What Heating Pad For Tank?

[Johnstud56]

I have a 36x18x18 Exo... what heating pad should I get? Inside the tank or on the bottom, I do have a zoomed rheostat, but I also have linoleum I can place inside the tank and put the heat pad under that? Who makes the best heat pad? I saw the Big Apple Herp ones but how do they stick to a tank with a raised glass bottom? Can I just put it inside?

[snakesRkewl]

I would pick up 2 feet of 11X12 flexwatt and ditch the rheostat and get a thermostat.
No heat pad should be inside the tank.

[Johnstud56]

How does the flexwatt work? Where do I buy it? How much do I use? Where can I get a good thermostat to use? I have a screen top so not sure how I can keep the humidity 50%

[NIGRO51]

http://www.reptilebasics.com/thermostats

http://www.reptilebasics.com/flexwatt-heat-tape


Google saves lives ..

[Johnstud56]

WOW! Those are expensive! Isnt there a cheaper alternative? I always did use a zoomed uth with rheostat and worked just fine... anything cheaper?

[Johnstud56]

Does the headtape go inside the cage?

[NIGRO51]

I think the Ve-100 is the cheapest you will find. Flexwatt goes under the tank.

[Johnstud56]

How do I secure the flexwatt to the tank? The tanks Exo make are raised for a heatpad so the bottom glass doesnt sit directly on the bottom.

[Randy F]

WOW! Those are expensive! Isnt there a cheaper alternative? I always did use a zoomed uth with rheostat and worked just fine... anything cheaper?

Sorry I had to laugh at this one. I remember when I first started out and was thinking about how expensive a $200 snake was..........now I see the value in a snake on sale for $6000!

Do it right or you will be sorry in the end. The heat pads or heat tape either have glue on them or you can tape them to the bottom of the cage. For the little price you pay now its nothing compaired to a rheostat failing and if you lose a $200 snakes but its grown to a breeder size female........over a small part! If you go that route with your zoo-med, just temp gun the hot a lot to make sure the rheostat did not fail and put full power to the heat pad.

[NIGRO51]

:iagree:

[Johnstud56]

Do I need a uth if my temps on the warm end are 85-88 with a 150watt zilla ceramic heater?

[Johnstud56]

Also my humidity seems to be sitting at 30% should I use a moist hide on the warm end for his hide there or just use it when hes in shed?

[stevek123]

Billy, if you go the heat tape way (that's what I use) you will need a roll of aluminum tape. Walmart sells them for $6. Yes proportional thermostats are expensive, but well worth the investment. There are also helix and herpstat brand proportional thermostats. I have heard scuttlebutt that Helix is having return issues on the newer ones. One other option is a quality proportional thermostat. Not as good as a proportional one but better than what you have now. Two that I know of are the Ranco and Johnson brands.

[Johnstud56]

I ordered a 4 tub rhino back from boaphile and a ve100 thermostat, is that all I need for my ball pythons??

[stevek123]

Water and rats. lol A temp gun comes in handy.

[JustChad04]

Billy,
I have some extra flexwatt that I will no longer be using. It is already wired up and set to go. I am getting a Freedom Breeder rack in two days so I will be happy to send you some tape for free.

Think I have some free tape too, you just need a thermostat. You can use the aluminum tape to secure it to the bottom of the enclosure as well. If you do not have the funds to afford a thermostat at the time, I highly recommend going to lowes or home depot and grabbing a temp gun and a lot of aspen or cypress bedding. both help hold humidity and heat on the hot side. Use the temp gun to see what the temp will be without a thermostat (I am guessing 120 deg) and add more bedding on that side until you reach the desired temp. Still, get a thermostat as soon as you can it is well worth the investment.

PM me your address if you want the flexwatt.

Hope I helped!

[Johnstud56]

Thanks for the offer Chad...Im not in need of it right now but thanks so much for the offer! Ill get this straightend out soon!

[JustChad04]

Np. This stuff isnt cheep so willing to help a fellow herper!

[stevek123]

I always use a thermostat with heat tape. Way too easy to overheat and potentially cause a fire. Also heat tape should not be run much over 100 degrees, or it will shorten it's life drastically.

[JustChad04]

I always use a thermostat with heat tape. Way too easy to overheat and potentially cause a fire. Also heat tape should not be run much over 100 degrees, or it will shorten it's life drastically.

Agreed! Think the max on flexwatt is 120 degrees but shouldnt even get over 100 or you risk fire.