# Slithers



## nova (Aug 9, 2004)

what do you guys recommend using to keep the temp up in my snakes tank at night time. 29 g with metal screen top and cypress mulch subtrate. heat pad or one of those ceramic heat emitters. or some sort of black light? Im assuming leaving the 'day' light on 247 is not the most appropriate way to keep him warm.


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## JorgeRemigio (Mar 31, 2005)

No. leaving the day light on at nigth is not a good idea, you should do 12h cycles. Both mat and ceramic are good. personally I like better ceramic..since if the snake basks on the mat it tends to dry the snake. (you guys that have mats should mesure the humidity in the mat spot...you will see that you will not get more than 30-40%humidity.)

Regards

Jorge


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

I'm actually tempted to say the exact opposite of Jorge. Snakes - from what I've read - tend to benefit a lot more from belly heat. Especially when digesting food.

One good tip that I can give you is to take that 29 gallon tank of yours and put it on its sid so the top now becomes the front. Get some type of plastic strip - they'll have something for sure at a Home Depot or similar location - and attach it across the front. This will keep your substrate in. Now you've suddenly increased the area your snake has! With this method though you have to use some type of under tank heating for the snake as it's not advisable to place a heat lamp over the glass. Still, by going this route you'll keep humidity higher and also keep more heat in the tank.

A question for you Jorge - most breeders (in North America at least) use heat tape, which is the same principle as an under tank heater. Do you believe they're all doing it wrong?


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## JorgeRemigio (Mar 31, 2005)

I am sorry...but heat tape is not the same principle...is not under the belly. My oppinion is not just from reading...is also from reason and experience. there is a simple experiment you can do...try both situations (I've had both tape and ceramics but after reading an article I decided to try something different...and it worked...)

The article that I mentioned:

"We strongly discourage people from using ground heaters, especially those with a high wattage, because the snakes lay on them and dry out. We have received several calls from people seeking advice, because their python was having a bad shed and looking very wrinkled. These people swear that the humidity lies above 60%. Right, but not immediately on the ground heater! Measure that spot sometime, and you will be very surprised: 35% or less are no rarity. Unfortunately, the snakes love these spots, because they are nice and warm. They are simply too stupid to realize that resting on a strong heat pad or heating cable is slowly but surely killing them...."

in http://www.boa-constrictors.com/com/com.html (husbandry/terrarium)

Regards


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

So what was the 'different' method that you used?


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## Marcel_h (Feb 27, 2005)

I use heatpads, i dont wanna take the risk that an animal burns itself on a ceramic heater( yes i know you need to cover it







). Under one half of my tanks i have an heat pad and the other half lies nothing. No problems with the humidity or bad sheddings.

Edit I dont have the pad inside of the tank but outside.


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## JorgeRemigio (Mar 31, 2005)

Hey mates!!! I was just giving my oppinion...I am not here anymore :X


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Okay then.

It's too bad you're not willing to fill us in more on what you practice versus what you were saying NOT to practice... But that's fine, I guess.







I just don't know why you would start the discussion in the first place.


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## JorgeRemigio (Mar 31, 2005)

Mettle said:


> Okay then.
> 
> It's too bad you're not willing to fill us in more on what you practice versus what you were saying NOT to practice... But that's fine, I guess.
> 
> ...


I was just giving an oppinion...as good as any other... not trying to start a discussion... and to teaching nobody to DO or NOT to do... who am I to do such thing??? Just my oppinions...just that...


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