Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am going to build a melamine cage about 30" by 24" by 24" (L,W,H) for my soon to come ball python. How would you heat a cage like that?
-----
0.1 Albino Leopard gecko
Coming Soon
1.0 ball python

That's not enough information.

If the cage were sitting in a cool room I would use a radiant heat panel or light bulbs on the ceiling of the cage.

If the cage only needed a small amount of supplemental heat I would build the cage without a floor and then attach a piece of 1/4" expanded PVC to the bottom and put an Ultratherm heat pad underneath. This would make for not only a lighter cage, but also one with a nice thermal gradiant and a durable, easy to clean floor.

The cage will be in a 65 degree room in the winter and around a 75 or 80 in the summer. A radient heat panel, what is that? How would you make a lightbulb safe in a cage so the animal won't get burned? I have heard a great deal about flexwatt being used in custom cages and racks and i was wondering what other options would be avaible.

If you need any more information can you tell me what you need to know?
-----
0.1 Albino Leopard gecko
Coming Soon
1.0 ball python

A melamine cage in a 65* room probably won't get enough heat from an undertank heat source. But that is also a function of how much ventilation you use, where it's located, etc.

A radiant heat panel is a thin panel placed on the inside ceiling of the cage. They are probably the ultimate way to heat individual cages. RHP's are pretty neat in that they are safe to touch but still generate a lot of radiant heat. A light bulb that produces the same amount of radiant heat will have a much hotter surface temperature and could burn a snake.

Helix heat panels are supposed to be very good.

Bulbs can be covered with wire guards. I've seen them on dealer sites who advertise in the Kingsnake market. I don't recall which companies offer them so it might take a bit of a search.

If you posted a thread with "Bulb Guard" in the title someone who knows may respond.

What size heat panel should i use though?
I also want to have a 15 infrared bulb for nocturnal viewing.
-----
0.1 Albino Leopard gecko
Coming Soon
1.0 ball python

a 15 watt bulb
-----
0.1 Albino Leopard gecko
Coming Soon
1.0 ball python

I'm not sure what size panel. You should probably look up their site and some dealers who carry their product to get that information.

Where can I find RHPs?

Thank you
Maggie

There are several cage supply companies who carry the Helix product. I see them with some regularity on the Caging Classlfieds.

Thank you so kindly!

You can buy some here...

-----
2.0 Ball Pythons (Kurt the Snake ~ Frosty McFry)
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat (OogieBoogie)
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa (NoFingers McGee)
1.1 Bearded Dragons (Saku ~ GracieJ)
0.0.1 Albino Ornate Pacman Frog (Jabba the Frog)
0.0.1 Ornate Pacman Frog (Hooter)
0.0.1 Emperor Scorpion (Still Thinking)
0.0.1 Usambara Tarantula - (FBD - Fire Ball of Death)
2.0 House Cats (Bill ~ Ted)

And a partrige in a pear tree...

~!Bearded Dragon Custom Cage Design!~

You can purchase them here...

www.justherps.com/heating.htm
-----
2.0 Ball Pythons (Kurt the Snake ~ Frosty McFry)
0.1 Leucistic Texas Rat (OogieBoogie)
0.1 Kenyan Sand Boa (NoFingers McGee)
1.1 Bearded Dragons (Saku ~ GracieJ)
0.0.1 Albino Ornate Pacman Frog (Jabba the Frog)
0.0.1 Ornate Pacman Frog (Hooter)
0.0.1 Emperor Scorpion (Still Thinking)
0.0.1 Usambara Tarantula - (FBD - Fire Ball of Death)
2.0 House Cats (Bill ~ Ted)

And a partrige in a pear tree...

~!Bearded Dragon Custom Cage Design!~