Salis
05-18-12, 10:46 PM
So I'm making the jump to flexwatt like everyone originally told me I should. Of course, this is a scary thing for me because UTHs have made me nervous and skeptical, not to mention terribly paranoid of overheating issues. To get to the point, I'm just concerned with choosing an amount of this stuff for what I've got.
I've done a lot of reading on several forums from people asking questions like this, so I'm aware that it's been beaten to death and I apologize for that. I can't seem to find an answer that suits my exact specifications, so I'm just gonna ask.
The enclosures I'm wanting to heat are sterilite tubs:
36x18x6
43x19x6
The animals in these are indian sand boas, and I'm seeking a 90-95 degree warm side. The room these tubs are currently kept in stays at an average of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. All that being said, I have some questions:
1. What measurement of flexwatt would you recommend to heat these tubs?
2. Would I want to use a larger amount if both were in the same enclosure (when put together for breeding) so that both had access to warm-belly-spots?
3. When using UTHs, it's obvious that the temperature of the pad itself is nowhere near the temperature beneath the snake's belly. The plastic tubs aren't thick, but there are significant differences in temperature. Do I take the temp from the tape itself, the surface of the "floor", or the open air above it? This has been a great source of confusion for me regarding temperature monitoring in general.
4. Is Flexwatt tape something that would be safe to use for an enclosure that sat on a carpet? It's "footed" so that it never actually touches (by a couple inches) but it still seems as if it could be dangerous.
Sorry for the essay, guys. I just want to make sure these boas are safe and happy. Thanks for any help or advice you can give me.
I've done a lot of reading on several forums from people asking questions like this, so I'm aware that it's been beaten to death and I apologize for that. I can't seem to find an answer that suits my exact specifications, so I'm just gonna ask.
The enclosures I'm wanting to heat are sterilite tubs:
36x18x6
43x19x6
The animals in these are indian sand boas, and I'm seeking a 90-95 degree warm side. The room these tubs are currently kept in stays at an average of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. All that being said, I have some questions:
1. What measurement of flexwatt would you recommend to heat these tubs?
2. Would I want to use a larger amount if both were in the same enclosure (when put together for breeding) so that both had access to warm-belly-spots?
3. When using UTHs, it's obvious that the temperature of the pad itself is nowhere near the temperature beneath the snake's belly. The plastic tubs aren't thick, but there are significant differences in temperature. Do I take the temp from the tape itself, the surface of the "floor", or the open air above it? This has been a great source of confusion for me regarding temperature monitoring in general.
4. Is Flexwatt tape something that would be safe to use for an enclosure that sat on a carpet? It's "footed" so that it never actually touches (by a couple inches) but it still seems as if it could be dangerous.
Sorry for the essay, guys. I just want to make sure these boas are safe and happy. Thanks for any help or advice you can give me.