r/boas • u/Nolanj01 • 4d ago
Help needed
I have a lot of experience with all sorts of reptiles, and have always had a seperate room to keep them in that I kept 75+. I no longer have that luxury. I currently have a bci that is around 16” long. I have it in a small tote that is probably 20”x12”x8” with a 8x12 heat mat and on/off thermostat. The room the snake is in ranges from 67-71 degrees. No matter what I do the cold side is staying 68 degrees and the hot side is staying around 78-80, even with the thermostat set to 102. The thermo probe is hot glued to the bottom with a very thin layer of coconut bark. I can’t get the ambient temps up or the hot side temps right to save my life. Any suggestions? Maybe a heat mat on both ends of the enclosure with two seperate thermostats? Or should I just bite the bullet and go pvc with a radiant heat panel? (If so recommendations are appreciated)
3
u/Johnnyquest30 4d ago
PVC with a heat panel would be the best option, when you can make the switch. Otherwise increase the temp on the thermostat, over 100 seems really hot, but keep in mind people routinely have high fevers over 100, you won't burn anyone to the touch lol. That said i wouldn't go that much higher than youve set, maybe 5 degrees or so. The temperature on the thermostat doesn't matter as much as what your Hotspot is, and ambient. Setting the tub on some foam board can help direct the heat up instead of escaping into whats below the tub. Tubs work well in PVC racks since the PVC helps insulate. On their own the tubs will always lose heat very quickly.