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Husbandry and Basic Care General stuff about keeping and maintaining cornsnakes in captivity.

Under Tank Heat Pad or Heat Lamp- which is best
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Old 05-03-2011, 08:14 PM   #1
SnakeKiss247
Under Tank Heat Pad or Heat Lamp- which is best

I wish for once, we could all agree for once, what is best for snakes....a UTH or a heat lamp???? Which is it? One person says one thing and another says something else. When I see a snake on TV sunning him or herself, I think he's not there to get a suntan, but to get the warmth from the rock or log he's laying on. For once, which is best for corn snakes and ball pythons? At work they say the reason that snakes need the heat lamp is due to the air in the house being cold and it needs to warm it up.. I have already bought and returned (twice) a heat lamp as one person says it's better and then next thing another says you don't need it.

Please. Will someone tell me for once, what I should be doing for the heat in my snakes vivs and tub? I have each snake tank or viv with a UTH hooked up to a light dimmer switch and they each all have digital temp probes so I can regulate the warm side in each of their habitats. Now for the BP, do I need a heat lamp too? What about the corns? I am tired of buying stuff and taking it back.....
 
Old 05-03-2011, 08:31 PM   #2
toxiclight
As far as I know, regulated UTH's are generally preferred, especially when giving advice to a new snake owner. There are a lot of threads detailing the reasons why (belly heat for digestion, no need for extra light, etc) plus UTHs are easier in rack systems, where you can't really use lights.

That said, I have seen many who successfully use lamps. There are additional...I don't want to say risks, but additional issues that you need to be aware of using lamps: they can be a fire hazard, there is reduced humidity in the tanks, etc., which need to be accounted for if using a lamp. It is sometimes easier for a novice keeper to just go with a regulated UTH rather than a lamp.

I personally use a UTH because our ambient house temperature is far too cold in the winter for our snakes' safety, and I wouldn't want a lamp on 24/7. Plus, our house tends to be very dry, so humidity is an extra issue.

The most important consideration for any type of heat is that you a) have a temperature gradient (warm side and cool side) and b) that the heat is regulated to a safe level for your animals. And as mentioned in your other thread, there are some who don't use either method, preferring to keep the ambient room temperature at a comfortable level for their animals.

Some people have a marked preference for one heating method over another, but neither is inherently wrong. It is what fits your situation the best and what is safest for your animals.
 
Old 05-03-2011, 08:31 PM   #3
reptile65
Using a UTH alone is fine. It sounds like you already have the ideal set up, so I wouldn't change a thing. Some people may prefer to use heat lamps, but I personally think it's better to use a UTH.
 
Old 05-03-2011, 08:59 PM   #4
OkeeteeMom
There is no, "for once". Corn snakes do need belly heat to digest. Therefore, one would say a UTH. But (for example), if a person lives in a really cold zone and doesn't use much furnace heat and the house is 45F all year, then doesn't it make sense that such a cold ambient air temp might affect the snake, too? So in some cases there may be a need for external heat...just my opinion, that there's no "one answer".
 
Old 05-03-2011, 09:14 PM   #5
MysticExotics
As I stated in your other thread, either will work, but of those two, UTH would be better, in general. But, as Tina mentioned, there are cases where a heat lamp would be benefitial.
Heat is heat, & again, like I mentioned before, I know people who successfully use heat on the back of the bins, as well as just ambient temps warm enough for digestion.
They need heat to digest, whether it is under the tank/bin, on the back side of it, or ambient air temps.
 
Old 05-03-2011, 10:07 PM   #6
susang
The best advice would be to suggest getting Kathy Loves or Don Sodabergs book and gleaning ideas from those. Maybe coming to this website and gleaning information.
There will be no one answer for reasons mentioned above, also just possibly because people re-hash the questions of heat, co-habbing, food size over and over again. With each new thread started there will be new opionions and without research by the person asking the questions there wll be a constant state of confusion, questions and frequently the person giving advice doesn't know anymore then the person asking the question.
 
Old 05-04-2011, 02:42 PM   #7
Jessicat
Quote:
Originally Posted by SnakeKiss247 View Post
I wish for once, we could all agree for once, what is best for snakes....a UTH or a heat lamp???? Which is it? One person says one thing and another says something else. .
No offense to whoever was advising using a heat lamp, but I'm going to guess that people who advise to use a heat lamp are people who don't necessarily have experience with corns. Remember, all you need to post on this site is an email adress!

UTH is the general consensus on this site, and is what is recommended in both of the major books about Corn Snakes that are out there.

Some people may have personal reasons for using a heat lamp (as Toxiclight mentioned), or for display, but heat lamps are not required for good husbandry. That's it.

As a final note, corns aren't huge fans of light, and I'd be willing to bet a heat lamp would get you an overly hot snake whom you never see.
 
Old 05-04-2011, 03:28 PM   #8
Lennycorn
Under Tank Heat Pad or Heat Lamp- which is best

Maybe you ask what are the pros and cons of each and come to your own conclusion.

I have found out that there is a general consensus among members here about cohab, feeding live verses f/t, heating and substrate. And due to corns being a hardy species they survive many other conditions. But when I read of all the "pro" that the "general consensus" state. I usually agree with them. They seem to follow my way of thinking, which is common sense and the KISS theory. I know it seem confusing maybe because of all the different species of snake information get linked together sometimes.
And what work well for a pet owner isn't going to work well for the breeder and vice and versa. For example, when feeding, I like to fed in a separate bin. This give me time to clean the viv, examine the snake and give him more handling time. But I only have four snakes. I couldn't do that if I had a hundred snakes.. So when researching information you have to figure what works best for your snake and setup.
 
Old 05-04-2011, 06:54 PM   #9
SnakeKiss247
Thanks for all the opinions....
 
Old 05-05-2011, 11:02 AM   #10
smallet
Either will work. Both have pros and cons. And both have risks.

Risks: Light:
Lights have been known to sometimes explode raining down fine glass (rare)
If snake can get close enough, may burn snake
Shorter life span

UTH:
Controller may malfunction, burning snake
may short causing fire (rare)

Pros: Light
Heats surface area plus air

UTH:
Easier to regulate (thermostat)
can be used in racks as well vivs
Heats from bottom up so aids digestion more efficiently
does not have as large an effect in lowering humidity in viv

Cons: Light
Lowers humidity in viv
not as efficient in aiding digestion
harder to use in racks
needs timer to turn off/on for cycling
UTH:
needs controller (rheostat or thermostat)
does not efficiently heat air in viv

If anyone else can think of something to add feel free. But I think that covers a good majority off them.
 

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