Winter heating

Cordis obscurum · 07-15-15, 11:17 AM

I've just been given a 120lx60wx50h cm timber enclosure that I'm getting ready for my first snake, more than likely a patternless children's python.

It only has one horizontal light socket at the moment and I can't seem to get the temps up any where near enough with this even a 150w che only really heats the roof, so I think I'm just going to use this socket for a cfl globe for daytime light and use a heat pad/pads under tile instead.

Being reasonably cold here at the moment, enclosure temp is about 10 degrees c at night without heating, would a 50x30cm heat pad covered with tile at one end of the enclosure do much for heating the opposite end? Or would a second, maybe smaller heat pad with a lower t/stat setting be needed to keep the cool end temps up?

I know a vertical heat emitter would work much better than horizontal but this is how I got it and its just been freshly painted and sealed so I don't really want to start adding more fixtures.

pet_snake_78 · 07-19-15, 09:07 AM

Heat tapes and heat pads won't change the air temperature in a large enclosure. They can can the air temperature in a small tub that's only 6" tall, but when I create a 90F hot spot using heat tape in PVC enclosures, it actually doesn't even change the air temperature at all. What they do is create a hot spot for the snake to lay over and bask but you still need the correct air temperatures. I'm surprised a light bulb didn't do that, they tend to produce quite a bit of heat.

If your basement is 10C in winter, maybe choose a species that needs cooled in the winter to that temperature, then you don't have to worry about heating it in the coldest months/

**Tsubaki** · 07-19-15, 09:23 AM

Ever considered a radiant heating pannel? My attic is cold at winter too, but my rphs manage just fine.

eminart · 07-19-15, 09:25 AM

Maybe try a ceramic heat emitter. You're not going to want to have a light on 24 hours a day anyway.

Cordis obscurum · 07-20-15, 01:31 AM

Its a che that I've got, the problem is the socket is mounted through the back so the element is pointing towards the front and most of the heat just rises, I've ordered a heat cord to go under the tiles and see how it goes from there.

Should belly heat be enough if the air temp is around 20c?