Radiant Heat Panels or FlexWatt?

Hey all,

I'm looking to buy several BoaMaster cages (4 footers and some arboreal cages). And was wondering how exactly is the radiant heat panels or flexwatt used? Do I need a tstat or temp control system? Is it safe for those kinds of heating methods? I need to stack all the cages so I was wondering is it safe to have them in between the cages? Or do they go on the roof? Can the temp be controlled? Thanks, any info will help!

Yes, you need some sort of temperature control. As far as where to place them it depends on your set-up. We have used either flexwatt in the roof, back wall, and under the enclosure with good success. The key is to be able to measure and control the temperature in the enclosures. Here are some options:

http://www.beanfarm.com/store/agora....ture%20Control

Radiant heat panels are far superior to flexwatt and more efficient. They are usually placed on the roof inside the cage. Thy tend to heat objects more than air so their heating capability is not diminished by breezes or moving air. They have a deep penetrating heat due to the long form infra red rays. They are also good for creating ambient temperatures usually mounted on the roof on one side or the other. With radiant heat panels no need for flexwatt. They are also good for creating basking spots for snakes. We use them sometimes in monitor cages for ambient temperatures however they do not get sufficiently hot to create the 150 + degrees basking spots for the monitor lizards, however for snakes they are the best things going in cage heating today.
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Digby Rigby balboa28279@mypacks.net

My feeders are cooler than your pets!

So would you recommend radiant heat panels over flexwatt? And also, are the radiant heat panels safe if they are on the INSIDE of the cage???? Are the heat panels and temp. control 'thing' easy to use and regulate?

I don't have extensive experience but I do have both flexwatt and radiant heat panels in use. In my opinion because you will be heating Melamine cages radiant heat panels would be the better choice for you. The walls are really too thick too heat from the outside with flexwatt, although some people put a glass or acrylic floor inside their cage to keep the flexwatt from getting wet but that is getting too elaborate for me. Either are easy to regulate with a mandatory thermostat. Radiant heat panels are quite safe inside the cage.

The radiant heat panels are superior to flexwatt for a couple of reasons. They tend to heat objects instead of air. They use longform infrared rays which are a deep penetrating heat unaffected by air movement i.e. drafts. If you want an example take cars for instance. No matter how cold it is outside on a sunny day the car inside is warm when you leave it out because of the longform infra red rays passing through the glass. I am kept by monitor lizards so they do not get hot enough for basking spots however excellent in my case for ambient temps. Also the radiant heat panels wont burn upon contact.

Digby Rigby balboa28279@mypacks.net
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My feeders are cooler than your pets!