| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| LittleMick |
Posted - 25/10/2009 : 14:33:45
As some of you are aware I have got my faunarium set up ready for when I get my Corn.
1 of the 2 hides is an Exo Terra Snake cave, initially I put this in the warm side of the faun, but after some heat tests I have found that the teperature only gets to about 29-30c. Even though the stat is set to 35c. When I put the temp sensor directly on the substrate it does in fact say 35c.
Now from 2 different sources, 1 says Corns like warm temps of 27-30c and the other source says they like 31-35c, so I would like to ask you guys n girls what tempts you keep your corns at and would temps with a 5c variance really make that much difference? If I go by my own instinct then I would say I would like to keep he temp slightly higher (35c), at least that way if the corn does get too warm then it could just go to the cool side.
A couple of options I have are:
a) Move the snake cave back to the cool end and have the floorless ET hide back in the warm end so the snake can lay directly on the substrate
b)Buy a higher wattage and larger size heat mat.
Oh yeah, currently I don't have any polystyrene under my heat mat, so maybe I should buy a couple of those ceiling tiles and try the temps again to see if how much heat is redirected up into the faun.
Regards
Mick |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| LittleMick |
Posted - 28/10/2009 : 17:51:37
quote:
Originally posted by KITTYCAT
Put in an artifical plant to cover the hide
Already done, lol. I bought another plant last Saturday along with a silk plant that rests aloong one side so the Corn snake has a well covered route from one end to the other. Will post a more recent pic as soon as I have finished me din dins.
I might invest in a dimming stat later on once the Corn is in a viv with a light in it.
Thanks for the info. |
| n/a |
Posted - 28/10/2009 : 17:17:12
quote:
Originally posted by LittleMick
I have a faun so not enough room for substrate depth, so I can't bury the cave any.
The snake would also not be at risk of burning as the heat mat is under the faun,
Yes it still can! If hypothetically the u had a heat mat at X degrees, it could heat the rub/faun/glass enough to burn the snake. However as you are monitoring temps and have stat it should be fine. I wanted to make the comment incase a newbie thought ''i can get a mat and not bother with stat as it will be under the faun/rub/glass and wont burn the snake.'' |
| KITTYCAT |
Posted - 27/10/2009 : 11:35:38
Put in an artifical plant to cover the hide |
| n/a |
Posted - 27/10/2009 : 11:25:41
They are pretty useless on heatmats becuase even if i have mine set halfway it never actually turns of to control the heat so obviously the heatmats arent actually hot enough to "react" to make the stat turn off :/ |
| eeji |
Posted - 26/10/2009 : 23:32:00
my corns get a warm end of 27 deg C so i wouldn't worry about having a lower temperature :)
most dimming stats need a minimum wattage to work (i think its 40w for most) so are pretty useless on heat mats. |
| LittleMick |
Posted - 26/10/2009 : 22:27:35
So basically they are like...... power drip feeds? The more heat there is the less power they let through, then as the heat drops they let more power through? |
| Chimp276 |
Posted - 26/10/2009 : 21:15:34
A pulse stat sends pulses of electricity to keep the heat mat the right temp! Dimming stats vary the amount of power going to the heat mat!
Pulse stats are fine for heat mats but cannot be used for lamps as they will cause the lamp to go on, off, on , off lol, snakey wudnt like that! Only dimmers can be used with lamps!
Both these are more accurate then normal on/off stats! |
| LittleMick |
Posted - 26/10/2009 : 21:08:45
Well I have 2 stats, a Habistat on me Gecko viv and a Komodo on my snake faun, after all the temp tests I have been doing I have found the Komodo the most accurate, there does seem to be a delay in it reactivating after hitting the temp for shutting down. The Habistat is nearly 10c out, from the dial to the actual temp.
And I filed the edges down on the curry tub so they are smooth and taped over with cellotape. With the snake however I will be doing what you have just suggested given a snakes curious nature.
ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT DIMMING STATS - I go to the manufacturers websites to check these out but they just seem to give information such as An Accurate Way Of Controlling A Heat Source. How are these different from standard stats? The only hint I have really is fom the title. So rather than turning the heat mat on/off it keeps aconstant supply of power going through to keep the heat constant? |
| n/a |
Posted - 26/10/2009 : 00:52:13
The temp settings on the stat don't seem to be all that accurate from my own findings and from what I've been told from an expert breeder.
I only have a flat medium exo terra faun and use a light layer of substrate. 11x6 mat under faun and 1" insulation below that. I use a digital thermometer at snake level (slightly in substrate) Heatmat is on alot but took loads of checking to get the temp right. When it switches off there is lag where the temp continues to rise before starting to fall. Shouldn't go higher than 32C. Drops to high 27s on occasions.
Bigger wattage matt is due to extra power needed to heat larger area.
BTW, your wee curry tub - If you haven't already done it, I'd melt the cut edges with a lighter to make sure they ain't sharp. |
| LittleMick |
Posted - 25/10/2009 : 23:00:13
I have a faun so not enough room for substrate depth, so I can't bury the cave any.
The snake would also not be at risk of burning as the heat mat is under the faun, I have yet to put some polystyrene under the heat mat to deflect the heat upward into the faun, so I'll be getting some before the Corn goes into it's new home.
I switched the hides over so I shoudn't have any issues now.
Thanks |
| Chimp276 |
Posted - 25/10/2009 : 18:58:22
I would put the bottomless cave into the hot end. this would let your snake absorb more heat. if you get a bigger heatmat it will still be controlled by the stat so wont get any hotter. If it did get hotter then your snake would be at risk from burning by making direct contact with the heatmat, we definetly do not want this!
Hope this helps! |
| n/a |
Posted - 25/10/2009 : 17:35:17
your snake will still go in it , if you bury the cave a bit and dont have such a thick layer of substrate in there it will rise the temp and my corn tank drops down to about 25in the hot end!! bearing in mind my thermometer is 2 inches above the inch thick substrate and my mat stat never turns off becuase it doesnt get hot enough and my snake is fine so dont worry too much |
| LittleMick |
Posted - 25/10/2009 : 16:59:54
quote:
Originally posted by HannahB
buying a different heatmat wont change it - a stat will still stop it getting to high anyway so it wont really change the temps inside the rub,
hope this helps
Lol, I didn't think about that, you'll have to excuse me I can be pretty thick sometimes. That actually raises another question, what would be the point of having higher wattage heat mats when all the stats I have seen only let you go to a max of 35c? I presume that would be the bigger the mat the more wattage needed to heat it up?
Anyway, back to my post. Yes it helps. I monitored the temps again today, I put the digi sensor in the cave and got 30c while outside it was 32c, so I am getting a variance, so what I'll move the cave back to the cool end and have the ET standard hide back to the warm end.
Another question, I found these caves were pretty naff as a humid hide as well, the cave I got was orginally for the Leopard Gecko, but in the end I made a humid hide out of a used washed out curry tub, covered in tissue paper. But it look out of place and unnatural.
I'll be making another temporary humid hide for the Corn, but have you got any ideas of where I could get one that looks natural but also does the job right?
Thanks
|
| HannahB |
Posted - 25/10/2009 : 14:58:25
my corns temps are at 29-30'c
i used to have one of those caves and used it in the cold end.. it cant get too hot there just cold which I thought was better, i always measure my temps on under the substrate in the warm ends but on top in the cool - my lot tend to bury themselves a lot,
buying a different heatmat wont change it - a stat will still stop it getting to high anyway so it wont really change the temps inside the rub,
hope this helps |
