Thanks again for your help

How safe are oiled filled heaters? How long have you used them.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Still Thinking)

I figured with it moving and being pushed around after it had been on the heat tape. Is that wrong, am i better to go with craft paper.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Still Thinking)

I am using an oil filled heater that I leave on 24-7. It has been this way for a little over a year now. No troubles, but I never have to use the high mode. In the summer I use the low mode, and in winter I use the med mode, and the vent is closed off from the houses air/heat at all times. It is a small bedroom that I converted to the snake room though..lol A larger room might need to use the high mode, but It would have to be pretty cold in there for that. So I can't give you any advice or guarantees on the high mode, but I have had no problems using low and med for over a year, running 24-7. Good luck.

I think maybe you've got your priorities a little backwards here. Instead of increasing your hot spot to dangerous temps to create a warmer cool spot, you NEED to address the reason your cool spot is so cool. You absolutely MUST do something about the ambient temps in your room. A really hot hot spot is not the solution.
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www.strictlyballs.ca

>>Thank you, I set it at 95 last night and check the temps this morning, still a little cold on the cool side, so I bumped it up to 97 and will check then.
>>

I would not dial it up that high for any reason.That is just to hot for a ball python,and could lead to death rather quickly..

If a hotspot of 94f doesn't help raise the cool end then it is time to look into getting an oil filled radiant heater.

Especially if you are using a rack with belly heat,or any kind of heat supplied from underneath the animal.(I'm of the opinion that belly heat should never exceed 89 to 90f.)

Good luck with it.Once you get that room set up right the rack will be easy to regulate.
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Charles Glaspie
http://www.myspace.com/coldthumb

Agreed, there is NO point in any hot spot above 92-93 , now i don't consider a tiny hot spot the size of a quarter or even a fifty cent piece at 94-95 to hurt anything , if you really mess around with a temp gun those small areas often times do exist but I'm not talking about that area as it's to small to really matter . But if you have a area the size of an adults hand or bigger that's up over 93F I'd be changing that for sure as it's actually a couple degrees hotter than you need for a hot area especially during breeding or laying time. I shoot for 89-91/91.5 and don't like going past that, gravid females that sit on areas above that 91.5 point for too long of periods risk damaging their eggs I think. In the summer after they lay I am less worried about it and a 92-93 area seems to be fine but during breeding or laying times I don't think that's the case.

Anthony McCain

You were totally lied to. I just bought a rack from Animal Plastics and made it very clear that I would be putting this in a cold basement. I was told by them clearly that buying there rack with enclosed sides would help but in no way keep the unheated side anywhere besides at ambient room temps. And they where right. I bought a space heater from wall mart for about 70.00 bucks. It has three temp settings, it is digital and has a very bad thermostat built in, but it works. This has helped but I still would like warmer ambient air. The other thing that bothers me is that you said what you are setting your thermostat to. You indicate you are setting to like 90 to 95 degrees. Are you checking the actual temp with a temp gun? I set my thermostat to 86.0 degrees. My thermostat probe sits directly over my heat tape within a 1/4 inch of it. The actualy temp I get is 90 degrees on the hot spot with no substrate. If I set my thermostat to 95.0 degrees the hot spot would be around 101.0 degrees or so which would be BAD. Good luck and I hope this helps.

Bill

the rack will be hotter at the top than the bottom as heat builds up and the sides being solid will help. to but by no means can you have a cold room and keep the un heated side stay high what i did was built a special "ball room" for my 3 racks and used one of the oil filled heaters in the room my room stays warm because of all of the reptiles i breed but i figured if i build them a small room i can control the rack temps better my room is 7 feet tall 4 feet wide and 6 feet long it works well
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reed&Sunny at www.ReedsDragons.com & www.KillerEnclosures.com

I've done some testing with the aspen vs the sheeting and the aspen actually helps keep the tub warmer longer . . . .think of it like putting bottles of water in your incubator . . . . . Mass retains heat. Or at least it helps more than sheeting does.
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1.0 Sunrise (sshhh)
1.0 Yellow Belly
1.0 Het pied
1.0 Pastel
1.0 nerd hypo
1.0 Spider Het hypo
0.5 Het nerd hypo
0.3 poss Het nerd hypo
0.1 poss Het albino
0.1 het pied
0.5 Breeder normals
0.1 black pastel (unproven)
0.1 Tiger (unproven)
0.1 mojave (best looking one ever! thanks Jeff Luman)
0.1 Pastel Het ghost
0.1 BCI 8ft
1.0 snow corn
0.1 albino Het snow corn Laid 14! Gravid again!!
0.1 albino Het snow corn (laying in 5 days) now if the pythons would just start laying . . . . .
2.0 Reed frogs
2.2 felines aka boa food ;o
And I am not gonna count all those rats . . .

Brian H
Brianhettinger@hotmail.com

Thank you, I have learned to use a temp gun to check temps and I check each level. I tend to keep my guys on the hotter end than the colder one. Even though the thermstat is set at 96 it does not mean the cages are that hot and having the apsen over it cools it a bit. Now, I know I am newer to this but from things I read the floor temp could be 95. I know alot of people keep them at 88 - 90. That is where the mistake I made is. I was told that the rack system would be fine in the that temp. So, instead of getting it and testing temps I bought it and then bought some new balls, now I am flustered. Not thinking oil filled heater is all that safe. I know a lot people use them but its not for me. I wrapped the rack in reflix, but its the open part of the rack that may be causing the issue. Anyone ever put doors on their racks.
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Still Thinking)

With the therma stat set and taped on the heat tape at 96, the floor temps on the top three levels range from 88 - 90 and on the cool sider is down to 75, this is measured with the temp gun. I think thats about right and now will adjust as the season changes .
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0.2 Rotts
1.0 Super Tiger (Dash)
1.0 Amel Retic (Mahola)
0.1 Ball Python (Cyeanne)
0.1 Red Tail (Memphis)
1.0 Coral Sun Glow Boa (Rodman)
0.1 Blood Python (Danica)
1.0 Green Ananconda (Prefontain)
1.0 Emerald Tree Boa (Bing Bong)
1.0 Ivory Ball Python (Hansel)
0.1 Bumble Bee Ball Python (Still Thinking)