Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I want to build a rack sytem based off Ro's plans but with a few modifications. I was thinking that if I bought the flexwat heat tape, drilling a small hole in the back for the wire and actually placed it on top of the shelf, Then covered the heat tape with tile to keep the geckos from making direct contact, I would probably actually grout the gaps to make sure no toes or anything could actually touch the heat tape. Anyway how does that sound? Do you all think it would be safe with the tile covering the heat tape? I would of course monitor and control heat with thermometers and rheostats(sp?) or thermostats. Also I was planning on building it into double units with a solid divider down the middle and have the 11" heat tape in the middle, so the hot side would be 5.5 inches inside each adjoining cage. For example if I went 6 high, I would actually have 12 cages. It would probably be 5' wide with each cage being 2.5'x shelf debth (probably around 18" and probably 18" high too.. So What do you all think? If I am not making this clear let me know and I'll try to attach a diagram.
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Cheryl

That sounds awesome i want one of those too. Ro's got awesome instructions. You're using 11' flexwatt tape?! that's HUGE!
But whatever im not sure of your other dimensions, best of luck with that

That is an ambitious design! It is going to weigh a TON! Email me if you need any help with design issues and I'll help you where I can.
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www.hullabalooherps.com

I use 3" heat tape with large ceramic tiles in the cage I keep the ball pythons in. The 3" works well, I wouldn't use the 11" (way too much heat). Maybe just use 3 or 4" flex watt and put it in the middle as you described...the tile will absorb a lot of the heat and disperse it nicely in a broad area. Melamine will also hold the heat well. I am not a fan of flexwatt for safety reasons. I am going to build another one (then I will have 6 of these dang things) with routed out areas for heat cable that will be covered over with tile or sand/tile. It is easy to modify these to put lights, heat or whatever you need to wire in. ok that is it I think.
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www.hullabalooherps.com

When you refer to heat cable are you refering to the stuff they usually wrap around pipe in cold climates? Not the flat kind but the kind that is actually round?. If so I know where I can get that near home. (Only a 2 hour drive HeHe) I was actually looking at it wondering if it would work. That would work better in my plan too. Or I was looking for some red rope lights. It is that season.
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Cheryl

The heat cable is a zoo med product. I was thinking about using the pipe heater once but I didn't because there was something in the instructions that seemed to make it a safety hazard...I don't quite remember what it was though. (I forget things!lol) I have noticed some people posting about the heat cable now, interesying how that works! I use the red rope lighting on my racks and it orks great!
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www.hullabalooherps.com