heating new enclosure

[Fantazmic]

Hi guys

As you know I am a newbie and my two little jungles are growing really quickly and so hubby and I have been busy organising a new enclosure for each of our jungles (they are now 10 months old how times flies). I have a pic of the enclosure we are getting although it will be even better finished than this pic (the outside will be overed with wood veneer so you wont have the white melamine and wood effect, but the melamine will remain on the inside for easy cleaning). The dimensions will be 900 wide 600 deep and 1200 high. We are so impressed with the quality (so if anyone wants to know contact details to the enclosure builder please PM me.

My question is how would the experienced jungle keepers on the forum heat the enclosure we are going to get. We will be buying two enclosures one for each snake so the heating for the enclosure would be for one snake only. Also I am organising the interior as in dowel for them to climb on etc. So suggestions about whether we should have a basking shelf or dowel etc would be so helpful. Also how do people find the plastic fake rock stuff...is it a pain to clean ?

The enclosure builder actually keeps lizards so he does know what he is talking about....but we just want to be sure....as you probably can tell the enclosures are expensive...and most importantly our jungles are so precious and we want to make sure we get this right.

Many thanks in advance

Elizabeth

 

[Fantazmic]

hi guys

am I asking for something too complicated ?

I just would like to confirm the best way to heat the enclosure I am going to buy

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.....should i have posted under aussie snakes ?

Elizabeth

 

[user 16324]

I dont have a jungle carpet but i would use either an infrared or a ceramic globe. looking at the size of the enclosure, i would use a pretty high wattage one. make sure it has a wire cage around it though. and a really good thermostat.

 

[user 16324]

btw the enclosure looks great!

 

[Fantazmic]

yes that is what the enclosure builder said

he also suggested putting some heat coil in the bottom by routing out the base...do you think I will need to do that as well....Im just worried if I have heat from the top and from the base it might be a bit much ?

Or would it be worth just putting the heat coil in the base.....only trouble with that is I think it will encourage them to sit on the bottom of the enclosure too much ??

Elizabeth

 

[Wally]

Personally I'd just heat from the top.

 

[Fantazmic]

Thank you so much for your replies
Yep ok so I would use a ceramic globe and maybe start with a low one and use my thermometer to make sure the enclosure is coming up to heat.

has anyone heard of the habistat reptile radiators? I am wondering if one of those would be nice for them with a basking shelf underneath rather than using a globe...I guess I am thinking around the fact that the globes blow a lot.......

has anyone used the reptile radiators ?

Elizabeth

 

[user 16324]

not sure about the radiator, but i would suggest using a reasonably high watt ceramic. only because of the size of the glass front and then enclosure itself

 

[James_Scott]

Reptile radiators work a treat. The only ones I am aware of on the Australian market at the moment are the 80w habistat, however there will be six more radiators on the market and available early January. Ranging from 28w to 160w will be available.

 

[Fantazmic]

Yep I have just been doing some searches and there is a suggestion the habistat radiator wouldnt be warm enough.....we are in melbourne.....but people have been using heat panels from a company called thermofilm.......I am looking at the possibility of setting up a basking shelf with one of those

thank you for your help

Elizabeth

 

[James_Scott]

I use the Habistat reptile radiators in two of my enclosures and have no issues with heating horizontal enclosures. As your enclosure is Vertical and in Melbourne you will have no issues with heat in Summer but will require floor heating regardless what heat source you are using on the ceiling. A simple heat cord under a tile or slate will fix your floor heating issue. I use ceramic heat emmitters in my large vertical enclosures but will be switching to radiant panels when the new stock arrives in January.

 

[Kurto]

Thats a big enclosure for a little jungle. I would be heavily decorating it, so they jungle has lots of places to hide. You'll probably never see it, but it might go if it's food otherwise.

As for heating, I personally would use a couple of 50w ceramic heat emitters at the top and try to keep the room at 22 degrees or more.

 

[Wally]

I use the Habistat reptile radiators in two of my enclosures and have no issues with heating horizontal enclosures. As your enclosure is Vertical and in Melbourne you will have no issues with heat in Summer but will require floor heating regardless what heat source you are using on the ceiling. A simple heat cord under a tile or slate will fix your floor heating issue. I use ceramic heat emmitters in my large vertical enclosures but will be switching to radiant panels when the new stock arrives in January.

G'day James,

perhaps you could elaborate on why floor heating is important when heat requirements are being provided at the top of the enclosure.

Cheers

Wally

 

[Fantazmic]

Hi Wally

what I am thinking is that I will be using a radiant heater and will set it up with two shelves...one so that the snake can sit on the shelf and get heat from underneath and then with a second shelf...i think about 15 cm's underneath the radiator so the snake can sit underneath and get heat from above.....

what is worrying me is if I put heat in the bottom of the enclosure that it will be too hot....where will the snake go to cool off...and if I have a water dish in the bottom I will have to make sure it isnt near the water or I will get a very humid enclosure.

I have included a pic of an enclosure i found in another thread (I hope chris doesnt mind me borrowing his pic) see how he has the two shelves...the dimensions of this enclosure are very similar to what I am planning...so it should work. I have asked in the Australian snakes thread about shelf height and wattage for the radiant heater

thanks for all your help

Elizabeth

 

[Wally]

G'day Elizabeth,

I like the enclosure set up in the pic you have shown. My own preference would be along those lines.

 

[Fantazmic]

Thanks wally between you and the other people on here and baden on the other thread I have a really clear picture in my mind of what I am going to have...and the guy who is building it does beautiful work.....so when it is done it will be lovely

our renovations will be finished in December and we are ordering the enclosure after christmas....I am so excited........I am getting two one for each snake...it will cost a bomb but they will look really nice in the living room and the best bit is i have found someone who does really good work so if I want anything else built I know just where to go !!

Elizabeth

 

[Fantazmic]

PS thanks everyone for your replies...it has helped me work out what I want to do

Elizabeth

 

[Wally]

A good display enclosure keeps me captivated, that's for sure.