Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Building a tub rack sytem and wanted o know if it would be okay to use back heating? We're going to use flewatt heat tape for heating, my snakes have always been in glass cages with under tank heaters but I realy need to make this tub rack to save space. So would it be okay to use back heat? Or try for bely heat> Thanks for any info

Back heat is easier. I use 11 inch flexwatt tape and run it down the back of my homemade racks which is made of pegboard. Seems to work fine. My RBI racks also came with back heat. I have no problems with overheating, or too cool/regurges. Snakes seem to being doing just fine with back heat. I do use thermostats set at about 85 with the probe about an inch or so away from the tape.

No easy answer. If, like the other poster, you can maintain 85 deg inside the box at the back, then great. In a warm room easy, in a cold room, not so easy with back heat.

Then again, if you insulate the outside back wall very well, it will help even if in a cold room.

I think back heat is definitely the easier method when building your own racks. Effectiveness depends on the ambient room temps and/or your ability to insulate the rack enough.
-----
Mark

Thank you both for the info, yeah I'm prolly going with back heat as it will be much easier and faster. The room stays decently warm, we have more troble keeping it cool in the dessert summers lol Thanks again for input on the matter ^^