Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a question about black melamime. I plan on using it to build cages for my light colored colubrids (snow corn, and 2 albino black rats) so that it brings out their colors better. The cages will be (corn) 48"x12"X12" and (black rats) 48"x12"x24" (LxDxH) My question is, will the fact that it is black absorb too much heat making it hard to make a decent gradient? And will the warm side get too warm with a 15w bulb?
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

The color black will not have a huge effect in my opinion in a cage setting. What is you heat source? If you are using radient heat then it won't be a factor at all. If you are using a high wattage MVB then it could be. The reason Black colored items get hot is because it doesn't reflect light but most normal bulbs don't put off enough light to matter. The sun is the biggest factor. My advice would be to build the cage and experiment with wattage in the bulbs to find what works best.

I think Black cages are the best all animals look great in them unless they match. And since most are unsecure the dark color is more soothing. We are not talking cages for Lizards.

Good Luck
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"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Hypomelenistic Red Tailed Boas
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino Red Tailed Boas
0.1 Suriname Red Tailed Boa
0.1 Anerthrystic Red Tailed Boa
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse

I will be using an UTH under the carpeting on a rheostat and a built in 15 watt bulb.
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0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"

In that setup I think the color will not effect it enough to matter.

>>I will be using an UTH under the carpeting on a rheostat and a built in 15 watt bulb.
>>-----
>>0.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
>>1.0 Ball Python "Wilson" (Castaway)
>>1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
>>.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
>>0.0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Onyx"
-----
"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Hypomelenistic Red Tailed Boas
2.0 Double Het Stripe Albino Red Tailed Boas
0.1 Suriname Red Tailed Boa
0.1 Anerthrystic Red Tailed Boa
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse