Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got my first boaphile cage in yesterday. i plugged it into the wall no thermostat (don't worry no snakes either just testing it out) this afternoon the hot spot is betwwen 85-89 degrees should it be hotter than that? the cage also came with these 2 little metal things and I have no idea what they are for can someone please help me out!
Thank you in advance,
Bea

The metal things are probably replacement knobs or latches. You can email the company about that.

As far as heating goes, I had trouble getting my Boaphile cages as warm as I wanted them. The heated ends would only boost the room temp by about five degrees, so I often have to supplement this by aiming a basking bulb on the outside of the cage (especially after feeding).

In my opinion, this is the only drawback to the Boaphile cages. Of course, if you have a room designated just for herps, you can increase the room temp without roasting the rest of the house, but most of us aren't lucky enough to have that kind of space.

Good luck.

-Brandon
www.nosnakeban.org

Bea those 2 tiny metal rods are stacking pins,
Boaphile Plastics have tiny holes on either side of the top of the cage, front end, about an inch or two away from the front edge.
This helps to stack the cages and keep them in place - very uniform and neat.

I would suggest you put your boa in there and see what he does..

What I mean is, I can send you a pick of stacks of my Boaphile Plastics and you will see that in EVERY SINGLE cage, the snake is on the OPPOSITE side of the heat.
This tells me that the heat is either adequate or probably even a bit more than what MY SNAKE would want and like...
Regardless of what I may want... understand?

I believe the low wattage heat, used for safety, is adequate and perfect, even without a thermostat, although not recommended.

My hot spots have reached 87-91, and my ambient temps about 78-84, and my boas couldn't be happier!

Healthy boas - healthy, large litters, healthy sheds, healthy poop!

nuff said for me.. lol

Hope this helps. take care - BciJoe
-----
Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

All I use are Boaphile cages, currently have 10 and want another 100....lol... but thats a whole other story.

My cages will not get above 89 (havent had them in summer yet). However the ambient room temp is only 72, makeing for a chilly atmosphere for my boas. My solution was very simple (a bit costly if you dont have the supplies lying around as I did). I have my boaphiles stacked 3 tall, and have a piece of heat tape on a reostat snaked between sets of two, with the third cage getting its own set of heat tape. I used the 11" tape. I set my heat tape at approx 90, and it will swing from 88-94 depending on room temps.

I have the heat tape on the opposite side of the heat, with approx a 2ft unheated gap between them. I have used my heat gun to check, and this set up currently gives me 3 seperate temperature zones for the animal to choose from. I also left about a 2" gab between the side wall and the heat tape so there is a small unheated border around the corner (I still have young boas, so the gap is larger then the space they generally take up). Of course I check my temps as the ambient temperatures fluctuate. Depending on the boa, when it last ate, and the ambient temp, I have seen the boas on either side of the cage, but generally not in the middle. Only when they are hungry do I find them in the middle (and my snakes likely get "hungry" more often then many due to my strict rule of never power feeding, generally a week to 10 days between small feedings, even with younger boas). So I would believe they need the added heat I have given them.

Joe, are you located in California? I would think your location would play a large role in the need or lack of need for supplemental heat when useing boaphile cages. I dont want to speak for Jeff, but I would think he would also need supplemental heat being in Minnesota. However as others stated, who knows Jeff may also have a climate controlled room for his animals, or it could be as simple as better insulation in his house (or higher thermostat setting). That would be an interesting "poll" on another topic. What does everyone keep there house set at, and what steps if any are taken to add heat to the animals, while often "freezing ourselves" to save energy. I know I have heat tape in soo many areas of my house its not funny. I personally keep the thermostat at 76, but the wife turns it down to 72 all the time.....brrr getting cold thinking about it.

Sorry so long

Mickey Hinkle
The Lizard King Reptiles

Mickey I live in a basement of a private house in NYC, where this past week and next, temps are between 4 - 14 degrees, with temps at -5 to -15 with the windchill - so it is COLD!

The basement is ice cold in winter and sweltering in the summer.

I have one very large room where I have several stacks of 421D's piled 6 high, and then stacks of Blanket Box racks and stacks of Sweater box racks.

The bottom cages laying on the cold tile floor have double heat installed. The racks are on carpet tiles or styrofoam 2" thick.

They are stacked along the same, inside wall (other side of wall is basement of adjoining house) but not directly against the wall because along that wall runs the heat/radiator along the floor. This is hot water/pipe heat, not steam or air.
The cages are about 6 inches away from the heat source.

The cages alone throw off ALOT of heat which do alot of the heating for my apartment - my thermostat is set to 62, yes, 62! The boaphiles do the rest!!! lol

It is always 74-78 in my home, and usually in the cages, it is about 78-84 ambient temp, and 87-91 or so on the hot side... and my boas are almost always on the cool end.
I also very rarely turn the installed lights on, which throw off a bit more heat.

During the summer, I run the A/C 24/7 to keep the apartment cool. I set it to 72 and it's automatic with a timer.This keeps the ambient temps in the 'snake room' at about 76~ and my bedroom at about 72... I LOVE it COLD!!!

The temps in the cages almost NEVER change, and if they do, it is extremely minor.

My blanket box racks - the older models - could use a bit more heat...
and my sweater box racks - clear box model - give more than enough heat.

Overall, as I have stated many, many times... I am EXTREMELY happy with all my Boaphiles and will continue to order more and more!

I have moved out ALL other cages/tanks/enclosures INCLUDING all my Huge Vision Cages, which were a royal pain to deal with FOR ME.

I produced 2 litters this past season out of 2 breedings - both the females were kept in the bottom enclosures, where they, at the time, were laying directly on cold tile with single heat.

Can you believe that the gravid females were almost NEVER on the hot spots???
My 8 footer dropped 27 live, 2 stillborn, 2 slugs
My 9 footer dropped 37 live, 2 premies, 11 slugs

Because of the way they continued to eat and rarely used the heat while gravid, I wasn't sure they were gravid until the day they dropped !!! LOL !!!

Oh, and I only use Black.

Take care - guys
-----
Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

All your answer and experience with boaphile cages has really helped me out. I think I will just connect a thermostate for safety reasons and to put a night drop for breeding. After I asked this question I realized what the pins were for and felt like an idiot for asking. I guess that happens to the best of us!lol.
Thanks again,
Bea

.
-----
Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo
'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin