A thought...

[Kat]

You know what's been on my mind. Gradient tile flooring. Know what I mean? People use it to heat their house with. They take ceramic tiles and some special under tile heat source and Voila! The tile warms up. Now, do you think we can use this to our advanage?? This sounds like it could have potential in making herp enclosures!

[asphyxia]

Hi Kat,

I have looked into it one word sums it up for me...Expensive!


Cheers
Brian

[Bryce Masuk]

many have water pipes that have hot water flow under them to heat the house however there are electric ones and they are expensive heat tape works fine for me

[Kat]

Ahhh, I see! Ok, I just wasn't sure exactly how they worked! Thanks guys!! :)

[Gregg M]

Bottom heat is not a natural heat....... Reptiles like to get heat from above........ I have never used any type of under tank heat and all my animals live well and breed like crazy......... All glass aquariums are trash....... Reptiles should not be kept in them....... The trick is to buy or build a proper cage........ One that you can heat from a top source....... One that will maintain heat and humidity when the lights go out at night........ Air temp is important, not ground temp........

[dead bob]

For diurnal animals I would agree with you but not for nocturnal. Nocturnal reptiles can not get heat from above. For example, here in Arizona, most of our reptiles are nocturnal due to it's just too damn hot during the day. :D At night, they come out and thousands are killed every year while they are basking on the roads. At night you can find all sorts of reptiles basking on rocks or roads when they first come out for the night.

I'm the exact opposite of you in that I don't use over head heat sources. I keep my entire herp room at a constant ambient temp and use UTH's for hot spots. All my animals are thriving. But I guess the important thing is if the animals are doing well, all is good. JMHO

[Matt]

hey gregg, what brand/style cages do you use for your bitis?
just interested, not sure if you ever mentioned it before?
thx

[Burmies]

Also, having no substrate to soak up any stoll or pee so the snake does not move around in it.

Burmies

[Gregg M]

Hey Matt,
I use visions.... I would only use them for bitis though....... I know that visions are not good for most venomous species but they are great for bitis....... They dont seem to have the great climbing ability as cobras or other vipers........ I have kept cobras in visions but I allways had to hit the cage so they would come off the top lip above the glass before opening........ Never had that problem with gaboons.........