advice needed- tank heating issues

hello again. first of all, i'd like to thank everyone who's given me so much good information regarding my other posts. this one is also posted under the general python discussion forum, so my apologies to anyone who is reading this for a second time. after lots of consideration, we bought a macklot python (mostly for me ) and she is a beautiful little sweetheart- extremely good temperment and very lovable, im very happy with her. she is about 2 feet long right now, and we do intend on of course up-grading her tank size when needed. currently she is being kept in a 55 gallon glass tank, and we have a thermometer that reads both the 'cool' and 'warm' ends of the tank. it has a screen top at the moment, but we keep most of it covered to minimize heat and humidity loss. anyhow, the problem we are having is this: the temperature in our house (trailer) is constantly fluctuating, and we obviously need to keep her tank at a stable temperature. so, we are wondering which would be a better system to go with- a proportional thermostat or an 'on/off' type. we'd like to either use heat lights or ceramic heat emitters (to keep the ambient temperature at 80 degrees. we would like to use a heating pad on one end to raise the 'basking' temperature to 90 degrees- and we do not intend to hook the heating pad up to the thermostat.) if anyone has a particular trusted brand to recommend for any of these systems we'd like to know that as well. we've heard that the 'on/off' types will shorten the life of the heat emitter, but we have also heard that proportional types are also 'flawed', in that heat emitters are not meant to be 'dimmed'. currently we're working with heat bulbs and her tank conditions have been good so far, but we want to have a better, more reliable system. we realize that keeping the room itself at a stable temperature would greatly improve our ability to regulate the tank temperature, but that is unfortunatly almost impossible- the inside of the trailer changes temperature fairly dramatically throughout the day and even individual rooms are never the same temperature- and we've not been able to do much of anything about it. (our residence came with my job- i'm the caretaker at a conservation club which provided the trailer and pays our rent and utilities.) we would really appreciate any advice that anyone has as to what would be the best set up given our situation. we want to be sure that she has the best care possible. thanks again to everyone!

This is how I would approach the problem.
First off I would put the heat pad on a thermostat. It's the smart thing to do. The heat pad is what the snake will be mnore or less in direct contact with, and many of the commercial under tank heaters will heat significantly higher than 90 degrees.
To solve the ambient temperature I would play with the wattage of the bulbs or heat emitters until I got what I needed, and not use the thermostat with them at all. In a 55 gallon it may even require two, one on either end, if the ambient temperature of the room is fairly low.
I have a few setups that are heated by lights. Some of them are using 40 watt bulbs, some are 65W, and a couple use 100W, it just depends on what is needed to get the temperature where I want it.
Is there any particular reason why you did not plan on using a thermostat with the UTH?

As for which thermostat I'd use, I'd probably go with a ZooMed 500R for that application. They are inexpensive, $25 or so online, and are reliable units. I have at least half a dozen of them in use now.
I've never noticed or heard anything about on/off type thermostats decreasing the life of heaters. My opinion is it won't. It's kind of like how a lot of people believe flicking a light off and on will cause it to burn out a lot faster.

Originally Posted by Clay Davenport

This is how I would approach the problem.
First off I would put the heat pad on a thermostat. It's the smart thing to do. The heat pad is what the snake will be mnore or less in direct contact with, and many of the commercial under tank heaters will heat significantly higher than 90 degrees.
To solve the ambient temperature I would play with the wattage of the bulbs or heat emitters until I got what I needed, and not use the thermostat with them at all. In a 55 gallon it may even require two, one on either end, if the ambient temperature of the room is fairly low.
I have a few setups that are heated by lights. Some of them are using 40 watt bulbs, some are 65W, and a couple use 100W, it just depends on what is needed to get the temperature where I want it.
Is there any particular reason why you did not plan on using a thermostat with the UTH?

As for which thermostat I'd use, I'd probably go with a ZooMed 500R for that application. They are inexpensive, $25 or so online, and are reliable units. I have at least half a dozen of them in use now.
I've never noticed or heard anything about on/off type thermostats decreasing the life of heaters. My opinion is it won't. It's kind of like how a lot of people believe flicking a light off and on will cause it to burn out a lot faster.

I am starting to think that if you have the room a spotlight (black light) for heat seems to be more to the liking of snakes than an UTH .
How do you feel about this matter?
I actually think my snake (Ca king) seems to enjoy "basking" under the warmer area. He is housed in a 30 long as he is still small and I am able to get a temp gradient with the black light spot light of 95 on one side of tank (air temp) to 75 cool side.
Which is amazing 20 degrees diff in a 36 inch tank size. Ofcourse in a small enclosure I wouldnt use the spot light.

I am starting to think that if you have the room a spotlight (black light) for heat seems to be more to the liking of snakes than an UTH .
How do you feel about this matter?

For terrestrial snakes, I personally don't think they view it much different. There's one school of thought that says heat in nature comes from the sun, an overhead source, so basking lights are more natural. However snakes also bask on rocks or asphalt that has been warmed by the sun and retain heat for a while after dark.
There's a few reasons why I prefer undertank heating though. For shy snakes it's easy to provide two hide boxes, one over the heat and one on the cool end and then the snake can thermoregulate without having to give up security.
Heat tape is a more effecient heater. I can heat the cage floor warmer with 20 watts of heat tape than I can with 40 or even 60 watts of basking light in some cases. With a single snake this is a small issue, but when you have many cages, the wattage adds up.
UTHs are safer in most cases. Basking lights, when used properly, are safe but they are still more of a fire hazard than a length of flexwatt.
Basking lights can interfere with the stacking of cages. Another non issue for one or two snakes, but in a collection space quickly becomes a consideration.

These are just my opinions on the matter. Of course with arboreal snakes a basking light is a given, but with most terrestrial snakes I almost always use under tank heating.

Originally Posted by Clay Davenport

For terrestrial snakes, I personally don't think they view it much different. There's one school of thought that says heat in nature comes from the sun, an overhead source, so basking lights are more natural. However snakes also bask on rocks or asphalt that has been warmed by the sun and retain heat for a while after dark.
There's a few reasons why I prefer undertank heating though. For shy snakes it's easy to provide two hide boxes, one over the heat and one on the cool end and then the snake can thermoregulate without having to give up security.
Heat tape is a more effecient heater. I can heat the cage floor warmer with 20 watts of heat tape than I can with 40 or even 60 watts of basking light in some cases. With a single snake this is a small issue, but when you have many cages, the wattage adds up.
UTHs are safer in most cases. Basking lights, when used properly, are safe but they are still more of a fire hazard than a length of flexwatt.
Basking lights can interfere with the stacking of cages. Another non issue for one or two snakes, but in a collection space quickly becomes a consideration.

These are just my opinions on the matter. Of course with arboreal snakes a basking light is a given, but with most terrestrial snakes I almost always use under tank heating.

Thanks for the info I was curious what you thought . A friend of mine has a very nice albino nelson he bought from you its 2 years old so knew you were a breeder.
They get to "big" for me as I like small snakes 2 feet or so but must say great looking.

Originally Posted by Clay Davenport

I've never noticed or heard anything about on/off type thermostats decreasing the life of heaters. My opinion is it won't. It's kind of like how a lot of people believe flicking a light off and on will cause it to burn out a lot faster.

There is actually one site that they say not to use an on/off thermostat with flexwatt.. It is a plain and simple sales pitch! Buy our helix units!! I emailed Caloriques and they say it is perfectly fine to use a on/off(analog) thermostat with thier elements!! Oh and Clay let me know if you want those Zoo Meds cheaper