How big

[eclypse_boy]

Hey everyone,
I just found this site and let me say I love it. I have a female guyana red tail boa who's almost 5'. She is only 15 months old and is in a 4' x 2' x 2' tank. I'm not liking the tank because all the heat escapes through the screen lid. I'm planning on making an enclosure out of melamine roughly 6' x 2' x 2' is that good for a full grown bcc.?
What would be better for heating ? Right now im using a basking lamp with a red bulb it works but alot of people do not recommend this. Why?

the size is fine, it's what I keep my Bci in. For heating a human heat pad or radient panel is best. As for why not on the basking lamp, most snakes do much better at gaining heat through their bellies. Lack of skeletal structure, thinner muscles, and more direct path to internal organs makes heat absorbsion through belly contact with rocks or warm soil is much more efficient and faster in the wild where speed at mobility becomes a factor for survival.

[eclypse_boy]

Thank you for helping me out a bit. Should the human heat pad go in the enclosure or under it? Also is the size good for a full grown female?
Thanx

[BILLP]

That is a good size that for a full grown female. The heat pad under the tank and not in it.

[stormyva]

That size would be fine for a female, although my personal preference would be to go 3' deep instead of 2' to give the snake a little more room to curl and bend. (That's my opinion though)
As for the heat pad.... I keep mine under the cage with about a 1/2" gap between the tank and the pad for air flow. Many people will tell you that keeping it inside is fine too but I prefer to play it safe and keep it out of the tank. (Better safe than sorry )

[eclypse_boy]

Thanx alot everyone I'm gonna make up some plans to make it 6'x3'x28" and the heat pad I'm not sure on that or flexwatt.

[snakemann87]

I have a cage with glass front i made, i have 1 inch boreds seperating it and the floor and a heat pad so the heat doesnt get too hot, and drilling holes in the side of the cages is fine, just not too many and not too big.

[eclypse_boy]

what would you say about 8 holes 1/4" each on the two sides

[royal]

I have a glass aquarium with a screened lid also, all I did to help keep the heat in was buy a piece of plexi glass (1/4-5/16) and have the glass shop cut the holes out for the hand holes.

It has worked good so far, and If I feel I need more airflow I will just drill a couple holes in the plexiglass.

It was cheap 20-35 can. And you cant even tell its there unless you look for it. Now I can keep that $160 tank.

[eclypse_boy]

Thanx royal thats a good idea. I've heard it before but how do you secure it on tight so your snake wont escape? I'm one of the voters who has never had a snake escape.