Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have one ball python and no cages to stack with my boaphile cage. CAge worked like a charm in warm weather but now that winter in Connecticut is upon me--I'm having problems. Snake stopped eating 2 1/2 months ago. I live with a roommate and we have central air heating --can't jack the room temp up. Day temps are 65 and night temps 68-70. Warm side of cage with temp probe, flexwatt and reostat set up is set at 91-92 during day and 87-88 at night. Cool side of cage is way too cool --65-67 night and day. I recently insulated the cage with insulation board with R-10 value--that has helped with the warm side of the cage--but cool side has not really changed. I have the water bowl over the flexwatt side and humidity reads 50%(i know it should be between 60-70%) Wondering if I should buy a flex watt pad and stick it under the cage on the cool side? Any other ideas on heat?

are you using your own flexwatt or the installed boaphile low watt tape??
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uhh... I think that is it.

I'm using the installed flexwatt.

Lysa,

Since you're already using the installed heat and it's not effective enough I'd recommend installing a radiant heat panel on the ceiling of the cage. That would be your least invasive way of adding extra heat safely. More invasive ways of heating would involve cutting and modifying the cage to accept other heat sources. You can purchase Enerjoy radiant heat panels for a good price from www.herpsupplies.com Just email the guy that runs the place and he should be able to help you select the proper size.
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Matt Campbell
Animal Keeper
Small Mammal/Reptile House
Lincoln Park Zoo
Chicago, IL
Assistant Curator
Wildlife Discovery Center at
Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

np
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Matt Campbell
Animal Keeper
Small Mammal/Reptile House
Lincoln Park Zoo
Chicago, IL
Assistant Curator
Wildlife Discovery Center at
Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

Lysa,
I had (have) almost the same exact problem - one ball python in my first new Boaphile 36x24x18 cage (with the installed heating)in a sometimes cool room. My room temps are a little better than yours, but not much. Here are a few things to try if you haven't already. They've helped me somewhat.

1. Insulate the bottom of the cage with something - I covered the table in Al foil and then put a piece of plate glass on top of it and the cage on top of that. It helps to keep you from losing heat out the bottom, which is where it's being generated in the first place. Before I did this, I used my temp gun to measure the underside of the table, and it was about 85 degrees, meaning the flexwatt in the cage was actually heating through a 1" wood table instead of heating the cage. The insulation helps to direct some of the heat back where it should be.

2. Manipulate the hidespots - the temperature gradient may be 92-69 across the whole cage, but it's probably more like 92-80 across the warm half of the cage. Move the "cool side" hidebox to a spot that will not be unacceptably cold for the snake during the day. At night, when he's out crawling around from warm side to cool side, it's probably less of an issue than being in his hidebox for 12 hours at 72 degrees. Just make sure to check temps with a probe in the actual hide box to make sure you're not forcing an overly warm situation.

Let me know if you come up with other ideas, because I don't think we're the only ones to have this problem. I think Boaphiles are excellent cages, just not equipped with enough heating for a cool room. Good luck.

Jay
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