Thread: Heating
View Single Post
Old 07-15-2006, 01:00 PM   #6 (permalink)
Cazador
Moderator
 
Cazador's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Alaska, USA
Posts: 1,609
Country:
Re: Heating

Heating pads are not necessary for maintaining garter snakes. They're just a different option. I only use UV lights for heat on a variety of vivaria, and I live in Alaska. My house is generally in the low-to-mid 70s, and the temperature directly under a 50 Watt UV light remains around 85F. The temp at the far end of the vivarium is room temperature.
If I'm not brumating certain snakes during the winter, I use an adjustable, screw-in rheostat (about $3 at Wal Mart) in my incandescent light and a 75 Watt bulb. Then I just adjust the rheostat until I get the desired temperature range. Some of my vivaria are glass. Others are plastic, and I've never even come close to having a problem with the walls heating too much. Cheers,
Rick
Cazador is offline   Reply With Quote