Preparing to purchase a true red-tailed boa and I am trying to plan every step of the way so my animal is cared for properly. I am going to be housing it in a 4’ x 2’ x 2’ for the first couple years or until the snake outgrows it. The question I have is just how should I light and heat it? I was thinking a radiant heat panel (RHP) for heating and then I don’t know how to light it and have UVB, which I feel should be provided.
If I use a RHP and a daylight bulb, then my basking spot wont be accurate, right?
Thanks, I am fairly new.
RHP all the way. They work so much better inside a cage then anything else. Once you use 1 you’ll never want to heat a cage any other way.
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Wouldn’t using a RHP with a daylight bulb be too spread out for an accurate basking spot? Thank you for the fast response. Sorry if the questions seem hair-splittingly unneccesary, just trying to raise a healthy animal. 
Use an LED daylight bulb. They don’t produce much heat.
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Someone please correct me if I’m wrong, but it was my understanding that snakes don’t need the UVB or calcium powder because they eat the skeletons of their prey. Is this correct, or was I misled?
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I haven’t ever given snakes calcium powder. Been keeping reptile for almost 30 years if that helps at all.
As for do they need UVB that’s a whole other topic that I for one am not going to open that can of worms ever again.
I just feel a little better morally, I guess. My plan now is to purchase a 4’ x 2’ x 2’ that I will install the 80 watt RHP running 24/7 and a 26 watt tropical bulb for a daylight cycle. Thanks!
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