cage insulation?

[snakekid6996]

My room gets cold in the winter due to poor insulation and flow. I keep my snakes in aquariums, but my boas ambient temperature isn't as high as I'd like it to be, although the backing spot isn't bad. I was concidoring selling his cage (a 125 gallon fish tank with custom plexiglass top) and buying a 4X2 pvc cage to see if it would help. However, I have a nice set up with a nice stand and a top piece built by my grandpa, so I'd hate to sell it. I'm considoring trying to insulate the fish tank before I sell it. I would use either 1/2" or 1" insulation board and paint it black and cover the back and sides. Would this help much with the front being glass? I use a uth year round for the basking spot, but added a 28W radiant heat panel above it for this winter. I could also maybe insulate the bottom, but I don't know if it would make a difference, because he already has 1/2" or so of cypress mulch bedding and heat rises. So has anyone on here tried insulation boards and did they see a raise in ambient temps?

[EL Ziggy]

Good question sk. I've got a similar issue trying to maintain my temps during winter. I bumped my uth's up a few degrees and turned the heat bulbs on low. I hadn't considered the insulation board. That sounds like a good idea.

[toddnbecka]

Any type of insulation would hold heat better than glass, would definitely try it and see how much it helped. You could also insulate most of the top as long as there's enough ventilation.
I've been considering using insulation in building some new enclosures. For the time being the aquariums work well enough, but I will need larger spaces when the snakes grow in a couple more years.
My idea is to use 1/4" or 1/2" plywood, 1" styro-type insulation (the stuff from Lowe's that's old in 4x8 sheets) and lining the inside with some sort of waterproof hardboard.
All my fish and snakes are in the basement. Forced air gas furnace with vents in the ducts keep the basement warm enough for the critter heaters to do their jobs.

[pet_snake_78]

I have no experience to back this up with but it might be worth trying some styoboard type stuff like hardware stores sell. You could tape that to the back and sides of the tank.

I recently saw someone post pics of basing a plywood enclosure off a tank. It looked like he did plywood around all the sides and built a sliding glass door into what used to be the top of the tank, the tank was laying on it's side at that point though.

I use heat tape which doesn't really change the air temp at all, so I have to heat the entire snake room with a space heater.

[virtuousvixen]

Have you guys tried the exo terra foam backgrounds. I had similar issues with fluctuations and it has really helped. They are easy to fit and Hershey loves climbing up them.

[yeloowtang]

hey all !!
been lurking for years and was certain I was registered :) guess not.. anyways.. I did this one for my SD retics cage.. cage is 52x24x24 and is up against the outside wall in my snake room.. the room is kept at 78 deg but since it's on the floor, I wanted extra insulation on the back side..
made this with 2" pink foam boards, cut up a few pieces for more details in areas... few exacto knife cuts, a blow torch, water proof paint and a little spag moss.. took about 2H to get done.. looks better in person and did a big difference .. my girl seems to really love it too..

Steph

[Minkness]

Beautiful bg!

[KavomatovlHes]

Did the ram air hood on 98-02 WS6 cars come with an under hood insulation pad??

Thanks

[millertime89]

Very nice!

[themeyers]

I save the insulation from my rodent pro orders and just fix it to the out side of the enclosures.