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SoberGuy · #1 (**permalink**) 03-16-2005, 11:55 PM

I've heard some discussion of a UTH being a requirement. If I can get my basking, cool, and ambient temps dialed in, is a UTH still a requirement? I have to either buy a higher watt CHE or get a UTH to add to it. I only need to up it all by about 3 degrees, I think, and set up a thermostat for the night temps. Your help is appreciated.

justcage · #2 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005, 06:34 AM

A UTH will not do much for your ambient temps.. But it will provide a nice basking spot for the animal... Flexwatt, Exo-terra and Cobra are some good names....

JuliusSqueezer · #3 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005, 06:54 AM

When your snake eats, it will greatly improve his/her wellbeing if it has a nice warm belly heat area to warm up on for digestion. Overhead heat helps some but the snakes body will shade it's own underside and it doesn't take long for the substrate under the snake to become cool. In the wild, the sun bakes large rocks and unfortunately, asphalt (hence all the once slithery, now dried up roadkill). There are 3 basic reasons why this is sufficient in the wild but not in captivity. 1- The sun doesn't stay fixed onto one spot all day. The changing angle of the rays helps. 2- The snake can easily move around on the basking spot it finds as often as is needed. If your cage is large enough to install a rotating earth -sun type relationship complete with large sections of paved roads and dried rocky creek beds...go for it and please take lots of pictures. and last but not least... 3- God didn't install UTH pads under the dirt where all the snakes live so heat from overhead is all they have to work with in nature. He also doesn't deworm them and freeze and thaw their food for them either to keep them healthy but I'll be danged if some smart people way before any of us figured out a really long time ago that there are things we can do for our pets that nature apparently never thought of.

Sorry if I seem sarcastic. I'm just in a really odd mood tonight lol...maybe something to do with all the flexaril and vicoden I'm on right now.

SoberGuy · #4 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005, 07:43 AM

Felxaril I don't know, but I'll look up. I'm a drug and alcohol counselor, so it's my amusement. Vicodin I'm aware of, hence I understand the mood. And sarcasm, though the lowest form of humor, is still my favorite.

I'll have to look into a UTH. I just got the thermostat and CHE all set up, so it will be fun to play with. And I do mean fun, I've enjoyed every minute of the set up so far. Now, just to make sure, the UTH does NOT go on the glass, and should actually have, say, an inch or so of air between it and the glass, correct? This is about all I've read, despite the package saying slap it straight on the glass. Anyway, I'll have to get one.

JuliusSqueezer · #5 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005, 07:51 AM

It depends on your substrate. If you are using newspaper, only put it on the glass if you use a lamp dimmer or rheostat to control the heat otherwise it will do the same thing a hotrock will and burn your snake. If you use a natural wood chip product or mulch then you can control the surface temp with the thickness of the substrate but keep in mind that boas will burrow and may still come in contact with the glass. I have 50 or so cages set up here at any given time and they are almost all different lol. I have some with flexwatt, some with adhesive pads, and a lot with just normal old human heat pads set on low. I don't have any snakes living in glass cages though. All of my cages are either made from tileboard or plastic except for one melamine cage and a couple made of plywood.

JuliusSqueezer · #6 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005, 07:54 AM

flexaril is a muscle relaxer. It makes ya loopier than the vicoden. I have a steel plate in my leg and cold rainy nights like this one are NOT my friend

SoberGuy · #7 (**permalink**) 03-17-2005, 07:57 AM

Like soma? Interesting, I'll ask at work. I feel for you on the leg. I had my knee surgery a year and a half ago, and the weather kills me. My dad thrashed his leg and has pins and screws, but no plate. At any rate, my sympathy.
And 50 cages? Are there any classifieds here where I can sell the fiance? Maybe then I'd have the room. LOL

justcage · #8 (**permalink**) 03-31-2005, 12:11 AM

I had knee surgery myself and was on the flexiril and condine... Talk about goofy..lol... Knee still hurt though but I dont realy think i cared..lol

SoberGuy · #9 (**permalink**) 03-31-2005, 01:06 AM

LOL. I toughed mine out with 800mg of ibuprofen. And no, I will not make that stupid decision again.

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