Heating

[Fangs]

I've been wondering for ages now why we all heat our enclosures using an overhead source.
Efficiency wise it seems to me to be a really bad way to be going about heating.It also creates issues when using "stacked" enclosures.
Would it not be better to use floor heat only?

cheers M........

[Gregory]

Isn't it more for the snake's natural instinct to bask? It gives them a more natural feeling? Dunno,just a thought.

[wattso]

Yep its the artificial sunlight thing but your right its not efficient .I'll be looking into floor heating soon so heat rises and gives a more steady gradient.

[Fangs]

Yeah Greg I guess so but would a snake be just as comfortable getting belly heat instead?
I remember reading somewhere that Barker for example only uses bottom heat.Not saying cause he uses it then its the best way to go but it must work?

cheers

[Slateman]

I am using combination of bought. That way overhead source don't have to be so strong.

My reflector globes concertraight warmth on a rock below wich the rock stays warm that night

[Magpie]

Yup, what slatey said. If you use floor heating, you then only need a much smaller wattage overhead heat source to maintain temps. I reckon overhead heat is a must for lizards and good for snakes.

[ackie]

i use both overhead and floor heating depending on the species. I think overhead works out better cause it helps stimulate natural basking activities. The probs with floor heating is that sumtimes the animal will be warm enough wen in hide box or crevice and wont feel the need to run around and be active.

[Vat69]

In contrast to akie's experience, I've found that my pythons, who are all heated by under tank mats, spend a fair majority of their time climbing about, and sitting on their higher branches.
In saying that though, I only heat my pythons this way, lizards could be a who other kettle of fish..I mean herps. :wink:

[grahamh]

I use a combination. My enclosures have a heat source above and a heat cave on the floor. There is a temp gradient of upto 12 degrees around the enclosure and I find that different snakes seem to prefer different places. eg.

Bart and Lisa Bredli prefer the heat from above they almost never use the heat caves.

The olives Roy and Pris vary as follows.

Roy always uses his heat cave for the last couple of days before a shed and Pris is usually the same.

They use the heat from above immediately after they have eaten and spend most of the next couple of days there but will sometime make use of the cave.

Snap only has heat above and gets as close as she can after a feed.

G

[Fangs]

Thanks guys I guess I should of elaborated a bit more.Was primarily talking about pythons.I sometimes forget we have lizard enthusiasts amongst us.
I was also trying to get some input as to what the advantages/disadvantages(primarily for the welfare of the animal) there would be from using floor heating only.
Dont forget also that a lot of pythons are nocturnal.While Im sure they would come out to bask occasionally they must also derive some heat from the ground,rocks etc.
The only thing I can think of off the top of my head when using floor heat only is that the ambient air temps would be lower than if using overhead heating.
An advantage that I can see is that it would assist a great deal the digestion of their food.
From an efficiency point of view floor heating would be much better as we all know what heat does and you could get away with a lot lower wattage.
Any thoughts?

cheers M......

[Lee]

I have only ever used floor heating for my snakes (pythons, boas and colubrids)

This is the most commonly used heating in Europe.

Many keepers use various types of fauna boxes in shelf type setups, a heat strip runs along the back of the shelving with the fauna boxes placed on of the strip, this provides a thermal gradient for the snake and with a hide at either end it gives them a choice.

With larger enclosures, heat pads that emit radiant heat can be taped to the roof of the enclosure with a basking spot directly beneath.

This is not to say that this is better than heating option than others described but it is certainly cheaper and I have never experienced problems with any of my animals.

Although snakes are occasionally seen basking they are more often seen lying on roads at night getting the benefit of the heat stored from the days sun.

My lizards however have always had overhead spot bulbs for basking

Regards
Lee

[Fangs]

Thanks Lee,
I kinda figured it should work(bottom heat only).I'm not sure why most of us are convinced that overhead heat is the way to go.Maybe its just that its been done that way forever so we all seem to think thats its the best way(maybe it is?).
I am interested in how you would setup an enclosure say 1800x600x600mm.What size/type and wattage of mat?
Any links that would explain how keepers in Europe set up their enclosures would be great.

BTW Lee where abouts are you at?

cheers M...........

[Lee]

Hi Fangs

I suppose it would depend on the type of snake you have arboreal etc, if it were for Stimsons for example I would have a heat pad covering approc one third of the available floor space and link this to one of the good electronic thermostats available on the market, wattages of these heat pads are related to the size of the pad (there are many types of pad listed in the various international reptile mags)

There are very energy efficient, the most common size that I used for my collection (about 25cm x 25cm) were only 9 watts.

I will try to find some info for you in some of my old magazines

I am in Perth BTW and have been back in Oz for three years following 20 years in the UK where I got to keep all sorts of spectacular reptiles.

Regards
lee