Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone..I'll be getting a 4 footer brb soon and I am going to keep her in a 74qt sterlite tote until I get her a nice cage from constrictor northwest (proline plastic cage). My simple question is as a heat source can a heating pad be used for these snakes? I ask because I have checked out a wonderful site "rainbowrus" I believe. Anyway on his site I seen pics of his setups using heat panel but I would like to use a heat pad. Thanks for any of your advice.

First off, thank you for the kind words.

For a temparary enlosure, you can use a UTH and a dimmer switch. Just be carefull to start with temps too low and work up to where you want if the animal is in the enclosure. Would not want to overheat it.

Not sure what you meant by "heat pad"? Makes me think of human heat pads and those are too hot as is but might be OK with a inline dimmer switch. Only way to know for sure is try it out WITHOUT the snake in the enclosure.

Whatever you use, as long as you can maintain proper temps, ranging between 75-83, it should be fine.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
36.51 BRB
29.42 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

You're welcome.

Yeah I always use the word "heat pad" but I am really using a t-rex cobra heat mat for reptiles. I have two of these in different sizes. Thanks for the info.

Just make sure you leave one end not heated by the pad. The unheated ammount to be determined by the ambient temps outside the enclosure....

Warmer area = less area on top of the heat pad.

Cooler area = more of the enclosure on the heat to help keep the entire enclosure warm.
-----
Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count (05/26/2009):
36.51 BRB
29.42 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

These get very hot without a rheostat or thermostat not connected to them, usually in excess of 100 degrees, brb are a cooler temp species, so make sure the snake has a way of retreating well away from the heat spot. I use trex mat for my female brb in a 4 foot enclosure with a helix set at 84 degrees with a background temp of 75 to 80 and she rarely uses the hot spot.

so be careful
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Thanks,

Frank Roberts

Thanks guys....I know what you mean with the heated end and cooler end along with a dimmer or a herpstat which I like to use with my rack for my kings and milks which I breed. It's just that BRB will be my first kind of boa and I just wanted to see what kind of heat source can be used and looks like I can got for a heat mat. I am getting a BRB for a pet/display snake for our living room.

Sorry about the typo I meant...."looks like I can get to use a heat mat".