| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| n/a |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 00:48:45
Hi,
Just wanted some advice regarding my current set up.
At the moment my viv is heated with bulb but I'm concerned that the constant light might be stressing Fluffy out. She seems to spend all of her time hiding & is rarely out from under her hide.
I'm thinking of changing to a heat mat. I have a 3ft viv & need to know what size would be best. Also what do I then do about lighting the viv during the day?
Any help would be most welcome.
 |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| elament |
Posted - 17/02/2010 : 19:40:32
Amen to that Bengy |
| n/a |
Posted - 17/02/2010 : 15:09:19
It's not built for source less than 40w but it can work on some; its just not guaranteed to be very accurate.
I won't debate about too much, both are suitable and widely used. Its just one heats on contact and the other with radiating and creating ambient heat warming the air, snake, substrate and husbandary. They will digest food well enough on both and in the wild they rely on using heat from the sun which heats the snake and the ground as does a bulb or mat. Mat heating is a bit cheaper though!
Both snakes are fit and healthy, similar sizes and weights, eat the same and are the same age. Its just I chose bulb for one; she is placed in a light room but not as well lit as some rooms. She is also in a wooden viv and I prefer to use bulb with wooden viv and mat with glass vivs as I prefer to use a heatmat outside any viv underneath, and that is hard to do in a wooden one!
There's no right or wrong. Unless they're setup without stats and guards! |
| mikerichards |
Posted - 17/02/2010 : 13:04:16
Some snakes prefer to gather their body heat from a hotspot, corns are the same, although heating with a bulb will work, they prefer a heatmat.
I use dimmers on mats and haven't had a problem, whether that's because they are running more than 4 mats each I don't know! Infact, I used a dimmer on my incubator last year with no problems! |
| elament |
Posted - 17/02/2010 : 12:27:42
To be fair bengy I aint no expert I only been keeping snakes for six months now but I have read a lot on here. I would imagine snakes can thermoregulate through air temprature as would anything but I would also imagine it would be a quicker process if the corn was lay on a heatmat and absorbing the heat through its belly. As I understand it from advice I have read on here it is preferable to provide them with a method of doing this but hey I could be wrong and hopefully someone else who has a more define answer to this will post. I used to use mats and bulbs originally (spotlamp bulbs to raise air temprature) but I have since ditched the spot bulbs for energy savers with no adverse reactions and in fact I have found regulating the heatmats with the stats I have a whole lot easier since i got rid of the spots.
cheers
steve
|
| n/a |
Posted - 16/02/2010 : 18:37:23
Yeah true Stephen. I got 1 on a mat and 1 on a infra red. Both are adults. I think for sure mats are best for younger smaller snakes but as they grow I think both have pro's and con's.
When she first went to a bulb-dimmer setup LegLess was CONSTANTLY trying to wrap around the bulb guard but now she knows what it is she doesn't care! So can vouch for the importance of bulb guards, and thermostats for any heat source! |
| elament |
Posted - 16/02/2010 : 13:22:04
yep nicely corrected bengy both options covered in a nutshell nice one!
Editted to add: Though I would add that cornsnakes prefer to get heat from their bellies so a mat is preferable as a bulb generates air temprature rather than belly temprature if you get what I am saying. Which is why a bulb guard is essential as said snake may try to wrap around the bulb to get heat from his belly.
|
| n/a |
Posted - 16/02/2010 : 12:15:20
What colour bulb do you have, i.e. a normal bulb or an infra red? If you get a "proper" infra red bulb it is stress free for your snake (little to no impact on their sight as infra red is hard to impossible for them to see due to the light's wavelength) and (if set up correctly) is on very low all the time to maintain the set temperature and is very accurate; hence the difference between the stats and needing the right stat for the heat source used.
Dimmer stats are needed for a bulb heat source. The light dims and brightens to maintain the preset heat, its always on, just a question of how bright, and as said before; if setup correctly its very dim. A simple on off stat comes on to heat to a set temperature and cuts out when reached, as does a pulse proportional stat but at a much faster rate so the temp is more constant. If you used this for a bulb it'd be flashing like a disco (as would a pulse stat on a bulb).
Elament's post is completely true and fair; I'd just though I'd say that you have the option to either get a £6 infra red bulb (and bulb guard if you don't already) or replace the current setup for the mat setup mentioned per elament's post, using either an on off stat or pp. |
| elament |
Posted - 16/02/2010 : 11:08:30
The silliest questions are the ones that go unasked. A dimmer stat will not work with a heatmat you need a mat stat. An on/off mat stat is the cheapest but a pulse proportional stat will cost a few more pennies but keep the heat more constant with less fluctuations. When you get it set the mat up with little or no substrate over it. Your stat will come with a probe attached (a long piece of wire with a heat sensor in the end) THe stat goes on the outside of the viv and you will need to drill a hole in the side of the viv to feed the stat probe through INTO the viv. Get yourself a digital thermometer with a probe then attach the two probes of the thermometer and the stat together with rubber bands (do not ever use tape its harmfull to snakes) and have both probes touching the heatmat that way you will be able to regulate the core temprature of the mat with far more accuracy. Aim for a temprature of between 27-30c from the mat and you will be in buisness.
Good luck
Steve
|
| n/a |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 19:45:08
It's a dimmer stat. But to be honest I'm pretty clueless as to how it works. I've just kept it at the temperature the guy at the store told me too.
The temp is fine & there's a good gradiant. It's more the concern of having the light on all the time as I've heard it can stress the snake out.
Being a dimmer does that mean you can turn it down if need be?
Sorry if these seem like silly questions. I'm a first time snake keeper & want the best for Fluffy. |
| n/a |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 17:56:33
quote:
Originally posted by lizzieg
Thanks for the advice guys. I already have a thermostat so that's not a prob. Will be out on the hunt for a heatmat this weekend.
Typically she's now decided to go into shed so will have to wait for a bit anyway.
Do you have a mat stat though or do you mean the stat for the bulb? If so, the bulb stat is probably going to be a dimmer stat which won't be able to run a heat mat (unless its a 40w mat which'll be huge). |
| n/a |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 17:37:50
Thanks for the advice guys. I already have a thermostat so that's not a prob. Will be out on the hunt for a heatmat this weekend.
Typically she's now decided to go into shed so will have to wait for a bit anyway. |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 17:21:24
I was thinking about those stick on LED lights, was thinking about getting some for the vivs when my lot move up just for additional lighting but would they be ok for the snakes or would they flicker at rate we can't see therefore annoying them? |
| n/a |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 14:17:43
lighting isnt' essential. |
| newsnakekeeper |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 13:03:45
Yeah defo 17x11 heat mat what i have in same size viv and the heat bulb wont give ur snake the underneath heat it needs to help digest food. HB i agree with u bout the stick on led light i used them for wen i had me gecko will use it when snake goes into viv as well |
| elament |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 11:29:37
Ditto the above. When you get your heatmat make sure you get a thermostat (matstat) for it and a good digital thermometer with a probe. These are essential pieces of kit when using a heatmat. |
| HannahB |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 07:30:40
as sammy has said a 17x11 heatmat will be fine,
lighting wise you can get some LED stick on lights which are battery powered - i have some in my royals vivs and they work well  |
| Sammysnake |
Posted - 15/02/2010 : 07:16:50
A 17 x 11 inch heatmat is ideal for that size viv (that's what I've just got for Saracen - I'm just waiting for his first shed before I put it in).
When I got him he also had a light in his viv for heat but I simply haven't used it. As long as the snake has access to some form of daytime lighting outside of the viv (ie a window or even the overhead light in the room during the day) then that's all the snake needs. I must say though, having a light in the viv that you can switch on briefly when looking for a hiding snake is really useful! |
