Amazon Tree Boa Setup....

[nicksnakes]

Hi,

Ive just built my Amazon tree boa setup its 3ft by 3ft by 2ft deep... my problem is what to use for Heating and lighting...i dont know wheather to use a Heat emmiting bulb and a long repti sun light bulb....or a standard 100watt builb and a heat matt like my red tail boas setup....

could i also see some other setups with live plants in and what sort of live plants to use....

thanks
nick

[Zoe]

You can use Pothos vines... they are awesome : strong, sturdy, nice big leaves, grow anywhere.

As for lighting, a buld or ceramic heat emiter would be best... you could either make a metal mesh box to put around the bulb so the snake cant wrap around it, or just place it outside the enclosure pointing in ( cut a hole in the wood and cover it with mesh so the heat goes in). Either way, hook it up to a rheostat (dimmer) so you can control the heat that is emitted (CHEs get pretty hot. They also cost a lot more but last longer than normal heat bulbs)

http://www.foliageunlimited.net/images/pothos.jpg

http://www.chameleonpages.com/images/pothos.jpg

Good luck!
Zoe

[PoiSoNouS]

you could use some red light to heat all day long, since they are never on the floor, a heat pad is not enough...
For the light, you can use a standard 60 watt bulb, (it heats enough trust me)
;)

[nicksnakes]

i think what ill do is use a red heat light linked up to my microclimate temp controller set at around 80-84 f and a standard 60 watt bulb for the light with the wire mesh round it inside the cage....


thanks

like the plants just hop i can get those in the uk

[Bryce Masuk]

I would NOT use a Che It will dry the cage and leave you with very little humidity
I would use a red light bulb or a radiant heat panal if you have the $$ to spend

[nicksnakes]

forgot to post.....

would the red light bulb be ok to leave on going through my temp controller all day n night 24/7......

[geckoguy157]

i found out a new plant ok for reptiles a week ago there called snake plant (thats there actual name at a nursery) they are non toxic to reptiles they have big leaves that go straight up into the air and almost form a tube they are a preety cool looking plant i think

[Zoe]

I think any strong plant would be fine for an ATB because they don't eat the plant. I could be wrong on this...

Oh! I looked up Snake Plants and as far as they could tell they werent vines. And were totally toxic:
http://plantsdatabase.com/go/431/

Zoe

[Linds]

Another option are radiant heat panels. They are a bit expensive initially, but are very economic in the long run. They don't give off any light, but they heat the enclosure well, do not dry out the air like lights and CHE's, and your snake cannot get burned on them.

[RaVeNo888o]

are regular 40W bulbs ok to use for lighting? my regular reptile bulb burt out and i need some lighting (cant remember brand and stuff but it gave a more natural light)

[Linds]

RaVeNo888o,
Regular incandescent bulbs are fine for heating enclosures, however you will have to play around with the wattages to see which works best for your enclosure.

[RaVeNo888o]

ok thanks, i was worried that they would give off some weird radiation or something lol..Ive been having trouble getting the heat up to 85ish lately, its usually around 80 during the day, so i put a 40W ontop of the cage (one of those desk lamp things). When i get some money i will buy a better thermo, and use it on the heated side and move the one i have to the cool side, cause the one i have is a cheap stick on one (not those flat, directly on the glass ones though)

[Vanan]

since they are never on the floor
Just thought I'd add that ATB's aren't as Arboreal as ETB's. They may even spend 50% of their tiime on the ground. And we're talking healthy snakes here.

[BoidKeeper]

ATB's unlike ETB's spend a lot of time of the floor. I use both a UTH and a heat lamp, both on dimmers.
Cheers,
Trevor

[Vanan]

LOL! We both did it at the same time!

[BoidKeeper]

Jinx!
Cheers,
Trevor

[Invictus]

If your room is reasonably warm, a 40 watt should be fine. I've used 40 watt bulbs to get enclosures up past the 90 degree mark.

[RaVeNo888o]

wut kind of set up did you use this with..was the bulb right at the top of your enclose because right now mine is about 6 inched above the top. Its a 20g tank with the 'cage' lid.

edit to say: oh ya.. i have two pieces of cardboard covering 2 thirds of the top of the tank, on the cooler side to try and help trap some heat in. the other side i open to allow the light in, i also have the UTH on the open/lit side.