heating

[kreaturekeeper]

I have a DIY melamine terrarium for a ball python. I have a radiant heat panel in it which I decided upon after talking to many people on this forum. Its been pretty good but I have to run the thing pretty much full blast (on thermostat of course) to get the proper heating requirements. Even so it is slightly on the cool side.
I was thinking of a heat mat placed inside with a frame around and plexiglass on top and sealed. If this thing is sealed from inside the terrarium where does the airflow come from to keep it from frying? Is the hole from the cord enough? I just have no idea how to put this in to be safe for my snake and not wrecking the mat.
I have looked through many other posts about uth in wood tanks but haven't found my answer.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Mikoh4792]

I've never worked with melamine but if putting the heat pad under the tank is not sufficiently heating the enclosure, there is a member here who cuts out a square on the bottom(a little bigger than the heat pad) and replaces it with a square tile(rock, ceramic...etc) or anything that absorbs heat better. Then you put the heat pad underneath the tile and it should work fine.

How tall is your enclosure? I use radiant heat panels as well and I've found that it's only good for a basking spot if it is a few inches away, other than that it doesn't really create a localized hotspot on the ground. If anything, you can always put something under the heat panel (like a block, or steps) to reduce the distance from the heat panel and basking surface.

Or another thing you can do (which is what I will do later on) is create a shelving system under the heat panel so that your snake can thermoregulate by going into different levels of the shelf.

[kreaturekeeper]

Thanks for replying Mikoh. No, heating underneath the enclosure would not be doable. hmm I havent thought of cutting notch out of the bottom before.. Not all the way through right? Im trying to picture what this looks like. I would rather have an option to put the mat just on the bottom of the inside without the cutting if possible. I am assuming he seals his? Is there no problem with no airflow though..
Its a 4' x 2' and 18" tall with a 80 watt RHP. I have been told that I shouldnt be having my heating problem with it but I am so I just dont know.. hence the need for back up heat.
My second idea is making a frame and dropping the rhp. But I would prob still have to have it going at full power to get the right temp. I do like the idea of belly heat too which is why I figured if this is an option, I would like the UTH in too.

[Mikoh4792]

Thanks for replying Mikoh. No, heating underneath the enclosure would not be doable. hmm I havent thought of cutting notch out of the bottom before.. Not all the way through right? Im trying to picture what this looks like. I would rather have an option to put the mat just on the bottom of the inside without the cutting if possible. I am assuming he seals his? Is there no problem with no airflow though..
Its a 4' x 2' and 18" tall with a 80 watt RHP. I have been told that I shouldnt be having my heating problem with it but I am so I just dont know.. hence the need for back up heat.
My second idea is making a frame and dropping the rhp. But I would prob still have to have it going at full power to get the right temp. I do like the idea of belly heat too which is why I figured if this is an option, I would like the UTH in too.

He cuts a square in the bottom all the way through. I think he said he seals the tile to the enclosure.

Heating would be much more efficient with the pad inside, however, I don't think the risk is worth it(malfunctioning, electrical).


18" tall and a 80 watt rhp should work, where and how do you place the thermostat?


For my 2ft tall enclosure I use both rhp's and belly heat. Terrestrial snakes I use belly heat for basking and rhp to heat ambient air temps. For my arboreal snakes I use rhp to heat an elevated basking area and belly heat during the winter to keep floor temps above 75

[kreaturekeeper]

oh I see what you're saying. I would then put short legs on my enclosure maybe for airflow underneath? I agree much safer. I had not heard of that idea before. My ball used to be in one of those screen top glass ones when she was young (I know I hated it too hence the switch) and I had a UTH stuck to the bottom of it. This would be a similar idea I guess.
I have tried the probe under her hide and it was a bit too cool. Her hides are black so when temps were measured on the top of them it was significantly higher. I was just bothered that the substrate that she lies on was on the cooler side of optimal temps even with the rhp at full power..

[Mikoh4792]

I use rubber feet with an adhesive side to elevate my enclosures. Gives about a quarter inch gap for airflow.

Yeah if the rhp isn't working for you I would just it for heating ambient temps and use belly heat for basking.

[kreaturekeeper]

yeah I love it for ambient temps! but I need more.. I think together they will work well.
Anyone else have ideas for installing a UTH to a melamine tank? or is this the way to go. It does sound simple enough. Would plexiglass work instead of a tile? just because I think I have extra

[Mikoh4792]

yeah I love it for ambient temps! but I need more.. I think together they will work well.
Anyone else have ideas for installing a UTH to a melamine tank? or is this the way to go. It does sound simple enough. Would plexiglass work instead of a tile? just because I think I have extra

Anything that can transfer heat efficiently and be stable so that it won't collapse will work.

[kreaturekeeper]

well I have an extra piece of tile laying around too so I'll do that. Thanks for the help man

[pdomensis]

Hope you don't mind me jumping in and asking questions, but isn't what you're describing with a UTH sealed in a tile the same as a heat rock? Why not use a heat rock on a dimmer/thermostat? I know they've had problems in the past but it seems that can be accounted for.

[Terranaut]

Just get a bigger rhp.

[kreaturekeeper]

pdomensis- In my opinion heat rocks have got a bad reputation for a reason and I will never use one with my ball python. Also I need a slim flat surface to put her hide over top.

Terranaut- I do not have a wack of cash laying around to put down on ANOTHER rhp.. and The 80 watt already takes up I think almost half of my roof space so a bigger one would pretty much just be in the center and I would not have proper hot and cool sides.

The option stated above by Mikoh4792 will be the best for me I think
Thank you all for the input :)