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Janos
Hatchling
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
 Posted - 03/12/2008 : 23:43:18
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I recently got an exo terra dial thermometre and from that, I noticed that the temperature around the middle of enclosure for my corn snake is around 21°C, sometimes dipping even below that. O_O
I mean, okay, Scottish winters are harsh, but I never knew my chilly bedroom had that much of an effect, I assumed my heatmat and thermostat were doing their job. I've changed my thermostat's settings to 28°C, so it'll only turn off the heat mat if the hot end of the viv is that temperature. The probe for the thermostat is about an inch above the substrate (kitchen towel for now) at the hot end of the viv.
Am I doing this right?
I don't want it to get too cold and my snake to randomly hibernate on me >.< Thing is, she's about to shed too, her eyes have turned milky. |
1.0.0 Normal Royal Python - Ozzy
0.1.0 Anerythristic Corn Snake - Astra
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko - Zilly
0.0.1. - Sinaloan's Milksnake, Harley
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Janos
Hatchling
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 03:11:56
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Okay, I suspect I know what might be the problem. I use a thermometre like http://www.blackjungle.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/ex-ta.jpg that one.
Its exactly like that and mounted on the back wall of the vivarium. Its one of those starter plastic ones. Should that have gone on the outside of the tank with the back facing the inside of it, or should it go in the side of the tank with the back facing the outside like it is, since i noticed its actually showing room temperature :S
And my heat mat is working too, I checked. |
1.0.0 Normal Royal Python - Ozzy
0.1.0 Anerythristic Corn Snake - Astra
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko - Zilly
0.0.1. - Sinaloan's Milksnake, Harley
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Ell
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1640 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 08:14:18
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| The thermonmeter you have measures air temp. Heat mats tend to heat only the substrate so it would need to be sat on that, face up to give you an accurate reading of what heat your snake gets. |
 
1.0.0 Normal corn snake - Dusk
0.1.0 Strawberry Snow Stripe corn snake - Dawn
0.1.0 Harlequin Crested Gecko - Stickles
1.0.0 Sable Syrian Hamster - CoCo
0.1.0 Hognose snake - Truffles |
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dazb
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
1278 Posts |
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n/a
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362 Posts |
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Janos
Hatchling
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 10:22:31
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Cheers for the replies guys. I'm just heading to my local reptile shop later today to get more pinkies (she normally eats on a Friday and I don't have any), so I'm gonna just get it from there if there not *too* much of a price difference.
I'm just wondering, how do I know what to set my thermostat to? The one I have is http://www.microclimate.co.uk/MiniStat.htm the top one on that page. I've set it currently to 30 and its been on all night as far as I know (I can see the red light on it from my bed) My corn seems fine, she's still sitting curled up in her damp hide, her eyes still milky)
The thermostat is now reading 22°C, which is 1 degree over room temperature... (I've got a thermometer on my alarm clock hence I know exactly what temperature my room is)
Hm...thing is, does this mean my substrate might be getting too hot? |
1.0.0 Normal Royal Python - Ozzy
0.1.0 Anerythristic Corn Snake - Astra
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko - Zilly
0.0.1. - Sinaloan's Milksnake, Harley
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n/a
deleted
362 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 12:29:15
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| To be honest, I'm sure people will correct if I'm wrong, but from what I've heard, pretty much ignore the temp settings on a stat and always calibrate it with a decent thermometer. I have no temp markings on my stat so it's a matter of trial and error setting it up before you put the snake in. Little up, little down kinda thing til the meter reads right. |
1 Carolina Corn Snake
1 Royal Python |
Edited by - n/a on 04/12/2008 12:29:44 |
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Janos
Hatchling
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 12:43:26
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Really? Damn, that kinda defeats the point =/ lol
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1.0.0 Normal Royal Python - Ozzy
0.1.0 Anerythristic Corn Snake - Astra
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko - Zilly
0.0.1. - Sinaloan's Milksnake, Harley
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n/a
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362 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 15:09:55
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| See if anyone else backs this up but I'm pretty sure its a bit too hit and miss to trust. With the temp probe (or a laser thermometer thingy-ma-jig) you can measure the temp exactly where the snake could be. |
1 Carolina Corn Snake
1 Royal Python |
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n/a
deleted
259 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 15:33:11
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| Gah my stat temps are allll wrong. I have one stat at 20* for what my digital thermometer says is 30* and another at 35* for what is actually 32* so you can't trust them! You need a thermometer to sync it with. Weirdly enough my dial reads exactly the same as my digital though, so I use it for my snakey :) I check they still sync every week just in case, but I don't think dial thermometers are that bad (but then again I may have the only accurate one in the country by the sounds of things!) |
1.0.0 miami x crimson corn snake (sirius)
0.2.0 leopard geckos (esma and gytha)
2.0.0 emperor scorpions (bebe and jim)
2.0.0 moggies (othello and tachikoma)
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 20:24:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Mulv
To be honest, I'm sure people will correct if I'm wrong, but from what I've heard, pretty much ignore the temp settings on a stat and always calibrate it with a decent thermometer. I have no temp markings on my stat so it's a matter of trial and error setting it up before you put the snake in. Little up, little down kinda thing til the meter reads right.
yes Mulv   |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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Paulusworm
The Corn Snake Moderator
United Kingdom
686 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2008 : 21:35:39
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I only use dial ones for a rough idea of the ambient air temperature in my royal's viv. My stat's dial is about 15 degrees out!
The Exo-Terra digital ones are good. They give the current temp to 1 decimal place and they will tell you the min/max temps any time you want. Matilda is getting kitted out with some after Xmas. |
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362 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 10:20:05
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| Yeah the min/max feature is good, tells you if there have been any major drops or peaks while you've been at work or at night. Plus the probe means you can bury it under substrate and still read the main screen part. I have a bit of a thing for exo-terra products so I might be a little biased though |
1 Carolina Corn Snake
1 Royal Python |
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Janos
Hatchling
United Kingdom
180 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 13:44:13
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I got this digital thermometer with two probes, one for the cool end, one for the hot.
My hot end hangs around 22-25°C....
I suspect since my room gets so cold sometimes my heatmat just isn't hot enough to heat it any more.
Astra seems to be doing fine though.. also, my substrate is a good deal warmer than that, thats just the air temperature I'm measuring. |
1.0.0 Normal Royal Python - Ozzy
0.1.0 Anerythristic Corn Snake - Astra
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko - Zilly
0.0.1. - Sinaloan's Milksnake, Harley
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n/a
deleted
362 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 13:50:05
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Don't measure the air above it, measure in the substrate or directly on top of the substrate.
Heat mats heat what ever is in contact with them, not the air above iirc. In theory you want to measure the temps where the snake can be, and since snakes tend to spend most of their time curled up on the substrate, that is the best place to measure.
Again, anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. |
1 Carolina Corn Snake
1 Royal Python |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 20:37:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Mulv
Don't measure the air above it, measure in the substrate or directly on top of the substrate.
Heat mats heat what ever is in contact with them, not the air above iirc. In theory you want to measure the temps where the snake can be, and since snakes tend to spend most of their time curled up on the substrate, that is the best place to measure.
Again, anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Yes Mulv |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2008 : 20:37:19
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| ohh, deja vu! |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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n/a
deleted
362 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2008 : 09:45:24
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Just want to make sure I'm not giving out bad advice. 
OHHH I JUST HATCHED woop woop! |
1 Carolina Corn Snake
1 Royal Python |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2008 : 20:29:01
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| congrats on your hatching Mulv |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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n/a
deleted
362 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2008 : 20:55:12
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| Ta. Sorry for the semi-hijack! Just got a bit excited |
1 Carolina Corn Snake
1 Royal Python |
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