Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have two cages I am going to use them in, but I also have heat sources at the bottom, would this be to much. Or would the heat panals by it self heat up enough. I use the exto heat pads. But about 1/3 of the cage is still cold.

Thanks
Jeff
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0.1 Rott
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python

1/3 of the cage is still cold.

I would think that you would want a 1/3 of the cage to remain cool so that your animals can thermoregulate properly.

>>I would think that you would want a 1/3 of the cage to remain cool so that your animals can thermoregulate properly.
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Mark G

What you said about leaving the "cold" part cold for thermoregulatiion would be true for say a kingsnake. Notice though his list of snakes.. all tropicals for the most part. Having 1/3 of the cage "cold" might not be OK depending on how cold "cold" is.

For a Cal king, a 70 deg cool end is OK. For a retic, that may be too low.
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Mark G

>>I have two cages I am going to use them in, but I also have heat sources at the bottom, would this be to much. Or would the heat panals by it self heat up enough. I use the exto heat pads. But about 1/3 of the cage is still cold.

I think it would depend on the size of the cage and the size of the heat panel...

Heat panels are nice for large snakes because the panels throw out heat over quite a wide area. You need to size the heater to the cage and for the room background temperature.

For example, a 12x12 heat panel would be too small for a 6ft cage if the cage houses a 10ft retic and the room background temperature is under say 75 deg. It might be better to go with a 12x24 panel or two 12x12s in that case. Or, use the one 12x12 panel but also have Flexwatt under the cage.

So I guess the answer to your question depends on a number of factors. For sure, you won't be sorry getting a heat panel.
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Mark G

THe cold part of the cage is 70 degrees. See before I had them in a room then I moved and moved them to the basement. Now I am doing everything to raise the heat up. I bought medium heat panels (Helix) from LLL. I have a 6ft vision and a 4ft vision. I have the light spots for both. And about 1/3 of the cage has exo heat things underneath. If I had the heat panel would it be nessary for the heaters underneath? Would it heat that much up. The room temp 65- 70.
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0.1 Rott
1.0 Super Tiger
0.1 Green Burm
0.1 Ball Python
0.1 Red Tail
0.1 Blood Python

I'll tell you what I use.

All my cages are in a basement that is 67 - 72 or thereabouts during the cold months. I use RHPs in all my cages, ranging from 24 x 12 x 12 cages to a 67 x 30 x 18 cage. All plastic cages: Neodesha, BARRS, and a Monster Cage.

For the large Neodesha (67 x 30 x 18) I use an 18 x 24" PP RHP. In my 4-footers I use a 12 x 18" RHP in the left rear corner PLUS a small 6 x 12" RHP in the right rear corner.

For my 3-foot slanted Neos I use a 12 x 12" RHP. I also have a 36 x 18 x 12h BARRS cage that uses a 12 x 12" RHP.

In my 24 x 12 x 12 cages I use a 6 x 12" RHP.

In my arboreal GTP cage (26W x 24H x 18D) I use a 9 x 12" RHP.

All cages except the 4 and 6 footers are controlled with proportional thermostats. The large cages do not need them; in the warm months I just turn off the small 6 x 12" RHPs.

Regards,

Bill