Heat cord under tile

[reptinate]

Hey,
Just a question for the people that use heat cord under a tile in full size enclosures. How well does it work? Does the rest of the enclosure get quite cold? I was thinking of either using this method or getting heat panels for my snakes. But not sure if Melbourne is too cold to just use a tile. Also, do you leave the cord on 24hrs?

Thanks

 

[jbest]

i found my tile can sit at an easy 34 degress but the rest of the enclosure stays at ambient temp as it doesnt really got hot enough to radiate any heat

 

[TheChondroCharm]

If you have ground dwelling snakes eg black head python or woma then IMO its fine. The generally find the hot tiles and are happy once heated to move around. I run mine 24hrs as the rest is quite cooler so they always have a hot spot at their disposal. If your using it with a basking light aswell I'd run it on a timer for daylight only. Alternatively you can put tiles under a basking light so the snake has top heat and a warmer ambient temp aswell as warm tiles to sit on. Just my oppinion from experiences.

 

[Umbral]

I use tiles for my terrestrial species and am more than please with the result. On cold days they just sit in the hide on the tile no other form of heating is used.

 

[reptinate]

Thanks guys. Mitch, so I could run the cord and a heat light during day, and just the cord at night? Or just light during the day and cord at night?
The enclosures are for stimsons and a bredli. Just having the cord and tile looks nice and neat, and it's easy, but just not sure if the enclosure will be too cold here in Melb. Anyone from Melb? Would the tile option be suitable for a bredli?

Also, does anyone use heat panels? Are they worth it?

Thanks again

 

[TheChondroCharm]

wouldnt worry about heat panels. they are more for fully arboreal snakes such as gtps that dont touch the ground.

i ran my bhp on just a heat chord, going day and night with a thermostat incase ambient temps reached too high. i live in brisbane and all through winter i had no problems. would just always sit on or close to the tiles.

you could run the chord as the main source of heat and small heat lamp (purely to heat the ambient temps of the enclosure) during the day and night if you wanted. aslong as you run a thermostat.

or you could run just the chord as i did.

a bigger heat lamp that provides a basking spot and warmer ambient temps

what ever way you run it is up to you really. in the end the snakes going to have a warm spot and a cool spot to regulate its temps.


Edit: i also found that configuring the chord in different ways under the tiles made dramatic temp increases ranging from 29 to 50+ so make sure you check the tile temperature before you leave the snake to live it it

 

[reptinate]

Thanks Mitch.
Is there any threads or anything on how to do the cord and tile option? Just want to make sure I do it right. Could do it with a heat mat too, yeah?
I'm trying to find an option that won't require me to get an electrician in.

So many different options lol.

 

[reptalica]

I'm in Melbourne. My Woma is in an enclosure about 125cms wide x 45 deep by about 50 high. Plenty of width. He utilizes the full enclosure, however, it may be different in winter. He has a heat mat set up underneath 4 x ceramic tiles which is on a thermostat set to 32.

Use a heat mat under tiles.

Perfectly healthy and happy.

FWIW.

 

[TheChondroCharm]

Buy a peice of mdf board. drill holes every 50mm along (i used 2tiles next to another) then thread the heat chord like a shoelace going across through the holes And sit the tiles on top. Start out going through every hole and then test for the temp. Then adjust accordingly. Bigger space between the chord the cooler it will sit and vice versa.