Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i got a hogg island boa a couple days ago, spur of the moment deal i could not pass up. i got her in a temporary glass 55 gallon tank with a screen top. my problem is the tank seems not to be retaining heat. the heat all seems to escape out of the top and i've tried putting a heavy towel on top but the non heated side seems to get too chilly. the snake does not feel cold to the touch, but cool. any ideas from those who may have snakes in a glass tank to retain heat.

You did not mention how you are currently heating the tank...

Use an overhead radiant heat source of some sort if you are not already doing so. Either an incandescent bulb or ceramic heat emitter in a dome reflector will work.

Next, cover most of the screen top with Reflectix or another similar type of insulation. Depending on where you live you can probably find it sold by the foot at ACE Harware or similar store. Reflectix is that thin insulation that looks like bubble wrap covered with aluminum foil. You can even cover the back and sides of the tank if you like.

If you're using an undertank heat source currently I can suggest a couple of temporary fixes. Put a layer of aluminum foil over the screen and then put your towel over that. Also, increase the thermal mass inside of the cage, especially over the heat source.

Still, an overhead radiant heat source is better for a boa in a 55 gallon tank.

i have an uth now. like i said this was really last minute and unexpected and the local pet store only stocks uth. i do have that towel on top but will try foil under the towel to see how that works. this cage is only temp, she's about 5' possibly full grown. i just need to pick out and either order or built the cage i think will work best. i heard that hoggs like to climb so a two story cage might be an option. i'm not really sure now. thanks for the advise.