Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa, although it is not recommended, I am currently using a glass aquarium(20 gallon L). I have carpet bedding with towels underneath. I have three(3) live plants as well as a medium fountain w/ fogger. For heat, I use a 40-watt heater plus a heating pad underneath the tank. Temps on the warm side reach 80 degrees while the cools side reads 71 degrees. Am I on the right path???
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Aliame,
...Yes it sounds like you are on the right path. Did you get those temperatures down in the bottom of the cage where the snake will likely spend much of it's time? If you have a full screen top there will be lots of air dilution of the warm air in the cage with the cooler room air. This will make a thermometer read cooler temperatures up high in the cage while the floor of the cage may be much hotter. The open screen will also create a flue effect with warm moist air rising out of the warm end of the tank and cool dry air falling into the cool end. This will carry moisture out of the tank greatly lower the humidity inside. This should be avoided by covering all or nearly all of the screen with something solid. This will hold the humidity inside the cage but will also trap the heat inside the cage. You will probably get by with much less cage heating after you cover the screen. Perhaps just the undertank heater at one end will be more than enough. 40 watts plus an undertank heater is too much for a cage that size unless your room temperature is down in the 40s.
Jeff

>>I have a baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa, although it is not recommended, I am currently using a glass aquarium(20 gallon L). I have carpet bedding with towels underneath. I have three(3) live plants as well as a medium fountain w/ fogger. For heat, I use a 40-watt heater plus a heating pad underneath the tank. Temps on the warm side reach 80 degrees while the cools side reads 71 degrees. Am I on the right path???
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Thx Jeff for the feedback!!! The screen is covered with the same piece of carpet I use for the bedding. I used a Terra-cotta pot to measure and cut two holes, 1 for the lighting and 1 on the opposite end for air access.
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