| T O P I C R E V I E W |
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Posted - 31/03/2010 : 16:34:55
Hi guys,
So I brought my baby hypo corn snake home yesterday. He's beautiful. Actually I'm not sure of the sex as yet, but I keep calling him a he... anyway.
I set up the viv 48 hours before bringing him home to allow it to get up to temperature, as the breeder recommended. Then I brought him home and he's currently sleeping under a log.
However, the heat mat seems to lose heat incredibly quickly. I have a thermometer on the side of the viv as well, and it's showing a constant 24 degrees, dropping to 22 degrees if I don't keep an eye on it. This worries me. The viv I bought was the plastic 'starter kit' version, which the woman assured me would be fine because they like small spaces etc., but I'm worried that Snake (as yet unnamed) is going to be too cold.
I've read the sticky about thermostats and shall definitely lay my hands on one tomorrow, but the problem seems to be that the heat mat just isn't heating up enough, or rather, not staying hot for long once it's heated up to a certain temperature. At the moment I'm combating it by keeping a blanket over the side of the viv under which the heat mat is positioned, but I'm pretty sure this isn't ideal!
Sorry for the long post! |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| AngelX |
Posted - 09/05/2010 : 19:17:58
Is the heat mat colder on one side? If so it's probably the heat mat that's broken. But if the thermostat is broken the heat mat will keep going either really cold or really hot.
As for the snake, If he's too cold then he would be on the heat mat constantly. but if he is on the cooler side as well. It's not great but it's better if he's too cold than too hot as too much heat is bad for the snake's health.
Hope this is a help! :) |
| jamie6125 |
Posted - 07/05/2010 : 12:53:21
Hi scarlett, im a new keeper, and ive had exactly the same temp drop problem. i recieved advice informing me the thermostat probe was in the wrong place (themostat is vital as mats can hit 45-50degrees) digital thermostats are best. place the probe so its touching the mat. directly under a thin layer of substrate and just tinker with it till correct. this worked for me.
jamie |
| LittleMick |
Posted - 08/04/2010 : 23:30:17
The subject of wood chip and toxicity levels is greatly debated. I was originally searched the info when I got me gerbils and I got fed up of someone giving bad advice regarding the use of pine shavings. Cedar is a definite no no the natural toxic chemicals cause liver and kidney damage not just in reptiles but in mammals as well. With pine the toxic chemicals are less apparent and when heated heated the toxic levels are supposedly reduced or non existent. For example, there are some Gerbil snak shaks on sale in the small animal trade which some people are telling other people "Don't buy them or your animal will die!!!", whan actually these pine kiln heated items are apparently safe. The wood chip you have may be beech wood chip. Ultimately though if you are that worried don't use it. I use Aspen/Hemp for my corn, he loves to burrow through it. |
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Posted - 01/04/2010 : 12:43:00
quote:
Originally posted by Kehhlyr
It's not really forum rivalry. We only have that because they completely blocked our site names from being mentioned, they get completely starred out as if they were terrible swear words.
Wow.  That's odd!
DannyBrown - Thanks! I know it isn't pine, it's the one recommended by the reptile shop, it came with the starter kit. Am at work atm so can't check the bag. :)
Update - snake now has a thermostat adjusting his heat mat. He's settling in nicely :) |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 01/04/2010 : 11:34:54
Becarefull with the wood shavings, many wood shavings you get are made of pine and this is toxic to snakes. If there is a label on the bag have a chack and see what wood they are made of. |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 01/04/2010 : 09:42:37
It's not really forum rivalry. We only have that because they completely blocked our site names from being mentioned, they get completely starred out as if they were terrible swear words. |
| n/a |
Posted - 01/04/2010 : 08:07:40
Have just discovered that typing in 'R - F - U - K' autochanges to The Dark Side. Amusing. Forum rivalry? lol |
| n/a |
Posted - 01/04/2010 : 08:06:26
Thanks guys! Re. the questions:
How deep is your substrate on the warm side of the viv and what kind of substrate are you using? ~ Not very deep, it's deeper on the cold side. I'm using... uh... it looks a bit like wood shavings? It came with the starter kit.
A thermostat is certainly a crucial piece of kit so get one ASAP otherwise some heatmats can get very hot, i once did a test i took my heatmat out from underneath the faun and put a digital thermometer probe on it and it got up to 46.7 degrees, a temperature that would certainly burn your snakes belly. ~ Going to get one in a few minutes :)
Also what type of thermometer are you using? Dial or digital? ~ Like DannyBrown said, I'm using the strip thermometer that came with the starter kit, though it sounds like this is rubbish.
It does annoy me when people sell starter kits that actually don't do the animals any good - as a novice snake person I told them I didn't mind how much I had to spend but wanted the snake to be happy, healthy and in the best possible environment, but after posting on here and The Dark Side it sounds like the advice I was given wasn't so great! Apparently the reptile shop near me is pretty good, so I'll be going there when it opens at 9 today to pick up a thermostat and have a chat with the guys there.
Thanks again! And don't apologise for asking questions, am happy as long as Snake is happy! |
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Posted - 01/04/2010 : 07:19:53
what have you got your starter viv sat on if on a hard surface you could also try to insulate it as could be loosing heat from the bottom to insulate it you can as said place a towel under heat mat or my personal choice of polystyrene which is a exellent insulator to direct heat in a certain direction but as said need to know what make the mat is to advise
paul |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 01/04/2010 : 01:09:42
I;ve seen a couple of starter kits with them strip therms in, completely pointless. The dial ones are rubbish enough atleast you can rest them ont he floor. |
| Kehhlyr |
Posted - 01/04/2010 : 00:31:10
I shall echo DannyBrown and ask about the thermometer. If it's the dial one then it's useless, one of my friends bought a starter kit for a snake not long ago and that had an aquarium style sticky thermometer in it, which was about as much use an ejector seat on a helicopter.
I'm assuming the faun (plastic tank) has the heatmat underneath it? If so, check for small feet on the bottom of the faun as well as this'll stop the heatmat making contact with the viv. Maybe stick a towel underneath the faun to try to help bring the heatmat in better contact with the faun as well, but still be careful as it's currently not stat'd they can get to extremely high temps sometimes, see Here for an example.
However, some heatmats need a small gap so until you can let us know the brand of the heatmat as well the I wouldn't risk closing the gap yet. |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 31/03/2010 : 16:57:33
How deep is your substrate on the warm side of the viv and what kind of substrate are you using?
A thermostat is certainly a crucial piece of kit so get one ASAP otherwise some heatmats can get very hot, i once did a test i took my heatmat out from underneath the faun and put a digital thermometer probe on it and it got up to 46.7 degrees, a temperature that would certainly burn your snakes belly.
Also what type of thermometer are you using? Dial or digital?
Edit - Sorry for bombarding you with questions lol. |
