Heat options in plastic tank?

[Light of Dae]

I am saying MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME and a very happy new year as on Dec 28th I will be picking up a Checkered Garter Snake from Chris / Spankenstyne. I'm SO excited *Insert Music Notes* and I just can't hide it! I know I know... lol And I have a big clear plastic tank to set up. I will be putting him in with my little Radix for a little while as they are still too young to breed, but alas they will be monitored for any funny business or inappropriate affections lol

My question is... What kinda heating options do I have for a plastic tank? I would like a cheap build it yourself type deal. Was thinking about heat tape on slate rock? Or heat pad on slate rock / tile? I don't wanna melt the plastic... Any ideas? Would a normal lamp with say a 100w bulb work? I plan on customizing the lid with steel mesh window screen so as to allow air flow n light...

Any thoughts on heat rocks? or them Heat Cables? I also saw a 'Hermit crab heat pad' Which attaches to plastic but I couldn't find anything about how warm they get or anything.

Any help n advice is greatly appreciated.

[guidofatherof5]

I would be amiss if I did not bring up the issue of a quarantine time for this new snake.
Placing this new snake in with your radix may put both snakes at risk.
I will be the first to admit that a quarantine period is a pain in the butt but a necessary one.
A strict quarantine period must be established by the keeper and not wavered from.
My policy is 90 days no matter who the seller is and I hope anyone receiving snakes from me will also impose a period of quarantine.
Just something to think about.

[chris-uk]

Good point on quarantine Steve.

Heating options-wise. I've used both a heat lamp and heatmat successfully with our large RUB when I've had a Cuitzeo in it. The heatmat was probably most successful, the lamp with a 40W didn't get hot enough for me to be concerned about the plastic, but I think the heatmat was definitely more efficient. I just attached the heatmat to the bottom of the RUB. If you replace some of the lid with mesh then that will improve the efficiency of a lamp in your setup compared to mine though.
I'd avoid heatrocks, although the newer ones are supposed to be a lot better there's still a general distrust of them, however I think it's better to heat a larger area of the floor rather than just a single rock.

Whether you use a lamp, tape or mat, just make sure you use a stat to control the heat.

[Light of Dae]

Thanks for the Quarantine reminder Steve! I was about to be a blonde eh! oops avoided! Thanks Steve!

Ok So I can't very well go shopping today... I would go... a wee nuts in the crazy crowds of boxing day! NO THANKS! I ain't going to be in 'the rush' nuh uh! Tomorrow I will go out (Should be the slowest day of the year for shopping right after boxing day) n I will get some Screen and probably a lamp. Today I'll also work on my new 'fake rock' One that will use the height in my current tank Will look like an old stone building.

I just attached the heatmat to the bottom of the RUB

And it didn't melt at all? They say only use on glass... This plastic tank I got isn't like a Rubbermaid its a thinner less pliable plastic, but its crystal clear. I'll start getting it set up n post pictures

On a side note;
My little Radix.. is a terrible hunter lol Yesterday for Christmas I gave her some good sized worm chunks n a live guppy lol OF COURSE she picked out all the worms bits first, then went after the guppy who had been sitting still... WELL this guppy upon being bitten FLEW out of the dish! so I picked it up outa the coco husk, wiped it off n put it in her water dish... Well she stalked it n stalked it n into the dish she went. Swimming around with her mouth wide open she runs into the guppy and it swims away lol. ALL this while I'm pissed off at the new camera I bought myself for Christmas cause 1. I forgot to buy the memory card, so it only holds four pictures on its internal memory! 2. The brand new batteries it came with DIED within 3hours! So here now I got a 16mp Kodiak Camera that I cannot use! grr... lol So alas I am still using my old phone with a 8mp camera to take pictures...
I should have held out for a camera that has manual focus.. That's what I REALLY want...

[chris-uk]

And it didn't melt at all? They say only use on glass... This plastic tank I got isn't like a Rubbermaid its a thinner less pliable plastic, but its crystal clear. I'll start getting it set up n post pictures

The RUB I had the match on had the more flexible sort of plastic, rather than the harder brittle stuff. The mats I've got don't get above about 35C plugged in without a thermostat, so they don't get to the sort of temps where you'd be concerned about melting plastic. Plug a mat in on a heatproof surface and just see what temperature it gets to in half an hour or so. Personally if it got to the temps where it could melt plastic I wouldn't be using it, because that's how hot it would get if the stat malfunctions.

[tress29]

And it didn't melt at all? They say only use on glass... This plastic tank I got isn't like a Rubbermaid its a thinner less pliable plastic, but its crystal clear.

I've used an under tank heat pad in a Kritter Keeper before. It's a clear, more brittle plastic. Used a thermostat as to not burn the snake...

[EasternGirl]

Zoo Med makes a UTH mat especially for plastic enclosures...it's their smallest sized mat...Zoo Med Repti Therm mini for 1-5 gallon terrariums

[tress29]

Zoo Med makes a UTH mat especially for plastic enclosures...it's their smallest sized mat...Zoo Med Repti Therm mini for 1-5 gallon terrariums

I think that's the one I have! It's been moved from a 5 gallon Kritter Keeper to a 15qt Rubbermaid tub, and (with the thermostat) is holding temps well with no signs of warping or melting.

[Light of Dae]

K well I bought a lamp, will do the trick. They didn't have the mini uth mat you guys mentioned, just had the bigger ones. I did pick up some normal 100w bulbs finally, so I can keep it a little warmer in both tanks. Just going to sit down now and set it all up

I can't wait to get my little Checkered tomorrow! I feel like a kid that knows they're going to the water park or something n is really really excited n jumping up n down inside lol Can't wait!

[EasternGirl]

That's how I was when I was waiting for Hermes to arrive...we expect pics as soon as you can put some up!!