Back heat or Belly heat for Arboreal snakes?

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by mikoh4792

If I were to keep a green tree python, amazon tree boa or even a semi-arboreal snake such as a carpet python in a racking system, would back heat be better? It may seem like the obvious answer since arboreal snakes will spend most of their time off the ground but I've read that people have issues keeping a thermal gradient during extreme cold and hot conditions.(Freezing winter day, Scorching summer day).

I use a bulb on a thermostat . I would guess that back heat would be better, or a radiant heat panel. UTH doesn't really raise ambient air temps, mostly just the surface.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by smy_749

I use a bulb on a thermostat . I would guess that back heat would be better, or a radiant heat panel. UTH doesn't really raise ambient air temps, mostly just the surface.

Are there radiant heat panels small enough for hatchling/juvie enclosures? The smallest I've seen are around 1ftx1ft in size.

[smy_749]

Originally Posted by mikoh4792

Are there radiant heat panels small enough for hatchling/juvie enclosures? The smallest I've seen are around 1ftx1ft in size.

Not sure honestly. Are you housing your juvi in something smaller than 1ft by 1ft? If you can figure out a way to heat using heat lamps, it makes things much easier IMO , if your only keeping 1 or 2.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by smy_749

Not sure honestly. Are you housing your juvi in something smaller than 1ft by 1ft? If you can figure out a way to heat using heat lamps, it makes things much easier IMO , if your only keeping 1 or 2.

No it was a hypothetical question. I am doing more research on racks since I've never used one. I plan on adding another carpet to my collection along with a green tree python or amazon tree boa later on. If I find out (by research and asking questions in this forum) that keeping baby arboreal/semi-arboreal snakes in racks is easier vs plastic/glass enclosures I may buy an arboreal racking system from reptile basics. Hence my question as to whether belly or back heat would be better than the other for extreme conditions. Where I live, it gets very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. I need a housing method that can provide consistent thermal gradients in such conditions.

EDIT: My current carpet is still a baby. about 6 months old and shy of 2 feet. Currently I am keeping it in an enclosure with a heat lamp and it's working fine but if I were to add more snakes of the same kind and age, I'd look into a racking system until they are big enough to move into stack-able plastic cages such as boaphile, animal plastics, vision...etc.