Best way to heat my snake tanks .......
 

I am struggling here with what really is the best way to effectively heat my 2 snake tanks. I have a Hog Island boa cross and a Spotted python. The Hog Island is in a 20L glass tank, and the Spotted python is in a 10-gallon glass tank. Currently, both have UTH's and I also use a Hood lamp overhead with a dimmer and bulbs. I have read that any type of overhead bulb is not good and should not be used, along with Heat emitters.

The 2 UTH's that I am using I just question as to how effective they are at really providing the snakes with the appropriate level of warmth that they need on the warm end of the tanks.

Can I have your take on this please. Thanks .

overhead heat from bulbs and emitters is not a bad option. They do tend to dry the air out which requires adjusting other husbandry routines but they can and do work. Just be sure they are regulated, and secured. A light shroud with a heat emitter getting bumped out of place is a quick way to cause some serious damage and potentially start a house fire.

The hood lamp on a dimmer is suspended above the screen top. I won't use any type of heat emitter - to dangerous, so I use bulbs.

I'm curious to know if you need to use BOTH an UTH and a heat source from above ??

Depends on the ambient temperature in the room, the material the enclosure is made of, and what you are trying to accomplish.

Glass tanks are about the worst; they don't insulate well or hold humidity well. They're great for fish, not so much for reptiles.

An under-tank heater is just supposed to create a hot spot for your critter to lie on, it is not designed to increase the ambient temperature in the enclosure.

The problem with overhead heat sources and an open screen/mesh top tank is they quickly create a desert environment so species that need a decent amount of humidity don't do well in them.

I don't know...I've viewed many videos of snake owners and breeders successfully keeping their critters in glass tanks. My screen mesh top is covered part of the way with Aluminum heat tape to insulate, keep the humidity in as well as some warmth. I can't imagine any UTH maintaining a "hot spot" seeing there is a good 2-inches of substrate on the bottom of the tank - but I have managed to maintain a Cool-er end and a warm-er end to these glass tanks. Opaque tubs just don't do it for me. I've had'em, didn't like'em and I couldn't see my Snakes - they're ok for snake breeders, but I'm a hobbyist who likes to view his reptiles. My 2 Hygrometers per tank do a good job of keeping me up to date on Humidity and temps, even if I have to spray down the substrate. I haven't lost a snake yet. I can maintain 60% Humidity in my two tanks ----- it was the "heating" part that I needed clarification on .....Neither of my snakes "bask" so I'm probably going to eliminate the hooded lamps above the tanks and since I hear/have read snakes really don't like "light" they should be alot happier......