Heating/UV

[Chris Steele]

I was going to use Heat Tape on my new cage. The cage is for corns and rats. I will still need UV want I? What is the cheapest/best thing to get it with and where will I find it?

Oh yeah, where can I get heat tape. They didnt have any at lowes last time I checked.

[Invictus]

Corn snakes and rat snakes do not require UV at all. I know at least for Corns, they are nocturnal, so they rarely see the light of day in the wild anyway.

Try Home Depot for the heat tape. (I'm at least fairly sure you have those in the states. :) ) It's usually used for heating PVC pipe, so you will probably find it in the plumbing department. However, it will not heat through the OSB. Like I said in another thread, if you have a wood bottom, you should be looking at an overhead heating method.

[Chris Steele]

I was actually planning on converting a dressor into a cage rack. The bottom is wooden, but its only about 1/4 inches thick, if that, do you still think that heat tape wont work?


See, I planned on just putting plexie over top of the drawers and then, putting hinges on it, in the back... so i would be able to slide the drawer out and check on them anytime, but whenever I want to hold/feed/clean them I will just take the drawer out and set it in the floor.

[Invictus]

At 1/4, it would heat nicely, but I'd be more worried about it being a fire hazard. Then again, I'm known for my paranoia. :)

[Chris Steele]

I'm sure it wont catch on fire. I wont have it all that hot.

Oh yeah, I have one BP that will be in the dressor also. It will need UV won't it?

I heard that the UV will help any snakes growth, is this true?

[Lisa]

heat tape and undertank heaters have no problems heating through our wooden enclosures. Ball Pythons don't need UV either (another nocturnal species). Come to think of it, other then rough green snakes, I can't think of any snakes that require UV, and i think it's mainly due to dietary concerns.

[Linds]

All boas and pythons, and most colubrids are nocturnal, which means none of them need UV lighting. In fact, even diurnal species do not require UV lighting as long as they are provided with the proper supplementation (this is still a heavily debated topic, however many diurnal species have been successfully kept and bred for many years without the use of UV). Nocturnal animals do receive small amounts of UV in the wild, but since it is so low they do not require it in captivity. Also, UV bulbs are very weak compared to what the sun gives off... my diurnal species spend a portion (some spend all day/night) outside when its warm out to recieve UV rays, and it doesn't hurt the nocturnal ones as long as it is for only very short periods (they aren't designed to be in the sun for extended periods). As for the thickness of wood you shouldn't have any problems heating that. The thickest wood I am heating with heat tape through is 5/8" thick and it does it with no problems ;)

[Chris Steele]

So what you are saying is that my snakes don't have to have UV, but it would help them slightly to have it? So if I got small UV flourescents and kept them on half the day, it would be good for the snake?

[Linds]

I doubt if you would see any difference. It may be like people taking vitamins if they were exposed to *real* sunlight for a short period of time. In the wild they do get real sunlight rays, filtered through leaves they are hiding under, or if they happen to go from one spot to another to thermoregulate. UV bulbs are very weak, and give off barely a fraction of what the real sun does. I wouldn't waste your money, but if you really want to, then it certainly won't hurt your snake.

[Chris Steele]

Thanks for helping. I guess I won't get a UV source for now.

Oh yeah, I have a new question. My basement stays about 65 percent humidity or 70, do you think that is too much for a corn/rat snake?

[Invictus]

Corns and rats are found all over the eastern US, including areas where it gets very humid. I don't think even 100% humidity would bother them too much, and in fact, 60 - 70 would be very helpful when they shed.