what do I need now?

[thelessa]

this is the enclosure I have now.

I have rope lighting on the top right half perimeter 2' square. I take him outside every other day for his dose of sunlight.

measures 4'x4'x2'

I have since discovered that yes, in fact, the stick-on temp gauges suck ***.

I use the heat treated bark substrate.

I live in Orange County, Calif. and summer has been quite warm. However, winter will come and I am concerned about heating the enclosure, as the walls, ceiling and floor are all melamine. I was told today (when I looked at the package anyway) that the self-stick heating pads would be a *bad* Idea.

So, what do you all suggest?

[eyespy]

What kind of herp lives in there? Knowing that will help us decide what heat source might be best.

I like radiant heat panels for non-basking species and just plain old incandescent or halogen light bulbs with a fluorescent UVB tube or mercury vapor bulbs for the basking reptiles. For such a nice tall cage I'd probably go with mercury vapor if I had a basker in there.

[thelessa]

Sorry!!! Dorky girls typing late at night!

Red Tail Boa, 7 ft. age unknown, male

[Bartman]

isnt that enclosure not supposed to be so vertical? For a red tail that is? Im pretty sure they are not aborial and need more floor space that height...i cuold be wrong but thats what i think..

[Lisa]

that enclosure would be better suited to an aborial species but that's besides the point. we use UTHs on our melamine enclosures and have no problem. I know other people doing the same with flexwatt (basicly a do the connections yourself UTH).

[Snakecharm]

Well, my understanding is that boas will use floor space more readily than height. But the length and depth are still pretty decent for a boa that size, so while it may be a waste of space, it's not a totally unacceptable enclosure. Also, if I'm looking at the pic right, it seems to me that the boa is making use of the ability to climb.

[thelessa]

I was under the impression that boas *were* arborial, but if that is incorrect, I have a weird snake.

As you can see, this is where is at right this second, and this is where he hangs out unless its feeding or bath time.

I am unfamiliar with the term "UTH".

But so far, thanks for all the comments. Everyone has been so helpful!

Lessa

[crazyboy]

UTH = under tank heater

[Big Mike]

It is pretty cool to have a boa that likes to climb so much...but I'm taking a guess that your boa is climbing up there because that is the warmest spot because it's near to the rope light. If the temperature up there is adequate then this may be OK...but it's not the best IMHO.

What you need is a place where the snake can get it's body up to a nice warm (and safe) temperature, preferably with the option to hide as well. An under tank heater hooked up to a control device (rheostat or thermostat) would make an ideal heat source if placed under your enclosure. You could then place a hide of some kind on the floor so that the snake can both hide and get warm. It may turn out the the snake then spends a lot of time in the hide, on the floor...rather than up on the branch. While this is not as cool to look at, it would be in the best interest of the snake.

Good luck.