# Reptile Radiators



## Stompsy (Jul 28, 2018)

Hi dudes and dudettes...

I’m currently building a new enclosure for my son’s Coastal and am exploring options for heating. 

I’m wanting to know if anyone has used or is currently using a radiator type of device, rather than basking lights or a heat tile?

Are they any good? Tips? Should I be looking at it as a way to provide a basking spot or an ambient temp for the top half of his enclosure?

Any info anyone can give me would be really helpful!

The enclosure is a cabinet conversion... not 100% on the dimensions.


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## Sdaji (Jul 28, 2018)

I much prefer either ambient heat or conductive heat.

The only natural radiant heat a Carpet Python could use is sunlight (or occassionally a bushfire!), and sunlight comes with light. For that reason, I only use spotlights for radiant heat, and they're the only form of radiant heat I'd recommend for any reptile. I did experiment with radiant heat panels years ago, but I didn't like them and greatly doubt I'll ever use one again. 

For some bizarre reason, radiant ceramic heat emitters are popular. They are neither cheap, easy, efficient, natural or convenient. In my opinion they don't even look good. They encourage or even force unnatural behaviour.

Each to their own though.


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Jul 28, 2018)

Sdaji said:


> For some bizarre reason, radiant ceramic heat emitters are popular. They are neither cheap, easy, efficient, natural or convenient. In my opinion they don't even look good. They encourage or even force unnatural behaviour.


+1


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## Pauls_Pythons (Jul 28, 2018)

I agree with Sdaji re CHE I dont like them at all.
I do run 5 enclosures with radiators and I dont mind them but I would say I certainly prefer the good old light globe.


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## Prof_Moreliarty (Jul 28, 2018)

i have a couple of enclosure's i built with heat radiators, they work great and after the initial outlay there is no on going cost like bulbs.
[doublepost=1532780253,1532779552][/doublepost]https://www.proherp.com.au/collections/heating/products/24w-led-600x300-panel-light

just make a basking spot below the panel like you would a light bulb, but it may need to be a fair bit closer than a light bulb for the correct temp.


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## cagey (Jul 29, 2018)

I run heat panels for 2 of my three snakes and they seem OK in terms of movement in and out of the heated area; heat gradients across the enclosures seem OK as well.


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## Stompsy (Jul 29, 2018)

Thanks guys. 

As this is a cabinet conversion, I would still need lighting to emulate daytime/nighttime hours and so was thinking about LED lighting strips with the radiator. 

Might be easier just to go the globe route though...


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## saximus (Jul 30, 2018)

Interesting to hear the old boys (sorry for the jab fellas ) opposing them. I use them in every enclosure and use heat cord for all tubs and prefer just letting the sun provide the "lighting" part. As Sdaji said, each to their own but I really like them and think globes are just inefficient for anything other than monitors which need real heat.

If you do still choose to use them, I'd definitely recommend the Proherp ones and, if your enclosure arrangement allows for it, put it under a shelf so the animal can choose whether to sit under it for the radiant heat or on it for the belly heat. In every enclosure that I've got it arranged like that, I find the animals seem to like doing both.


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## Stompsy (Jul 30, 2018)

saximus said:


> Interesting to hear the old boys (sorry for the jab fellas ) opposing them. I use them in every enclosure and use heat cord for all tubs and prefer just letting the sun provide the "lighting" part. As Sdaji said, each to their own but I really like them and think globes are just inefficient for anything other than monitors which need real heat.
> 
> If you do still choose to use them, I'd definitely recommend the Proherp ones and, if your enclosure arrangement allows for it, put it under a shelf so the animal can choose whether to sit under it for the radiant heat or on it for the belly heat. In every enclosure that I've got it arranged like that, I find the animals seem to like doing both.


Hmmm... food for thought!

We have just cut everything out and once the back is attached, decorating will start. A shelf wouldn't be all that hard to achieve though... but I would still need lighting as my son is 15 and hopeless at remembering to open his curtains before he leaves for school in the morning. 

What type of thermostat do you use with yours?


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## saximus (Jul 30, 2018)

Stompsy said:


> What type of thermostat do you use with yours?


None, the just go off a timer. I believe they're fine to use with whichever type you like though.


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## Stompsy (Jul 30, 2018)

saximus said:


> None, the just go off a timer. I believe they're fine to use with whichever type you like though.


Ok, thanks for the info.


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