Why waste money on heat lamps?

[bladeblaster]

Personally I go for heat bulbs in every vivarium, the only time I use UTH is with tubs, mostly hatchlings.

Most snakes do NOT need belly heat to aid digestion, this is a myth, and especially true of ball pythons who spend most of their digestion period sat in a tortiose burrow, what the need is good ambient air temperatures.

Logically speaking a Heat Bulb does exactly what the sun does, it heats whats below, the snake can then bask on a warm surface and under a radient heat source, exactly as the would naturally do. Unless the snake lives in an area of high geological activity the chances of heat radiating from below are very slim.

As for screen tops, I will never understand why anyone would use them. All animals need ventilation of course that goes without saying. However a screen top doesn't do a great deal to facilitate this. Heat rises so most air is circulating in the top third of the enclosure, meaning where your snake is the air is fairly stagnent. The best way to provide good ventilation IMO is to have an air vent just above substrate level at the cool end, and near the top of the enclosure at the hot end. This creates an air exchange that circulates the whole enclosure.

[red ink]

Originally Posted by bladeblaster

Personally I go for heat bulbs in every vivarium, the only time I use UTH is with tubs, mostly hatchlings.

Most snakes do NOT need belly heat to aid digestion, this is a myth, and especially true of ball pythons who spend most of their digestion period sat in a tortiose burrow, what the need is good ambient air temperatures.

Logically speaking a Heat Bulb does exactly what the sun does, it heats whats below, the snake can then bask on a warm surface and under a radient heat source, exactly as the would naturally do. Unless the snake lives in an area of high geological activity the chances of heat radiating from below are very slim.

As for screen tops, I will never understand why anyone would use them. All animals need ventilation of course that goes without saying. However a screen top doesn't do a great deal to facilitate this. Heat rises so most air is circulating in the top third of the enclosure, meaning where your snake is the air is fairly stagnent. The best way to provide good ventilation IMO is to have an air vent just above substrate level at the cool end, and near the top of the enclosure at the hot end. This creates an air exchange that circulates the whole enclosure.

[lady_bug87]

OK

I actually read the whole thing, yep all four pages and this is what I have to say.

I have been doing this reptile thing for... 2 years so I am not an expert I read I research and so far the only thing that has died on me was a clutch of eggs which I am almost certain was doomed before they were laid.

everything I own is in a glass screen-top cages my lizards have been fine no shedding problems and they poop like machines (I had a problem with my beardie becoming impacted once and that was a diet thing)

My ball has a 20gal glass tank with 3 sides covered by cardboard and UTH on one side which is on a dimmer he has a temp probe and I have another thermometer I check with it I have modified the screen top using a combination of (dont laugh) sponges and cardboard and his humidity is perfect he is happy in his enclosure and will outgrow it eventually but hes a sub adult and is quite happy he has 2 hides (cool side and hot side) integrated with basking and climbing places and a water bowl big enough for him to soak in he has had perfect sheds, poops, and eats like a champ and his temps are constantly being checked I may have to mist him once in a while but he doesnt seem to mind annd i have a regular light bulb for day and night cycles because I believe its healthy to be able to distinguish between day and night

my GTP is in a viv with live plants (though a topic in a recent thread is making me want to change the variety) she has multiple widths of branches to coil on to and an automatic misting system which keeps her tank at an optimal humidity she only has overhead heat which also gets checked daily her tank is also a screen top which becomes half covered by her lighting system since I got her misting system set up she had the most perfect shed it even had the eye caps attached.

then again I only have 2 snakes. not a dozen... yet my condo is too small

[Snakefood]

everyone I have is set up in my bedroom. Two are in show tanks with screen tops and 1 is in a tub, all corns. I use the UTH alone most of the summer, and then when it starts cooling, the basking lights go on for additional ambient heat.

[bladeblaster]

Its interesting the difference in keeping practices, almost no one uses glass tanks for snakes in the UK, sometimes lizards but even thats rare.

Infact it is most definately frowned upon to use glass tanks, as being far inferior to wooden vivariums.

[Snakefood]

Originally Posted by bladeblaster

Its interesting the difference in keeping practices, almost no one uses glass tanks for snakes in the UK, sometimes lizards but even thats rare.

Infact it is most definately frowned upon to use glass tanks, as being far inferior to wooden vivariums.

Why is that?? I mean for what reasons would a glass tank be inferior to a wooden viv?? I think I understand why when speaking of some species of snakes and thier humidity needs, but in the case of corn snakes, who's humidity needs are minimal, why would it matter??

[bladeblaster]

Originally Posted by Snakefood

Why is that?? I mean for what reasons would a glass tank be inferior to a wooden viv?? I think I understand why when speaking of some species of snakes and thier humidity needs, but in the case of corn snakes, who's humidity needs are minimal, why would it matter??

well for sure wooden tanks off greater security, plus better heat and humidity retention.

Some species are more suited to them than others for sure, also depends a lot on the climate where you live I guess.

[Snakefood]

That would make sense, we have a very wide range of temps throughout the year here. We regularily soar into the 30's in the summer and drop below freezing in the winter, But our humidity almost NEVER drops below 60%( in the house that is). So really heat is the only issue here, rather than humidity.

Having corns, I don't worry about humidity much, and security is not a concern either, the fully set up show tank has a custom made locking lid on it, and the newest showtank needs the top to be modified to properly lock. Right now it has 4 nice sized rocks at each corner, but hubby is working on it.

Heat retention is GOING to be an issue for me this winter I can already tell. So I will be working on that as the temps cool.

[bladeblaster]

Originally Posted by Snakefood

That would make sense, we have a very wide range of temps throughout the year here. We regularily soar into the 30's in the summer and drop below freezing in the winter, But our humidity almost NEVER drops below 60%( in the house that is). So really heat is the only issue here, rather than humidity.

Having corns, I don't worry about humidity much, and security is not a concern either, the fully set up show tank has a custom made locking lid on it, and the newest showtank needs the top to be modified to properly lock. Right now it has 4 nice sized rocks at each corner, but hubby is working on it.

Heat retention is GOING to be an issue for me this winter I can already tell. So I will be working on that as the temps cool.

I actually meant security for the snake feeling secure rather than the enclusore being escape proof

[Snakefood]

Ahhhhhh!! Working on that too with fabric backgrounds wrapped around 3 sides of the tanks!! I am hoping it will also help with heat retention.

[SnakeyJay]

I used a glass exoterra once. Theyre good little vivs but it held no ambiant heat at all, winter was a struggle so i switched to wood n stayed. Id really like a plastic viv for my brb tho.

[Snakefood]

Originally Posted by Snakey-Jay-BRB

I used a glass exoterra once. Theyre good little vivs but it held no ambiant heat at all, winter was a struggle so i switched to wood n stayed. Id really like a plastic viv for my brb tho.

I wonder if I will have that problem this winter. I know when I was in the UK (in the summer), the whole natural environment (temps, plants, ect...) felt very much like home to me (except we have higher mountains). I wonder if our winters are similar as well!!

I can always have hubby build something appropriate (he is an amazing handy-man) if these tanks don't work out. He is building me my rack system right now, so I can always put them in tubs over the winter in the rack system if I can't keep the show tanks at the right temps.

[lady_bug87]

Originally Posted by Snakefood

I wonder if I will have that problem this winter. I know when I was in the UK (in the summer), the whole natural environment (temps, plants, ect...) felt very much like home to me (except we have higher mountains). I wonder if our winters are similar as well!!

I can always have hubby build something appropriate (he is an amazing handy-man) if these tanks don't work out. He is building me my rack system right now, so I can always put them in tubs over the winter in the rack system if I can't keep the show tanks at the right temps.

Honestly in Ontario where it hits -35 Celsius my temps are fine and I use glass exoterra screen tops no less the one I worry about is my GTP since she is just a baby I may move her into the office which is the hottest room in condo and this will be her first winter with us

[Snakefood]

-35, that's the reason I'm a west coaster!! NEVER happens here!!! I think the lowest in my life here on the coast has been about -14. But I was raised up north where it would regularily hit -30/40. YUCK!!

[TeaNinja]

im in west coast california, where it's nice almost all the time lol. the coldest we get is like frozen puddles and hail and stuff.