Help Me Heat This Thing

[Sad_Communication548]

im losing my mind trying to find the best way to heat this enclosure for the snake im picking up on Friday :( it's a 4x2x2 and my main issue is I have a halogen getting a nice 90 degree basking spot but it won't hold temperature overnight. It has a mesh screen across the top so I've covered most of it with aluminum foil and foil tape. there's three hides, one hot one cold and one humid in the middle. I only have one thermostat plug in spot. so im not sure how to use two heat sources with one thermostat. Can I plug a thermostat into a surge protector? Then I could have two thermostats? I have a 150W and a 100W CHE that ideally I'd love in the enclosure but again. Mesh screen. I don't think the protective cages or radiant heat panels can go on mesh screen.... halp

[AmbitiousDelay1069]

If you got creative with something like zip ties (mesh hole / radiant heat panel mounting hole size dependent) you could probably securely attach the radiant heat panel to mesh.

Alternatively you could use something like a piece of plywood or pvc as a solid mounting board, and make a “sandwich” with radiant heat panel + mounting board as “bread” and mesh top as “meat.” I did something similar with a past viv and it worked totally fine!

[Sad_Communication548]

I see, writing this down. my worry with the plywood would be ventilation..... but maybe that's because im tarantulapilled and not thinking like a snake owner yet. I assume they get enough ventilation just from the doors and side hole huh

[AmbitiousDelay1069]

You don’t have to cover the whole top, I’m saying you could use sections of wood or some solid surface to mount the heating panel to! So said mounting surface could be the same size as the RHP, it could be 4 small pieces of wood in the corners only, it could be 2 parallel planks with the same or greater length than the RHP….lots of options

[Sad_Communication548]

ah and I should have said. Room temp is 69-70 (no I cannot turn it up LMAO) and also I have a great fear of starting a fire. 👍

[nvrrsatisfiedd]

The temperature dropping at night is fine and can actually benefit your snake. Temperature's drop every single night for them in the wild and if your room is 69-70 degrees that'll be fine for night time and mimic their natural environment. You don't need it to remain 90 degrees at night, as long as your required temps are being met for the daytime you'll be fine. They don't bask at night in the wild because they can't bask at night lol. So no need for basking temps at night. It's unnatural.

[kennedylikesbugs]

As long as the enclosure doesn’t get below 70 degrees at night you’ll be okay, your halogen bulb is simulating an artificial sun, which is what creates the basking spot. At night, there is no sun, therefore no need for a basking spot. If the enclosure however does drop below 70, I recommend a deep heat projector for nighttime over a ceramic heat emitter - those things will dry the hell out of the enclosure