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CAL
Hatchling
United Kingdom
146 Posts |
 Posted - 07/05/2009 : 15:04:05
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I've got a 60w bulb in my wooden viv and have noticed a warm spot above the lamp. Its not hurting anything but it would be nice to keep the heat in the viv.
I was thinking of using some thick card with a silver surface. If I placed that between the lamp housing and the roof it should reflect some of the heat and light back into the viv. I reckon a 12" square piece should be large enough and wouldn't be seen from the outside.
Does anyone else do this? |
0.0.1 Cornsnake: Monty, 10 years old, 5ft 3".
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a33272
our battery charger
United Kingdom
3063 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2009 : 15:51:52
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| just put an energy saving bulb in they are cooler |
    
0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper
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CAL
Hatchling
United Kingdom
146 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2009 : 16:02:10
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Unfortunately I need the lamp for heat, part of the idea for reflecting it back in was to make it more efficient.
The heat mat alone doesn't get the viv up to temperature. I'm actually trying to get rid of the mat altogether and just use the lamp. I'm just waiting on getting a larger bulb or ceramic heater to do the job. |
0.0.1 Cornsnake: Monty, 10 years old, 5ft 3".
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2009 : 21:32:14
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| personally i'd sort out the problem with the mat as mats provide belly-heat and tend to be best for corns. is your substrate too thick over the mat preventing heat getting through? do you just need to turn the thermostat up a little? are you measuring the temps accurately? |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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Kehhlyr
ǝʞɐɔ sǝʌoן
United Kingdom
8173 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 00:08:40
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Also, the ambient air temp of the viv will always be lower than where the heat source is, other wise you'd never have a cool end of the viv.
As Gingerpony says,
quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
are you measuring the temps accurately?
Because you say you can't get the viv up to temperature. Are you trying to get the air temp up? |
-=Kehhlyr - The Resident Loon
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CAL
Hatchling
United Kingdom
146 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 07:42:53
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quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
personally i'd sort out the problem with the mat as mats provide belly-heat and tend to be best for corns. is your substrate too thick over the mat preventing heat getting through?
do you just need to turn the thermostat up a little? are you measuring the temps accurately?
Its interesting that you mention belly heat for corns. When I got a new stat a few weeks ago my local snake shop advised that I take the mat out completely and just use a lamp, and thats the reason for this and my other post about lamp vs ceramic bulbs. I was aiming to get rid of the mat all together and just use a bulb to control the viv temp at the warm end. If its better to keep the mat and the bulb then I will do that. I have them both in at the moment and both connected to the same dimming stat which is holding the temp between 27°C - 30°C at the warm end and 21°C at the cool end. The lamp isn't on all the time and when it does come on its dimmed.
I may have too much substrate over the mat, I've always put about 2" throughout the viv to give Monty chance to burrow. This usually means the warm end is at about 25°C using the mat alone.
I am confident the temps are accurate. I am using a digital thermometer with two probes and its readings agree with the analogue units its replaced. I checked the analogue units using a very accurate thermometer and they were reading correctly.
Kehhlyr - I am not struggling to keep the viv at temp its just that I thought it would be good to keep some of the waste heat in the viv by reflecting it back. Its probably a daft idea or will make no difference but one of my problems is that I always try to make things too complicated.
Thanks
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0.0.1 Cornsnake: Monty, 10 years old, 5ft 3".
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Edited by - CAL on 08/05/2009 07:53:58 |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 21:24:48
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| try thinning the substrate to about 1cm thick over the heatmat, you can always leave a thicker layer of substrate over the rest of the viv for burrowing. your digi thermometer should give you an accurate reading, is the probe on top of the substrate over the heatmat? |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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CAL
Hatchling
United Kingdom
146 Posts |
Posted - 08/05/2009 : 22:52:56
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quote:
Originally posted by gingerpony
try thinning the substrate to about 1cm thick over the heatmat, you can always leave a thicker layer of substrate over the rest of the viv for burrowing. your digi thermometer should give you an accurate reading, is the probe on top of the substrate over the heatmat?
Thanks, I'll give that a try. |
0.0.1 Cornsnake: Monty, 10 years old, 5ft 3".
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hillzi
The Lost boy.
United Kingdom
3984 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2009 : 13:01:51
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Also I heard, from a snake breeder who bought all in all, one hundred or so mice of all different sizes the other week, we got chattin and he said bulbs along make snakes grow better and bigger?
Is this true?
Sorry I couldn't provide much info, not really the science whizz. |
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eeji
The Morph Master
United Kingdom
4335 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2009 : 11:54:38
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you're better off without the lamp, and getting the mat temmperatures sorted, maybe up your thermostat or if it still isn't getting warm enough then getting a higher wattage mat.
I you choose to keep the bulb, you will need to retain the mat for some night time warmth when the bulb is off (25 deg C is fine for night time ;) )
Also, DON'T use card to reflect the heat, it will become a serious fire hazard ;) For ceramic heating, you will need to use a ceramic lamp holder and heatproof cable to prevent fire too.
both incandescent bulbs and ceramic bulbs will need a suitable guard to prevent the snake from coming into contact with them. |
Forum - Guide to Cornsnake Morphs - Punnett Square Calculator - Breeder Directory
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 10/05/2009 : 17:18:23
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quote:
Originally posted by hillzi
Also I heard, from a snake breeder who bought all in all, one hundred or so mice of all different sizes the other week, we got chattin and he said bulbs along make snakes grow better and bigger?
Is this true?
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cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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