# Heating a BRB in a RUB box



## ..Pete.. (Nov 6, 2009)

I've recently bought a Brazilian Rainbow Boa hatchling (about 14inches or so long).

i am currently keeping him in a RUB 9L box with a heat mat under about a third of the box. the air temps are far too low and the surface temp seems low as well, although the snake does move around between hot and cold areas but always buried in orchid bark as i haven't made his hides yet. 

i'm not using a thermostat so heat mat is always on, placed underneath the box, but isn't really getting hot enough. i have the same set-up for my 3yr old corns in a 50L RUB, again no thermostat, but surface temps are constant and within a suitable range.

so anyway my question is whats the best way to heat the BRB, should i use a heat lamp and how would i set it up with the plastic box


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## xxmykyxx (Jul 16, 2009)

It'll work better if you use a heat mat and a heat lamp (with a clamp) and have it over the same end as the mat in the day time, both on a thermostat


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## corny girl (Aug 30, 2009)

..Pete.. said:


> I've recently bought a Brazilian Rainbow Boa hatchling (about 14inches or so long).
> 
> i am currently keeping him in a RUB 9L box with a heat mat under about a third of the box. the air temps are far too low and the surface temp seems low as well, although the snake does move around between hot and cold areas but always buried in orchid bark as i haven't made his hides yet.
> 
> ...



Hi,

Sorry to sound as if i'm having a go but i'm not. You really, really do need to get your mats on a Thermostat, please read this article.... http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/snakes/174166-do-i-really-need-thermostat.html You risk seriously harming your snakes by not using one. Thermostats are designed to cut the mat once a certain temperature is reached, by not having one they can reach dangerous levels & burn the snakes (maybe this is why yours are moving to the cool end as it's just too hot for them at the warm end). I bet once you get your mats on stats they will reach the ideal temps with no problems, use digital thermometers to get an accurate temp reading & ignore the temp dial on the stat (my Corns stat is set at 28 degrees C yet the actual warm end temp in their RUB is 31.5 degrees C). I use Habistat Proportional Pulse stats & my temps are high enough (i have 2 Corns & a Royal Python). Please get the mats on stats (or at least run both mats off one stat if you can't afford to get 2, use an extension lead, plug the mats into this & then the plug this into the socket on the stat).


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## mask-of-sanity (Dec 27, 2006)

agree with above post....a thermostat is needed ....heatmats can and will get over 100f without one ................what type of thermometer are you measuring temps with and where abouts in the tub are you measuring them ? you need to measure directly above where the heatmat is , so under the substrate


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## ..Pete.. (Nov 6, 2009)

i'm using a thermocouple attached to a digital multimeter, so i'm getting accurate temps.

i've measured temps on top and under substrate and air temp. the temps under the substrate for the BRB are just about warm enough and to be honest could do with being higher.

the heat mats are under the enclosures, not inside, so the snakes aren't in direct contact with the heat mat.

i've read the thread about thermostats and was surprised about the high temps. i'm using carbon element heat mats and they don't get that hot.

anyway off to the pet shop to look at some options, what about using lamps with the RUB enclosures??


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## ..Pete.. (Nov 6, 2009)

right the surface temp from the heat map (under substrate) is 30degC so about right for the BRB while its small. thermocouple was left to stabilise for 4-5 hours while i was out.

i will be building vivariums soon and changing to heat lamps, on thermostats. which lamps would be best for the BRB and for the corns. and should i include mats (with t-stat) in the set-ups??


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## Pleco07 (Aug 15, 2007)

..Pete.. said:


> right the surface temp from the heat map (under substrate) is 30degC so about right for the BRB while its small. thermocouple was left to stabilise for 4-5 hours while i was out.
> 
> i will be building vivariums soon and changing to heat lamps, on thermostats. which lamps would be best for the BRB and for the corns. and should i include mats (with t-stat) in the set-ups??


It goes without saying that a thermostat is needed on any heat source. I had my CRB in an 18ltr then a 35ltr and lastly a 80ltr all heated by a heatmat (on stat) reaching ideal temps. She went into her 4ft viv last night which is heated by a 250w ceramic heater (on stat), no need for mats as the ceramic produces the ideal temps


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