Advice wanted on setup

[Channaz]

Can anyone tell me if the following heating set up looksright?
I have many strengths, but anything of a remotely handymannature is definitely not my strong point. So I’d appreciate any advice!
I have a second hand vivarium, which I want to transfer myfour month old woma into. I want to usethis enclosure for a year or so, until the snake outgrows the space.
I was advised to run a 15 watt heat cord underneath a pieceof chipboard, as seen in the photo. I’veexperimented with the coils and this coil pattern (in photo) seems to beachieving the right temperatures. Atpresent the top of the chipboard is heated to about 32-33⁰ at thehot end. I intend to put either aKritters Crumble or Desert Sand substrate over the top of this. So the actual surface temperature will be afew degrees cooler. I am using an on/offthermostat.
I have a foam cliff face mounted at the back. The heat coil is held in place with stickytape. The enclosure has a glass type ofcoating on the interior base. The heatcoils sit on top of this, with the chipboard on top. I have stuck a strip of cardboard around thechipboard so that the snake cannot burrow into any gap underneath.
I am just really paranoid about any overheating, safety andfire issues that could arise. Will theglass base become too hot? Should I usea second piece of board to insulate the glass from the heat cord?
As I say, I have no idea with this sort of thing, so I’llappreciate any advice.

 

[Frozenmouse]

Your woma will dig underneath that if it is not held very firmly to the floor of the enclosure just keep that in mind, everything else seems fine. I have heat cord taped directly to glass in one of my enclosures without any problems .

 

[vampstorso]

you'll notice a heat cord is (well, should be) always cool enough too touch, quite warm, but you can still touch it without an issue. So, it shouldn't burn through anything.

The sticky take is a bit of an issue though...beyond the argument that if your woma gets down there, she may end up getting caught, you'll notice the heat will ruin the stickiness over time...

some people route the cord into the wood (though, since you're like me and not much of a handyman, that's no help!) I use hooks on each end of where my cord is mounted, and just thread it through...but I guess that won't sit flush in your situation, not how I have mine anyway, it's also external.
and...now you've just read all that advice that's probably useless too you haha, the DIY section on here should have a few threads about these issues with photos that should help you too- pretty sure there's a few about making heat mats using cords and a tile, and someone had mounted the cord onto the tile in a seamless way.

any reason why you opted for the cord in this type of enclosure vs a globe?

 

[CaptainRatbag]

Unless the heat cord is faulty, it wont get over about 40 degrees maximum. Glass is produced at almost 1000 degrees, if not more, so dont worry about the glass

You have done a good job for someone 'not very handy-manish' Well done.

What FM^ said is a fact, womas are burrowers, so make sure he cant get under your 'heat board' Have you concidered using a tile instead of chipboard? A tile from bunnings will cost about $3 and your woma wont be able to lift it up to get under it. You can tape the cord to the underside of the tile just like you have done with the board, or tape the cord to the glass floor and just sit the tile on top (maybe with a little sand to stop tyle wobbling) Although ceramic, the whole tile will heat up. Just a thort

 

[J-A-X]

Tape the heat cord down! Are you serious ? How many threads do we see with "tape stuck to python" !
Tape inside an enclosure should never be done especially in this situation- tape at floor level for a borrowing snake. Use hot glue instead.
As for the comment re heat won't crack the glass- again, are you serious? Yes glass is produced at 1000 degrees, but at that temp it is liquid. When the glass is cold and the thermo cuts in it is possible to crack the glass. Sandwich the cord between two tiles, use hot glue to secure the cord and you'll be fine.

 

[pharskie]

Do not, I will repeat, do NOT bury the heat cord under sand. This will give excess heat no where to vent and burn the wood. My advice would be to buy a length of 18x18mm pine and a piece of 300x300x18mm board and a 300x300 slate tile. Then cut the lengths so they go all the way around the edge of the board, PVA glue and screw them into place. Then using some cheap screw in hooks that when screwed in will be lower than the tile placed in top, go along two sides of the board about 20mm apart do when you put the cord in place it will form a back and forth radiator style heat mat. Finally drill some holes all way around the edges so as to provide air vent for excess hot air to vent. Drill the holes using a 3 or 4mm drill bit and space the holes about 25mm apart. So easy and so safe.

 

[ericrs]

have done what similar to you with my womas and BHP's. but i taped the cord to the bottom of the enclosure under a 10mm thick tile 30 by 30cm. this way the tile can be easily removed and cleaned when they crap on it. and a tile 10mm thick will be heavy enough to stay put.
i have used this method with kritters krumble, breeders choice, aspen and sand. all without a hitch. and i dont use thermos. a 15w heat cord on flat out all day cant get hot enough.
cheers

 

[Channaz]

Thanks for all of your responses! Much appreciated.

I will take on board all of the things that have been mentioned above. Sticky tape has been banned! I've also bought myself a hot glue gun. I have a couple of ceramic tiles and will experiment over the next few days to hopefully achieve the right temperature gradient.

Vampstorso, I chose to go with a heat cord because that is what I'd been advised by the previous owner of the enclosure. Although down the track, when I have to invest in a larger setup, I will go with a heat lamp.

I'll put my bag of desert sand to the side for the time being, Pharskie. Do you think Kritters Crumble would be ok, or am I completely missing the point?

Once again, thanks for all the advice!

 

[J-A-X]

With sandwiched heat cord the idea is to not suppress the escape of built up heat. If you want to put substrate in, don't cover the tile. As has been stated, you need to allow excess heat a way out, don't surround the heat cord with glue either when you sandwich the heat cords

 

[Channaz]

Thanks again, Jaxrtfm!

So I am thinking I will fasten strips of thick cardboard around the edges, instead of glueing it all up. I'm not sure if that will be enough to allow excess heat to escape, but I want to somehow prevent the snake from trying to squeeze in between the gap in the sandwiched tiles and cord.

 

[J-A-X]

Ive been thinking about this all afternoon, i reckon A bit of fiberglass fly wire would work, roll it into a thin tube so it has two layers of 'wire', use the hot glue to stop it unrolling and glue it around the inside edge of the tile, and surround the cord. Put the top the top tile on and glue the other edge of flywire to that tile, does that make sense? That way heat escapes, with the flywire glued top and bottom the midget occupant can't get in and the Fiberglass/ plastic wire won't cause damage to snakey if he rubs on it like the proper wire stuff will. Why not just glue a thin strip of the flywire I hear you ask? Well my theory (and that's all it is) is that shaping it like a tube will be a bit more resilient to a push here and there, and if the glue does come unstuck in places the tube should have a spring type of effect and keep gaps to a minimum.
Does that sound like it will work? I think cardboard will be too dense to allow the heat out.

PS: what size is the floor of the tank? And you've said the floor is "glass like" so is it maybe a polyeurethane varnish on the floor?

 

[Channaz]

Hey Jaxrtfm, that all makes sense. I'll give it a try! Yes, it definitely sounds a much better bet than cardboard.

The floor size is 56 x 44 cm. I'd say it is actual glass. I hadn't really looked that close at it until now, but yep, it's glass.

Thank-you so much again! I really appreciate your help.