I've been having a problem regulating the temperature for my Rainbow Boa's tank. I'm using a ceramic light that sits directly on the screen of the tank as my heat source. I have a thermometer on both the warm side and the cool side. The temps keep getting too high - into the 90's. I've gotten a lower watt light and it's still too high. I'm concerned because I know that high of temp is not good for an extended period of time. I leave the light on for 10 hours a day. Any suggestions as to what I should do?

I've been thinking about Under Tank Heater because I've read that a lot of people here use them, but I'm afraid to use them. I have my tank sitting on a wood table. Wouldn't that be a fire hazard??? I know that sounds stupid, but it concerns me.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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Steph
<t><
I am too blessed to be stressed! The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything!

1.0.0 Husband; 3.1.0 Children; 1.1.0 Corns; 0.1.0 BP; 1.0.0 C/BRB; 0.1.0 Rabbit

I use Under Tank Heater's for all of my tanks. About 1/2 are human heat pads, the other, zoomeds. The zoomeds we have attached to a thermostat to control temps. The heat pads have a temp control built in. In all the years I've used these I have never once had a fire hazard and all my tanks are on wooden tables/stands.

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Ken
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan

I would stick with the ceramic heating lamp you have, but get a thermostat to control the temps. We have a programable one that you can set to turn off if it goes above a certain temp and turns on if it goes below... it also saves energy.
It is definitely the best thing to have to regulate the temps (whether you have a Under Tank Heater or ceramic lamp, you'll still want to have it put on a thermostat)

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Andrea

I too suggest using a thermostat. You don't want to have this overheating/cool down cycle going back and forth. I too use human style heating pads and my tanks are also on wooden shelves.
If the Under Tank Heater can get hot enough to start a fire it will already have cooked your animal.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

That's true, Merlin! Didn't think of that... duh!!!

Ok, so the thermostat is definitely a must. Thank you all for your advice. One more quick question... if I'm using a ceramic heating lamp, and I turn it off at night, how do I keep a steady temperature during the night??? I know it's okay to drop a few degrees, but we had a cold spell come through last night and I know the temp probably got too low

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Steph
<t><
I am too blessed to be stressed! The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything!

1.0.0 Husband; 3.1.0 Children; 1.1.0 Corns; 0.1.0 BP; 1.0.0 C/BRB; 0.1.0 Rabbit

The ceramic heater doesn't have to be turned off at night. It produces no light so it does not effect the photoperiod.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

We have our Ceramic Heat Emitter running all the time, but we have the day temps (high/low) and the night temps (high and low) programmed into our thermostat. We have a separate normal lamp (doesn't get too warm) to provide the photo-period that is hooked up to a timer that turns on at 8am and off at 8pm.

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Andrea

hey blackjack what kin dof tank/cage do you have your rainbow in would it be ok to have one in a 20gal high tank??

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brazilian rainbow boa--- Pandora
Cali King---Oreo

Life is to short to worry about your mistake's as long as you learn from them.