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12-27-13, 07:03 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Dec-2013
Location: Delcambre, LA
Age: 30
Posts: 46
Country: 
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Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
So, my friend ordered me a Central American Red Tail Boa. I have tried desperately to get in touch with the breeder but have not had luck, so I am preparing the best I can on my fiance and I's limited income. My friend has agreed to spend about $20 on a heat mat. She will be going in a 75 gallon long with a screen top (mostly covered by tinfoil) in a room that is from 65-72F. I cannot afford a thermostat right now, this snake is a surprise, we were't planning on getting one until March AFTER the enclosure was set up.
I can either get two feet of 11" heat tape or a 20x7.5" seedling heat mat. Would the heat tape be better? Should I get 1 or 2 feet for my enclosure? It'll be on the stand, about 1/4" away from the glass and I will have at least an inch if not more of cypress mulch as substrate. The tank will also be raised off the stand a bit to allow for airflow to either one.
Which should I chose?
Thank you,
Flint
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12-27-13, 09:19 PM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Jul-2013
Location: The Colony, Texas
Age: 67
Posts: 4,772
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
I wouldn't use either one without temperature control. Rheostat or thermostat. Hydrofarm thermostats can be found on Amazon and eBay for around 32 bucks.
__________________
0.1 Mexican Black King Snake (Medusa) | 1.0 Black Milk Snake (Darth) | 1.0 Desert King Snake (Tut)
Steve
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12-27-13, 09:20 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Jul-2013
Location: The Colony, Texas
Age: 67
Posts: 4,772
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Btw Hey and welcome.
__________________
0.1 Mexican Black King Snake (Medusa) | 1.0 Black Milk Snake (Darth) | 1.0 Desert King Snake (Tut)
Steve
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12-27-13, 09:24 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Jun-2013
Location: Fort Wayne
Age: 28
Posts: 2,499
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Hey, welcome! I'm working on getting a Central American boa right now  heat tape is cheaper but like sharthun said, probably shouldn't do either without a thermostat or a rheostat.
__________________
0.2 Leopard Gecko(Zadna & Allister) | 0.1 Mexican Black Kingsnake(Ammit) | 0.1 Albino Checkered Garter Snake(Mrs. Buttercup) |1.0 Betta (Alfred) |0.0.1 Green Sunfish| 1.0 Green Terror Cichlid
-Kyle
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12-27-13, 09:25 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Nov-2013
Location: St Marys
Age: 49
Posts: 987
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
I agree about the thermostat...I checked my temps with an IR gun before hooking up my thermostat and it was up around 104-105...WAY too hot..that was with 3 inches of substrate above the heat mat...I bought 3 hydrofarms from ebay for $30 each, free shipping...got them in 2-3 days...
__________________
One should examine oneself for a very long time before thinking of condemning others. ~Moliere
Whatever you condemn, you have done yourself. ~Georg Groddeck
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12-27-13, 11:09 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: May-2013
Posts: 4,858
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
there's no such thing as a central american red tail boa. Red tails are only found in south america. What you have is a boa constrictor imperator of unknown locality.
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12-28-13, 05:41 AM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: May-2013
Location: London UK
Posts: 1,481
Country: 
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
not being able to afford a thermostat means you cannot afford to keep a snake. a cheap thermostat is only £20/$20, you are risking serious injury to your snake without one.
your heat mat should cover approx 1/3 to 1/2 of the enclosure floor
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12-28-13, 05:47 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: May-2013
Posts: 4,858
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Quote:
Originally Posted by formica
not being able to afford a thermostat means you cannot afford to keep a snake. a cheap thermostat is only £20/$20, you are risking serious injury to your snake without one.
your heat mat should cover approx 1/3 to 1/2 of the enclosure floor
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Basically this.
Although I would say your heat mat should cover more like 1/4 to 1/3 of the enclosure floor.
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12-28-13, 06:20 AM
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#9
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Village Idiot
Join Date: Oct-2011
Age: 39
Posts: 7,360
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
For those od you that have a hard time with reading comprehension she didn't ask for this snake nor did she pay for it. It is an unwanted gift.... Kinda like your input.
@Flint
If you really can't afford a t-stat I would recommend putting the heat mat on the side of the tank that way the snake can't lay on it and get baked.
Feel free to ask any questions you have and ignore the idiots.
__________________
I used to be a nice guy but that don't get you anywhere. So now I'm just a piece of ****, idiot,
who's too stupid to care.
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12-28-13, 06:43 AM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: May-2013
Posts: 4,858
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Quote:
Originally Posted by KORBIN5895
For those od you that have a hard time with reading comprehension she didn't ask for this snake nor did she pay for it. It is an unwanted gift.... Kinda like your input.
@Flint
If you really can't afford a t-stat I would recommend putting the heat mat on the side of the tank that way the snake can't lay on it and get baked.
Feel free to ask any questions you have and ignore the idiots.
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Could you be more specific? I think most of the input given in this thread is useful.
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12-28-13, 06:46 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Dec-2013
Location: Delcambre, LA
Age: 30
Posts: 46
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Did I not state that I have tried contacting the breeder and cannot? I am stuck with a snake I am not ready for. I'm doing what I can here.
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12-28-13, 06:51 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: May-2013
Location: London UK
Posts: 1,481
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikoh4792
Could you be more specific? I think most of the input given in this thread is useful.
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he is just being his usual Trolling self
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12-28-13, 06:52 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: May-2013
Posts: 4,858
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flint
Did I not state that I have tried contacting the breeder and cannot? I am stuck with a snake I am not ready for. I'm doing what I can here.
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no one is attacking you
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12-28-13, 06:53 AM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Dec-2013
Location: Delcambre, LA
Age: 30
Posts: 46
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Thank you, Korbin. I went ahead and decided on the heat tape and managed to sell my filters for the tank for $50. I'm going to order a hydrofarm and get the screen to make the tank lid. The heat tape is being sent by the same breeder that has the snake, so if it doesn't arrive in time, what do I do for heat? I have a 20 gallon tall I could put a piece of particle board and a brick on and sit it near the space heater in that room. The temp would be the same throughout the tank, though. Will that hurt for a week max?
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12-28-13, 07:05 AM
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#15
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Member
Join Date: May-2013
Posts: 4,858
Country:
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Re: Heat Mat or Heat Tape?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flint
Thank you, Korbin. I went ahead and decided on the heat tape and managed to sell my filters for the tank for $50. I'm going to order a hydrofarm and get the screen to make the tank lid. The heat tape is being sent by the same breeder that has the snake, so if it doesn't arrive in time, what do I do for heat? I have a 20 gallon tall I could put a piece of particle board and a brick on and sit it near the space heater in that room. The temp would be the same throughout the tank, though. Will that hurt for a week max?
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Depends on what temp the tank will be. Some snake keepers/breeders have a "snake room" that they heat to a certain temp(ie. 82f) and use no supplement heat so you could kind of do that with a space heater. That would not be bad at all assuming you keep your enclosure warm enough but not too hot.
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