• Posted 12/19/2024.
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    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
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Back or Belly heat?????

GreenCountryHerp

GreenCountryHerp

Danny Jenkins
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I just wanted to get some opinions on this. I am sure everyone has debated this at some point in time. I currently use belly heat on all my racks. I am in the process of building another rack and it would be some much easier to just run heat tape down the back of the rack instead of on each shelf. What are your opinions? I know some of the larger breeders use back heat in their racks but I have always thought the belly heat helps them to digest better. If you really think about it though ball pythons live underground and don't normally lay out in the sun to digest so it makes me think that the belly heat might not be as important as people may think.
:shrug01:
 
Personally, I have a strong preference for the belly heat. I've built several racks and, while back-heat would be a LOT easier to install, I only use belly heat. I just feel like you've got to get it so much hotter if they cannot lay directly on it (especially for digesting a meal) or the tub will not be adequately heated.

Again, this is only my opinion. I've not found any scientific facts to back it up.
 
I've built racks with both, and as Matt stated, you have to have run back heat so much higher to achieve the desired temp. Fluctuations also seem higher running back. I only have one rack left that has back heat and my hatchlings cling to the wall of the tubs to absorb that heat occassionaly and it just makes me feel like I am stressing them. They wanna be there, but they can only get that far, you know?

Another disadvantage to back heat are hot spots. Now this is just my opinion and I may be wrong in comparison to the views of others, but six seperate, 1' sections will have more consistent temps on each section than one long six foot sections.

Probably the best reason to stay away from back heat, is the bottom rack will always be cooler than the top and you cannot adjust it have each tub the same temp. I've tried fans and while it will help, it wont fix the problem.
 
Also, you can only run one thermostat on one length of back heat. Belly heat can have a thermostat on each shelf.
 
Focal X said:
I've built racks with both, and as Matt stated, you have to have run back heat so much higher to achieve the desired temp. Fluctuations also seem higher running back. I only have one rack left that has back heat and my hatchlings cling to the wall of the tubs to absorb that heat occassionaly and it just makes me feel like I am stressing them. They wanna be there, but they can only get that far, you know?

Another disadvantage to back heat are hot spots. Now this is just my opinion and I may be wrong in comparison to the views of others, but six seperate, 1' sections will have more consistent temps on each section than one long six foot sections.

Probably the best reason to stay away from back heat, is the bottom rack will always be cooler than the top and you cannot adjust it have each tub the same temp. I've tried fans and while it will help, it wont fix the problem.
Click to expand...

That all makes sense, it is always nice to hear someone elses opinions. It seems like there is always something you learn. I guess thats why they say "two heads are better than one". It looks like I am going to stick with the belly heat:thumbsup:
 
greencountryreps said:
That all makes sense, it is always nice to hear someone elses opinions. It seems like there is always something you learn. I guess thats why they say "two heads are better than one". It looks like I am going to stick with the belly heat:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Definitely!! I've learned more about herpin' on here in the last year than I have my whole life.


One other thing about belly heat, it seems to hold the ambient temp better due to heat rising. There may also be some pro's to back heat, they just haven't applied to me yet.
 
Focal X said:
Definitely!! I've learned more about herpin' on here in the last year than I have my whole life.


One other thing about belly heat, it seems to hold the ambient temp better due to heat rising. There may also be some pro's to back heat, they just haven't applied to me yet.
Click to expand...

:iagree:

Also the color of the tub determines how easily the temp goes through it. clear sterilites wil heat up much faster but stay cooler than the grey tubs with the built in water dish. (CB-70s I think...) Its rough cuz I keep one snake in a grey tub cuz hes scared of his own shadow, and I really wanted him to get comfortable. Turns out his tub is about 25 degrees hotter than the sterilites. But I remember reading balls absorb their heat from the ground underneath them. So I stick with belly heat.:D

Oh crap I have to go, my lil sisters started watching Twilight and I can feel my hot dogs coming back up. Ill talk to u guys later.:rofl:
 
Focal X said:
Also, you can only run one thermostat on one length of back heat. Belly heat can have a thermostat on each shelf.
Click to expand...
Huh?
Explain please, I know people that run multiple strips on one thermostat, even with back heat?

My preference is belly heat all the way for all the reasons given.
Ball pythons run skip and hop to their hot spot after eating :)
 
I run multiple strips on my thermostat, some of the thermostats come with multiple hookups. I have 3 of the Johnson Controls thermostats and you can get them with 5 outlets. They work great.
Also Bob-O, I hope you enjoyed Twilight after you were done with the hotdogs:laugh:
 
greencountryreps said:
I run multiple strips on my thermostat, some of the thermostats come with multiple hookups. I have 3 of the Johnson Controls thermostats and you can get them with 5 outlets. They work great.
Also Bob-O, I hope you enjoyed Twilight after you were done with the hotdogs:laugh:
Click to expand...

Oh no I booked out of here and went to the neighbors to play xbox then to work. So luckily I got to keep my lunch.
 
snakesRkewl said:
Huh?
Explain please, I know people that run multiple strips on one thermostat, even with back heat?

My preference is belly heat all the way for all the reasons given.
Ball pythons run skip and hop to their hot spot after eating :)
Click to expand...

He means that since you can wire belly heat individual per shelf you can use 1 thermostat to run all your bottom shelves and another for each individual shelf.

With back heat you only have 1 strip per rack so you cannot control each shelf individual.
 
garweft said:
He means that since you can wire belly heat individual per shelf you can use 1 thermostat to run all your bottom shelves and another for each individual shelf.

With back heat you only have 1 strip per rack so you cannot control each shelf individual.
Click to expand...
Thank you :)
 
...unless you made the back of each shelf a strip of horizontal flexwatt, which is what i'd do if i went with back heat.
 
It was also explained to me that in the wild the ground heats all day. When they come out at night, the ground is still warm even as the air temps start to cool. That was why I use belly heat.
 
axeman said:
It was also explained to me that in the wild the ground heats all day. When they come out at night, the ground is still warm even as the air temps start to cool. That was why I use belly heat.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good explaination, I would have to agree with that. I am going with belly heat, I just wanted to throw the idea around to see what everyone had to say. I appreciate everyones feedback:D
 
garweft said:
He means that since you can wire belly heat individual per shelf you can use 1 thermostat to run all your bottom shelves and another for each individual shelf.

With back heat you only have 1 strip per rack so you cannot control each shelf individual.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup: Yup. Sorry some times my words don't come out right :ack2:

bradleymoore said:
...unless you made the back of each shelf a strip of horizontal flexwatt, which is what i'd do if i went with back heat.
Click to expand...

I've never thought of that. That's a good idea because it would solve a lot of the problems I had in the past with belly heat :thumbsup:
 
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