| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| deadinatomb |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 20:44:22
Hi everyone,
I have recently bought my fist snake, a corn that's about a year old.
I have a 2ft viv, which came with a light as a heat source. After looking on here i decided to by a heat matt instead. The heat matt is a 28 x 27cm, 14.5 watt and is under the bedding inside the viv. The thing is it doesn't seem to keep the temperature up enough. I turned the matt on and the light off, and the air temp dropped really sharply.
To counter-act this I have put the light back on as well so the matt and the light are heating the viv together.
I was wondering if having the light going on and off(as it is controlled by thermostat) will cause the snake any harm or stress?
Also, are there any suggestions as to how best to keep the viv heated, and what is in the snake's best interests?
Also, since bringing him home, (5 days ago) he has been inside a hide in the cool side of the viv and hasn't ventured out. He has fed though, so was wondering if he is comfortable, as I have heard that snakes will only feed if they are completely comfortable, and that if his hiding is normal? The air temp on the cool side is hovering around 22/23 degrees c and the warm side is about 27/28degrees c.
Could he be staying in his hide because he is too warm or cold?
Lots of questions I know, but I would be really grateful for your advice!
Thanks
Jack |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Dutton90 |
Posted - 01/03/2011 : 21:36:16
sorry my bad didnt pay attention to the VIV part:) |
| ilovemypets1988 |
Posted - 01/03/2011 : 15:43:16
your welcome tomb, yh it is a joy when you get them out for the first time and i certainly hope that u do enjoy your snake - pics asap plz :) |
| deadinatomb |
Posted - 01/03/2011 : 11:27:03
Sorry I didn't mean to post that cheers for that ilovemypets I use a digital thermometer. My snake taub is still hiding away but im going to put that down to him just moving in can't wait till I can get him out and get him used to me |
| deadinatomb |
Posted - 01/03/2011 : 11:17:31
quote:
Originally posted by ilovemypets1988
quote:
Originally posted by deadinatomb
Hi everyone,
I have recently bought my fist snake, a corn that's about a year old.
I have a 2ft viv, which came with a light as a heat source. After looking on here i decided to by a heat matt instead. The heat matt is a 28 x 27cm, 14.5 watt and is under the bedding inside the viv. The thing is it doesn't seem to keep the temperature up enough. I turned the matt on and the light off, and the air temp dropped really sharply.
To counter-act this I have put the light back on as well so the matt and the light are heating the viv together.
I was wondering if having the light going on and off(as it is controlled by thermostat) will cause the snake any harm or stress?
Also, are there any suggestions as to how best to keep the viv heated, and what is in the snake's best interests?
Also, since bringing him home, (5 days ago) he has been inside a hide in the cool side of the viv and hasn't ventured out. He has fed though, so was wondering if he is comfortable, as I have heard that snakes will only feed if they are completely comfortable, and that if his hiding is normal? The air temp on the cool side is hovering around 22/23 degrees c and the warm side is about 27/28degrees c.
Could he be staying in his hide because he is too warm or cold?
Lots of questions I know, but I would be really grateful for your advice!
Thanks
Jack
air temp isnt important as snakes get there heat from a surface and not from the air.
the heat mat should be sufficant enough to warm up the snake without the use of the bulb, alot of people on here only use bulbs as a back up if something goes wrong with the mat.
do you have digital thermometers, as any other thermometers are not adequate enough to be used accurately.
i aint a pro with keeping snakes as im relatively new to it myself but this is the advice that keeps popping up from other members, so i sumerised it for u 
|
| lotabob |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 22:26:56
2 foot = 60.96 cms to be exact, the mat size is fine. and covers slightly less than half. So you are correct.
I wish this country would pick a measurement type and stick to it, lol. I prefer millimeters, everything sounds precise and technical. I deal with oldies all the time at work and have to be able to convert metric into oldtimers imperial. |
| danny28490 |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 22:20:59
quote:
Originally posted by CentricMalteser
you're heat mat should ideally be a third of the floor space, if not, half as an absolute maximum, and your heat mat is over half
Not to be rude or anything but last time i heard 2foot was 60cm's and if my math is right half of 60 is 30 so a 28x27cm heat mat is just under half the size of the viv not over and will be fine. |
| lotabob |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 22:11:32
Your not wrong I have a complex heating system for my corn with a day and night cycle, its not required to dip temps at night but I do. (I try provide as close to natural as possible but to avoid confusion I tend to keep the full details of my setup quiet). |
| ilovemypets1988 |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 21:52:50
quote:
Originally posted by deadinatomb
Hi everyone,
I have recently bought my fist snake, a corn that's about a year old.
I have a 2ft viv, which came with a light as a heat source. After looking on here i decided to by a heat matt instead. The heat matt is a 28 x 27cm, 14.5 watt and is under the bedding inside the viv. The thing is it doesn't seem to keep the temperature up enough. I turned the matt on and the light off, and the air temp dropped really sharply.
To counter-act this I have put the light back on as well so the matt and the light are heating the viv together.
I was wondering if having the light going on and off(as it is controlled by thermostat) will cause the snake any harm or stress?
Also, are there any suggestions as to how best to keep the viv heated, and what is in the snake's best interests?
Also, since bringing him home, (5 days ago) he has been inside a hide in the cool side of the viv and hasn't ventured out. He has fed though, so was wondering if he is comfortable, as I have heard that snakes will only feed if they are completely comfortable, and that if his hiding is normal? The air temp on the cool side is hovering around 22/23 degrees c and the warm side is about 27/28degrees c.
Could he be staying in his hide because he is too warm or cold?
Lots of questions I know, but I would be really grateful for your advice!
Thanks
Jack
air temp isnt important as snakes get there heat from a surface and not from the air.
the heat mat should be sufficant enough to warm up the snake without the use of the bulb, alot of people on here only use bulbs as a back up if something goes wrong with the mat.
do you have digital thermometers, as any other thermometers are not adequate enough to be used accurately.
i aint a pro with keeping snakes as im relatively new to it myself but this is the advice that keeps popping up from other members, so i sumerised it for u |
| lotabob |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 21:18:34
Air temp is not a critical factor providing its about 20 degrees.
As long as your heat source is controlled by a thermostat that has been correctly setup then You've done well. |
| deadinatomb |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 21:12:47
I have a habistat controlling the temperature, and a digital thermometer measuring the temp.
Thanks for the advice, am just about to lower both of the probes down onto the heat matt, as you suggest.
Does the air temp not matter too much, as long as the heat matt is making the thermometer reach about 28/29 degrees c?
Thanks
Jack |
| lotabob |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 21:06:27
quote:
Originally posted by Dutton90
im relitively new to keeping snakes only had my Mr T for 6 months but what i no will be said is to put the heat mat under the viv and no in the viv as hes probably staying away because it too hot :)
Wood is an insulator, the heat will never make it through without the mat reaching dnagerous temperatures. In a vivarium the mat goes inside.
Ok firstly the heat mat needs to have a thermostat and the temperature you take from the mat should be directly at the mats surface and not on substrate.
The lights stat probe and temperature reading from a bulb needs to be taken from the surface directly under the bulb.
Two seperate heating methods have 2 different methods for monitoring heat.
Heat mats only heat what touches the mat and will have almost no effect on air temperature.
I have a light on through the day and a mat on at night, its a complicated heating method but it works well for my snake.
A few questions for you;
Do you use digital thermometers?
Do you have a stat on your mat?
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| gmac |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 21:00:28
when you say the mat is not getting enough heat to the viv what are you using to measure the temps, also your light shouldn't be going on and off, it should be on a Dimmer stat so should be a constant.
your temps seem fine but is an expensive way to heat the viv. And the Mat should be inside the viv as outside it couldnt reach the temps to heat inside. |
| Dutton90 |
Posted - 28/02/2011 : 20:48:24
im relitively new to keeping snakes only had my Mr T for 6 months but what i no will be said is to put the heat mat under the viv and no in the viv as hes probably staying away because it too hot :) |
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