Could I have a bit of help?

[Raaru Venn]

So I think I've made a bit of a mistake, and made a few purchases that ultimately caused me to lose money.

I Am planning on getting a baby female Columbian Redtail boa. And I recently purchased a 30"x12"x12" Vivarium. (cause I read on a care sheet that's a good sized cage for a baby boa). Though i've run into an issue as far as heating the entire tank. There are some people who used under the tank heaters, and some people who use lightbulbs. I don't actually like the thought of lightbulbs cause to me it seems like it would sap the humidity out of the air. I currently have a 8"x8" Under the heating pad, and it doesn't seem like near enough output. Do I have the wrong size? or are there a few other things I can do to add to the tank (Asides from lightbulbs) That can bring it to the right temp (ps... bedding is not in yet.)

[Oleman]

I have almost always used radiant heat panels for larger snakes.
For a UTH when used in tubs I always needed to cover half the tubs bottom before I would get optimal temps.
CHE are another great option.
8x8 doesn't seem large enough to properly heat the oposite side of the cage at say room temp.

[Oleman]

I should note that I had an 8ft cage heated by flex watt once. Covered all but the first 12" and all but the last 18" of the bottom with 14" flex I think. Then used a CHE on that last 18" to create a hot spot.
Worked like a charm. This was in a basement that was about 65 degrees.

[jpsteele80]

you could also cover the top of the cage with tin foil and poke a few small holes in for breathing to try and keep more heat it, if you used a dome with a CHE just cut a hole in the tin foil just slightly smaller than the dome, that would create the heat you need

[eminart]

I covered basically the entire top of my boa's enclosure with a piece of acrylic from an old poster frame. I cut a hole large enough to put a dome lamp over the top and I put a CHE (ceramic heat emitter) in that. Works fine.

In the end, heat will dry things out no matter where it is coming from. Eighty degree air temperature is eighty degree air temperature. Reducing ventilation is the only way to hold humidity.

[Blueblood]

Radiant heat panels for larger cages and ceramic heat emitters for smaller ones. Low wattage heat bulbs can be used, they don't tend to suck out the humidity like incandescent bulbs do. Heat panels or heat emitters are the best and safest way to go.

[dannybgoode]

Ceramic heat emitter and a good pulse thermostat. A thermostat is a must - no ifs or buts. CHE's are capable of kicking out a ferocious amount of heat so need to be controlled.

100W will be fine in a viv that size and see this thread I wrote on how to set up a viv with a CHE and a thermostat

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-enclosure-discussion/111433-how-properly-place-thermostat-probe-snake-viv.html

It will give you a good starter on the probe placement etc.

To be honest I'm not a fan and do not agree that baby snakes need to be kept in small vivs. For a Boa imperator (the type of boa you are looking at) I'd start them off in a 4'x2' and assuming they don't get much above 6' I'd leave them in that.

No need to upsize with the snake - just start them off large but make sure they have plenty of hiding places.