[Housing] Heat panels

[sharudd30]

I'm going to be getting RHP's for my enclosures and I was just curious about recommendations. The cages are all under 5'x2'x2' dimensions. I'll be keeping the room at around 70-75. And all of them have UTH's that will be providing belly heat. I'm basically just trying to get rid of the space heater. So any advice on where to buy and what size to get for them etc. will be appreciated

[chiflyer]

Re: Heat panels

I have ones from reptile basics and whatever brand it is that the boaphile sells on his website. They're both great! I hear a lot of people say awesome things about pro products heat panels but they are a bit pricier, I may try one in my next cage to see if it's worth the extra money.

In my 4x2x1 i have a 50 watt (boaphile brand), and in a 3x2x2 I have a 40 watt (reptile basics brand). Both seem to to do the job well and my snake room is about the 70-75 year round. I don't use any extra UTH for my cages with heat panels and the snakes do incredibly well with that set up. I'm slowly in the process of converting my two other cages to heat panels, they're just a bit pricy and that's why I haven't got all of them converted yet.

My recommendation for a cage that size and with those room temps would be something in the 80-100 watt range. I really don't think you'd need to use belly heat but it wouldn't hurt. Hope this helps! I honestly can't say enough about RHP's. My snakes that have them in their cage really seem to thrive with consistently perfect sheds (with no additional misting), never any signs of RI's or health issues, and they seem to have perfect digestive health lol.

[Morgans Boas]

Re: Heat panels

I have all Pro-Products heat panels. They have a 10 yr guarantee, with a 50 yr + expectancy . I have never had on malfunction. It's all that I have ever used, so I can't compare to any others . With Pro-Products , you tell them your cage dimensions, room temp , and they tell you what is best for your enclosure. Are they pricier ? Maybe . . . but some things are worth it . They have also hatched out many duck eggs in outhouse over the years.

[sharudd30]

Re: Heat panels

What's the price difference?

[chiflyer]

Re: Heat panels

The pro products 10 year guarantee is pretty awesome. I really don't care for their business model though where you have to call them and tell them your cage dimensions and room temps and then they give you a recommendation. They don't have published on a website anywhere a list of all their different models, the dimensions, and their prices. I personally think that's just a bad way to do business.

I'm trying to remember off hand, but I think the pro products model for a similar wattage panel I had just bought from reptile basics was over $30 more (once again, it would be nice if their prices were on their website). I am sure they are great heat panels, and I do plan on trying one out one of these days. I'm just not quite sold on them being so much better than other brands that they're worth paying about 40% more. I've had another brand running for over 3 years without a single issue. (I hope I don't eat my words now and have one of these quit on me soon lol).

[jOHNNY t]

Re: Heat panels

(I hope I don't eat my words now and have one of these quit on me soon lol)

I don't think you will. It is nice to have the guarantee but I have been using the RHP from Reptile Basics for 5+ years with no problems. Hope this helps.

[sharudd30]

Re: Heat panels

Thanks Johnny. I called pro products and the prices are about 20 bucks more. But he went on for 5 minutes about the dangers of other rhp's. And told me to get rid of my dangerous flex watt uth because it would cause a fire. I've had the flex watt for 3 years

[bcr_229]

Re: Heat panels

Thanks Johnny. I called pro products and the prices are about 20 bucks more. But he went on for 5 minutes about the dangers of other rhp's. And told me to get rid of my dangerous flex watt uth because it would cause a fire. I've had the flex watt for 3 years

I'll just say that when a vendor trashes a competitor's products, I take the trash talk with a huge grain of salt.

[sharudd30]

Re: Heat panels

Me too. If you can't list the features of your product and let them speak for themselves then I get a little wary

[chiflyer]

Re: Heat panels

But he went on for 5 minutes about the dangers of other rhp's. And told me to get rid of my dangerous flex watt uth because it would cause a fire.

So it appears a big part of their business strategy is to not list products or prices online, make you call them for more info, then bash their competitors once they have you on the phone.

And it's one thing to say heat panels are safer than flex watt, but to call flex watt dangerous is a bit absurd if you ask me.

[sharudd30]

Re: Heat panels

Yeah. I went with a reptilebasics 80 watt rhp.

[McCarthyBoas]

Re: Heat panels

I use Flex watt for all my rack systems and plastic type cages. For all my custom wood cages I use Kane heat matts. I have never used RB or PP heat panels so I can’t say any thing about them. But Kane matts are made for livestock and will last the life time of your boa or python. The three 18” X 18” Kane matts I have are on 24 – 7 and are around 13 or 14 years old now and still look and work like new. They are very expensive but they are worth every penny to me.

Kane Manufacturing




Take care
Tom

[bcr_229]

Re: Heat panels

I use Flex watt for all my rack systems and plastic type cages. For all my custom wood cages I use Kane heat matts. I have never used RB or PP heat panels so I can’t say any thing about them. But Kane matts are made for livestock and will last the life time of your boa or python. The three 18” X 18” Kane matts I have are on 24 – 7 and are around 13 or 14 years old now and still look and work like new. They are very expensive but they are worth every penny to me.

Kane Manufacturing

Ooooooooooooooooooooh I can definitely see myself getting one for my retic in a few years! She's a mainland female tiger, just a baby now but I already bought her 8' adult enclosure - melamine, with one RHP - and I was trying to figure out how to give her some belly heat. This is perfect!

[Zincubus]

Re: Heat panels

I use Flex watt for all my rack systems and plastic type cages. For all my custom wood cages I use Kane heat matts. I have never used RB or PP heat panels so I can’t say any thing about them. But Kane matts are made for livestock and will last the life time of your boa or python. The three 18” X 18” Kane matts I have are on 24 – 7 and are around 13 or 14 years old now and still look and work like new. They are very expensive but they are worth every penny to me.

Kane Manufacturing




Take care
Tom

Sorry but what's the difference between these and standard heat mats also if they're worth changing to.... What price are they roughly ??

[bcr_229]

Re: Heat panels

Prices are on the web site, they look pricey but the t-stat is integrated, they are durable and waterproof, and they come in large sizes. Since I'm using a melamine (wood) enclosure an under-tank heater wouldn't work well. I wouldn't bother with these for a rack of ball pythons or even a PVC enclosure for boas, but my retic's momma is now up to 21 feet, and snakes that big and strong will destroy anything in the enclosure that isn't over-built.