What is the best way to heat a 50 gallon tank for a boa?

Question

He has a heat rock and a 150 bulb, but I need at least one half to be hot and I want him to be warm in winter. I will also get him a ceramic coil for night time, and maybe some kind of heat pad. The cage is a 50 gallon glass aquarium (13" wide, 48" long and 18" tall) with a metallic mesh lid. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

First advice is to remove the heat rock, it's not just my advice but that of virtually all reptile veterinarians. They are the common cause of terrible thermal burns in reptiles. You are on the right track with the rest. Boas need an ambient background temp. that is in the mid 80'sF and a hot spot of around 95F. A combination of a heat pad with a bulb or ceramic should provide that. You can put the ceramic on a thermostat so that you can adust it between summer and winter requirements, depending on your ambient room temp.

Answer 2

As thea said, remove the rock, not only for themal burns, but the can actually wear the cord by coiling on and over it, and eventually electricute themselves (not often but has happened) Heating pad with thermostat on 1 side of tank, heat lamp/ceramic coil on same side of tank. A pretty good heat pad is one that goes under a waterbed if you can find one at good will or at a yard sale. you can specify temps, however, make sure the probe is in a good spot and verify the temps, you might need to re-write what the temp marks are on the thermostat since it wont be heating a whole bed.

Answer 3

You can also get a long, heat mat to place underneath the tank. Put a moist hide above it, and he'll have a warm place to begin shedding. When it gets too hot, he'll move to a cooler part of the tank

Answer 4

You need to simply buy a regular snake cage, with heating.
The snake will quickly outgrow the 50 gallon, and the lid is NOT escape proof.
Additionally, it will rub the end of its nose off on the mesh.
Here are a couple of good sources:
http://www.boaphileplastics.com/
http://www.customcages.com/