Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Can I cover up all the air holes in the back of my vision cage?(three in the back and one on top for a light bulb.)I havnt yet but is the gap in the glass enough? I imagine its not but the only way to keep up a little humidity is to close all up but a 3 inch by 1 1/2 square. My second question is My heat panel on the ceiling of the cage is not hot enough. I have a cheap thermostat by newtek hooked up 2 it. I put grapevine in there and set it to 98 degrees. I have two zoo med 10 dollar thermometers on the spot. and unless the heet spot is sandwiched close to the panel it reads 85 degrees. What am I doing wrong? can I put it against the wall of the cage? maybe raised 6 inches above the floor? I also rarely even see him on the hot spots. I forgot to mention. I took the snake in for a resperitory infection 3 times. spent about 500 bucks and all and the snake is not better. Using fortaz. Maybe this has a part. I need to take him soon again. Even though i have not much money coming in. 4th time. gotta find a better doctor and maybe get Baytril or whatever. Sorry for the long message. Im just worried. love my snake. Had him for over 4 1/2 years. Thanks!

I cover up the vents on my Vision cages with plexiglass and leave a small section or gap around the vent open for some airflow. This dramatically keeps the humidity in the cages. For heat I ascribe to the belly heat theory and use heat pads under the cages. Perhaps you can add a heat pad to supplement the heat panal. Bill
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...three years ago it was just another snake cult...
The Retic is King.
Anacondas-the other Dark Side.
Afrocks-the dark side of the Dark Side.

Ok so the 1 1/2 gap by 3 inch gap is enough? Ok, i guess ill get a heat pad to put under the vision cage. thank u!

Heat panels can be deceiving - they can feel not very warm, but if you put your arm for example below them and leave it there, you feel the warmth penetrating into your muscles.

How tall is the cage? I use a 40 watt in a 12-inch-high Vision, and that works. Heats the cage floor and anything there nicely. Taller cages may be tougher to get the results you want, depends on certain factors.

Try the heat panel NOT hooked up to a controller and see if there is a vast difference.
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Mark

Hey mark, thanks for ur help. the cage is 17 1/2 inches high and abou 5 feet wide by 30 inches wide. I put my hand on the panel and it was hot enough that i didnt want it on it for more than 5 seconds.

Nice size cage.

What size is your heat panel? I only use RHPs (Pro Products) and I have cages ranging from small to 6-feet wide, and some are 30" deep and 18" high.

In my 4-foot cages I use a 12 x 18" panel. In my 6-footers I use a 12 x 24" panel. Those cages are all 18" high.

My cages are in my basement, which can get down to the mid-60s in winter and mid-to-upper 70s in summer.

What size panel are you using?

B.

Wont it cause a fire or get way to hot without a thermostat?

>>Wont it cause a fire or get way to hot without a thermostat?

I meant while you are there to see what happens..

and no, it won't suddenly go ablaze. Might get warm in the cage. But we are talking about testing the heater here without the controller in the loop, not leaving the setup as permanent.
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Mark