need tricks on heating a big cage

[PO_0784]

my father bought a superb gift for my bp (now 3 feet long) : a 36" 18" x 12" large aquarium..its so big when I look back to his 20 gallons! (24x12x12..)..He looks like a baby again in this cage but I have some trouble heating it...since the winter is coming, I really need some tricks to keep the temps high! I will post a pic as soon as everything will be in place ..I cant mess the little guy..he is in his shedding period . thx for all

[Big Mike]

You might want to cover most of the top to keep the heat and humidity in the tank.

Try using a UTH under one end and using a lamp in the middle (with timer). If you can get it set right you can get a good heat gradient that has a day-time basking spot and a night temp drop.

I have this set up on my tank (same size). I have a rheostat on the UTH and I adjust the height of the heat lamp to fine tune the temp. It still gets a little cold on the cool end but the warm end is right on.

[snakekeeper]

I would use a uth and a spotlight, if you are worried about the humity just put some towels on the top of the enclosure or where the screen is to increase the humity. if you have a decent overnight temp(75-80F) you might find you won't need a uth.

[J.J.]

Yeah, I use towels, what gallon tank is it?? Sorry, I am not farmiliar with measurements, well I should say I am not GOOD with measurements, lol. Anways, let me know. okie doke!

[PO_0784]

it is a 50 gallon tank! really big :P (my bp look really small in it lol) ..thx for the answers!

[Matt_K]

going by the measurements you gave, you have a 33gal tank. I use the same tanks, what i did was build my own lids out of wood and plexi glass. Half and Half, it holds heat wonderfully and i have no problems with humidity..!!

[Syst3m]

I've got a couple of suggestions, of course under tank heaters and make glass or plexi lids to hold heat better.

You could buy a strip of flex watt long enough to cover the entire back of your tank and raise the temperature with a dimmer.

You could buy a ceramic heat emitter that fits in a light fixture and control that with a dimmer (suggest getting the biggest one you can, online the 60-250w all cost the same)

You could even insulate the entire tank except the front with some thin insulation.

With the heat emitter you will be able to keep more stable temps at night, and with the flexwatt you should be able to too and not disturb the snakes pattern.

[Jeff_Favelle]

I wouldn't put heat tape across the ENTIRE back as then no heat gradient will be created. Well, there will be one, but it will from the back to the front, and that's not usually desireable. If the cage is 36 inches, then 20-24 inches of 4" heat tape is more than enough.

[lanalizard]

i even have trouble with heat sometimes, right now i have a lamp on one end and the screen on the top covered a little bit. im getting an UTH to put near the lamp.