My enclosures in Progress.

Now I've seen a lot of other non-tub or -glass enclosures here, and I haven't thought about asking before, but how do you heat these?

I made my snake enclosure out of melamine with glass bottoms so I could just use the exo-terra heat mats. I am trying to draw up some plans for another one but this one will be all melamine so I can try out heat tape. Glass is really expensive and added $180 onto the cost of my previous build >.<

Originally Posted by rosewood

I made my snake enclosure out of melamine with glass bottoms so I could just use the exo-terra heat mats. I am trying to draw up some plans for another one but this one will be all melamine so I can try out heat tape. Glass is really expensive and added $180 onto the cost of my previous build >.<

Unfortunately, I have had an experience with a glass bottomed enclosure that cracked from the heat pad while the snake was living inside (previous owner didn't know what a rheostat was! I coulda choked him). The first thing I did when I found out was buy her a huge tub instead!

Let me know when those babies of yours hatch, rosewood. Might be wanting to pick up one or two besides free baby, lol.

Originally Posted by Putty

If you intend on keeping the cabinet lights you may not even need a heat source during the day.

I just did a little temp test and after 5 minutes of operation the surface temperature of the lens cover exceeded 310F. Surface reading I got from a piece of select pine at about 2 feet gave me 98ish at the 5 minute mark. The saving factor with these is that most, if not all of the heat generate is pushed out the front(bottom) and generally does not harm whatever surface it is attached to.

Like I said - I was going to instal these in my monitor's vivarium but decided against it. Too much heat for the time I wanted these guys to be turned on for. They would be ok if - like you said - you remove the doors and don't use them as a primary source of light. Having these on for over an hour with a reptile that can touch the surface would invite trouble.

I will bring this up with him in today's email. He did mention putting a piece of slate beneath the aspen to absorb and release the heat for nighttime temperatures. There is also mention in his emails of adding air circulation. I will go back and read them to clarifiy, but I believe he's going to put a small fan in the enclosures- barred from the snakes of course!


**Please Keep in Mind that this is only Testing**

I'm not going to pop anyone in these enclosures until we are 100% sure that we can stabilize temperatures. They most likely will not be ready for use until October, after we have tested all hazard precautions and anything else we can think of.

very nice lumene, I likes

Thanks Razz!

Originally Posted by lumene

I will bring this up with him in today's email. He did mention putting a piece of slate beneath the aspen to absorb and release the heat for nighttime temperatures. There is also mention in his emails of adding air circulation. I will go back and read them to clarifiy, but I believe he's going to put a small fan in the enclosures- barred from the snakes of course!

Yeah I was thinking a small 120mm computer fan within each enclosure or something could circulate a lot of air.

i thought pine was a 'no no' for reptiles?

Originally Posted by Firefur

i thought pine was a 'no no' for reptiles?

Ground pine shavings are a no no - the oils are majorly exposed.

Using pine for construction and sealing it is fine.

Originally Posted by Firefur

i thought pine was a 'no no' for reptiles?

The interior will be painted so there will be a barrier between the snakes and the wood.

oh that makes sense thanks

Yes,
Don't worry- my pets get the best, sometimes obsessive care. When I found out they were pine my response was "We're going to need pant, lots of it."