what is better below or above?

[spotnick]

hey i was wondering what would be the best heating ? i have a
60GL. tank and i'm trying to figure out what is better heating from a light above or heating from below i have a ball python and boa constictor in the tank also what could i do for higher humidity levels?

[Jeff_Favelle]

When wondering how to heat a snake, think about its natural habits (ie, how its evolved for thousands of years to behaviourally heat itself up).

Being nocturnal snakes, how often do they get radient heat from above from the sun? My guess is never, but that's just my opinion.

I heat from the side. So neither for me.

[sharno]

ummm did you say you have a ball python AND a boa in the tank ...... does that mean the same tank ????

[spotnick]

yes but its very temperary i have no where else to put the boa .....i know its bad but they get along fine

[mykee]

They DO NOT "get along fine".

[Jeff_Favelle]

If you don't have room for the animal, DON'T GET THE ANIMAL!

Oh, too late. Its ok, its just a snake anyways. What do they care?

[RB420]

how freakin hard is it to go to the store and spend no more than 30-40 dollars to get a rubbermaid and a heat pad? if you can't make that investment please take the snake back to whomever you got it from.

EDIT and most other thing you need you can make from things around the house hide from shoe boxes, an appropriat sized tupperware container for a water dish etc

[Lrptls]

first off get those snakes away from each other. the only time i have my boas and balls together is when they might be roaming the floor at the same time or something, no good at all will come from them living together.

id go with UTH either a heat mat or heat tape controld by a dimmer or rheostat. why is because you can control exactly how hot it is, its easier to lower the temps at night, you dont have to keep replacing light bulbs, you dont really see it so its not like a big ugly lamp, ALMOST no risk in them geting burnt but you need to keep an eye on the temps so you dont burn them hmmm there are probably more i can think of. oh yeah heres another good one, balls and red tails are nocturnal so using a heat lamp (light) isn't as natural as the UTH.

hope that helps and get those snakes in different cages, make a devider for the cage, buy a cheap rubber maid containor, do whatever.

[sc00t]

Yea I just made a new cage for my baby boa and it only cost me 25 dollars rubbermaids are great for small snakes

[striko_69]

People get shouted at on here for keeping balls in aquariums, so i think this guy should be getting a much harder time than hes been getting. You've made a wrong choice man, like someone said, it's not hard or expensive to get proper housing for a ball python. It's people like you that give the hobby a bad name, my mom used to give me a hard time about keeping lizards becuase it was unnatural for them and they didnt enjoy it. I asked whether she thought they would be enjoying it if one would sleep on my chest as i watched tv? Or if her horse enjoyed walking for miles with her on its back? You only see that your animals are happy every once in a while (we dont know how they think because they are a completely different organism). But i think we can all tell you that keeping those two together is not good man, maybe if you needed to then for a day WHILST you get the suitable housing!

[peterm15]

It's people like you that give the hobby a bad name,

ok no need for that.. he may have made a BIG mistake but he read a few posts and corrected it VERY quickly... i give him credit for that... but you did say it kinda nicely so at least you didnt jump on him...

ppl only get burned for useing or thinking of useing tanks when thay are warned countless times that is no good for a ball and they need security and still persist saying " im against rubbermaids" or " i wanna be able to see my snake..." its just not good for them... thats all.. most of the time the ppl doing the shouting have been in the hobby for years and have had to answer the same question again and again..... it just gets annoying when ppl dont catch on...

as for heating id use underbelly heating... but i do have to warn you if your newer to herps or snakes and havent got the right experence with ball pythons and tanks id really suggest going for a rubbermaid or wooded/ plastic enclosure...

they are much easier to keep temps and humidity and having most sides covered will give the snake way more security....

your obviously not against rubbermaids so id say get one to permantly house your ball... some use 24x16x6 and some use 36x16x6 and some use ones that are taller...

[sharno]

peter im not trying to be a D**k about this, but where did you see that he fixed it he hasnt replied back since he confirmed that he was doing that to the snakes ..... see ya

[striko_69]

Perhaps I was being a bit harsh by saying that comment, but he does need to separate them and he hasnt spoken back yet. Sorry for causing any trouble with you spotnick, but I was trying to get a point across.

Whats the situation on the two snakes right now man?

Imagine being stuck in a 15'x10' room with someone you hate all day and all night.

[spotnick]

yea sorry guys i separeted them a long time ago i bought a new terrarium they were olny together for two days now back to the first question that started this whole thread what is better for a ball python or boa constictor heating from above or from below???