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So I was planning on making a 4x2x2 cage for a dumeril boa. She is getting to big for her cage now. I wanted to make the top out of screen so it has ventilation and so I could use a heat emitter on top. The rest of the cage is going to be wood except for one side, I was going to have plexiglass or glass there so I could see in and for light. Any suggestions on type of screen to use or if this is a bad idea?
Thanks in advance.

Tim

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Tim W.
http://tsw.f2g.net

Not a good idea.. It will make it hard to maintain humidity, and also provide a place for the boa to rub their noses on. Also keeping a proper ambient temp is more difficult in a screened enclosure.
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Randall L Turner Jr.
www.aircapitalconstrictors.com

I wouldn't either... the snakes can rub their noses on the screen looking for a way out and this will cause the skin to break and get infected...just not really a good idea.

not extremly hard to control tempreature, you're just going to end up using a whole heck of a lot more electricity in your heating. It will, however, be nearly impossible to control the humidity. i'd go with a solid top and use a radiant heat panel.
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-Chris

0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat
1.0 Black Rat
0.1 Vietnamese Blue Beauty
1.0 Green Tree Python
0.1 Texas Bairds Rat

The educated are the few. The uneducated are the masses.

North American Rat / Corn Snake Care Sheet

Anyone recommend a radiant heat panel? All the ones I saw were a lot of money. I'm guessing they are all pretty good, but I'd like to hear if one sucks if I am going to spend $100 on it.
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Tim W.
http://tsw.f2g.net

These things kick butt. They are just great products all around. They use infrared technology heat, so no electricity is wasted on producing light. (the reason it takes 100 watts to get x lumens out of an incandescant bulb is that it takes so many watts just to heat the filiment and keep it hot, whereas a 22 wat flourescent puts out the same x lumens, but it doesnt need to heat a filiment, thats where you save in energy costs.)

Looking at the reverse here, we are only looking at heat, not light. In this purpose, visible light is the byproduct we don't care about. Infrared heat (which in all technicalities IS a form of light, but not a visible light) is produced with a lot less wattage used, because we aren't creating that visible light byproduct.

To make it simple, it saves you money, lol. I would reccomend the Pro Products panel. I have a pro panel and 3 helix panels (i got them as 3 for about $150 during a clearance sale). The pro panel cost me $100, but it's worth it. I wish I had all 4 pro panels.

The helix panels have to outgas, or stop smelling, which takes around a 3 week period. Pro Panels have nothing to outgas. You can use them once you get them.

Helix panels have a lip. Your snake can crawl up on this lip, fal and hurt itself, or even potentially rip the heater from the ceiling. Either way, it's not a desired thing to happen.

For a 4x2x2 cage you will only need the small Helix heat panel, and call pro products and they'll sell you the one you need (it'll most likely be the $90 model...which is what I have. All my cages are 4x2x2. I have the medium panels and they're just too big.)

They direct heat downwards, giving your snakes the same type of heating they would naturally receive from the sun (overhead heat). This will let them climb, if they like to do that - i know nearly nothing about boas.

I know both helix and pro products make good products. Helix panels work fine, I just prefer the pro panel. With the weight of the boa, i'd be worried about him climbing up on it. here's a picture of the pro panel and helix panel for comparison.

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-Chris

0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat
1.0 Black Rat
0.1 Vietnamese Blue Beauty
1.0 Green Tree Python
0.1 Texas Bairds Rat

The educated are the few. The uneducated are the masses.

North American Rat / Corn Snake Care Sheet

Great points by everybody.

Keep in mind that a $100 heat panel will last you many many years of trouble-free heating (use a thermostat or controller!), give you lots of heat for the energy used, and eliminate the need to replace bulbs. It really does pay for itself after awhile. And for large boids it is the most effective way to heat a cage if the room isn't heated itself.

>>Anyone recommend a radiant heat panel? All the ones I saw were a lot of money. I'm guessing they are all pretty good, but I'd like to hear if one sucks if I am going to spend $100 on it.
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>>Tim W.
>>http://tsw.f2g.net
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Mark G

It looks like your using a tank now which means your using a screen top. If your snake hasnt rubbed its nose raw than why not use another screen.
I use tanks because want the option of overhead light/heat and never had a snake rub its nose raw with a screen. Hardware stores sell plastic coated screens so they arent hard to find think called PVC coated screens.
I just bought a plastic cage because going to put some cages on steel cabinet with shelves but I think tanks with screen tops are fine never had a single problem.
Though like others here say and I agree tanks with screen not the best for holding heat but again I like overhead light/heat.
By the way your snake is great looking.

Well...I see Dumeril's, so I dont think holding humidity is an issue. Heat however will be another story.
I would use a vinyl coated hardware cloth. I'm pretty sure you can find it at Home Depot.
You may however, want to consider using a radiant heat panel bolted to the underside of the screen instead of using a CHE.
The rhp is much more efficient. It will also close off some of the screen top to slow down heat loss.
Another possibility...one half acrylic, one half screen for the top.
I've had my Dums in screen covered enclosures, ( 75 gal tanks )and have yet to see one rubbing their noses.

Humidity has always been good for her (I assume) with a 20g long tank and screen top. She always shed pretty good. She never rubs her nose on the screen either, at least not to the point of me noticing it or causing wounds. I was just thinking of keeping it the same since it has been working for me so far. I never had to do anything for her humidity except maybe a spray once or twice a shed if I catch her before it. I just thought it would be easier since I have her in this kind of setup now and it works, and I don't have a radiant heat panel.
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Tim W.
http://tsw.f2g.net

If you're going to use a RHP, just go ahead and get yourself a solid wooden top. If nothing more it will make the cage easier to build, it will make it more sturdy, and it'll look nicer. I wouldn't put a RHP on a screen top anyway, you'll loose too much heat from that..gonna run your power bill up a lot.
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-Chris

0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat
1.0 Black Rat
0.1 Vietnamese Blue Beauty
1.0 Green Tree Python
0.1 Texas Bairds Rat

The educated are the few. The uneducated are the masses.

North American Rat / Corn Snake Care Sheet