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125 Posts |
 Posted - 14/06/2009 : 16:37:57
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I was wondering if anyone had any advice on the options for our corn's full size viv.
He's currently in a large faunarium but is outgrowing it quickly. He has a pulse stat and heatmat under the tank.
The guys at T-Pets were very helpful and said in a wooden 36x18x18 viv, we'd have to use a heat lamp or ceramic, as a heatmat in a viv was a danger to the snake as well as fire hazard. He said the snake could get under the mat and get burnt, or cause a fire. I have read that you can put a mat in if you seal and cover it with a kitchen tile but don't they leech chemicals, and doesn't it make cleaning out a pain? Would a lamp or ceramic be better for an adult?
He said although a baby was ok on a mat, an adult needed heat from the air and so a lamp or ceramic was definitely needed, a mat for an adult could cause an RI - was he just scaremongering for a sale?
The other option is a glass bottomed viv like the exo terras, with the heatmat under the bottom glass. Would this be ok for an adult? As the top is mesh, would it lose too much heat (even though the mat gives contact heat?)
Thanks for your help! |
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Ell
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
1640 Posts |
Posted - 14/06/2009 : 18:04:34
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Adults don't need heat from the air and the heatmat will be fine as long as it is controlled by a stat. Plenty of people on this forum keep adult corns on mats just fine.
My heat mat sits in the bottom on my wooden viv with the warm hise on top and my corns have never tried to burrow underneith it. It wouldn't be a fire hazard as all with a stat.
A 3ft x 1ft viv is fine for an adult 4ft corn but the bigger you can afford the better really. |
 
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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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 14/06/2009 : 19:02:41
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that's quite strange coming from T-Pets! they're good in there and know their stuff BUT i don't agree that you'd have to use a bulb!
mats are definitely the best option for corns, whereas ceramics/reptile radds and the like are better suited to heavier-bodied snakes such as boas/pythons.
there's no more risk using a mat providing it's running through a thermostat, and a pulse is pretty damn accurate too. i use mats for all my corns, running off either pulse or on/off stats and have done for years with no problems.
as for mats causing RI's i've never heard so much *** in my life!! naughty T-Pets!! |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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deleted
125 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 09:53:55
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Well I thought so too - he was describing how RI was a terrible thing to see and that if we kept the snake on a mat it would cause this, and it would have bubbling and mucus in it's mouth and would look awful - I'm not completely clueless though (hey I've read the forum here  ) so I was slightly sceptical hence my post.
How waterproof is the heatmat though? I know it's laminated between plastic so that as long as that isn't cracked that should be fine, but the bit where the mains flex connects probably isn't very waterproof, and if snakey decided to poo on top, it can have a lot of fluid in it.
I'm just playing devil's advocate, but I have a genuine concern about the well-being too - if we're spending a lot of money I want to make sure it's right for the snake. |
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116 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 11:42:10
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I had similar from 888reptiles, saying they wouldn't recommend a heat mat and that a bulb was the way forward!
Weird eh? |
0.1.0 Anery Corn(Noodle)
0.0.1 Spur Thighed Tortoise (Melvin)
1.0.0 Cat (Titus)
0.0.2 Fish (Caractacus and ThunderCleese)
Also in my care (temporarily):
1.0.0 Baird's Rat (Murphy)
0.1.0 Butter Corn (Molly) |
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Brookestar
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
2361 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 12:18:55
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| must admit i have never heard that. iwould always use a heat mat |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 12:22:17
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quote:
Originally posted by neil
the bit where the mains flex connects probably isn't very waterproof, and if snakey decided to poo on top, it can have a lot of fluid in it.
the substrate absorbs any fluids rather than it seeping into the heatmat so you're pretty safe 
i've never known a snake get an RI purely from being on a heatmat, there's always been a reason |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 12:24:30
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| obviously this advice is specifically for corns and generally for colubrids. boas and pythons being anatomically different and originating from different areas, they have different requirements |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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deleted
125 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 16:03:29
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The guy in Tyrannosaurus Pets was definitely aware it was for our corn snake. I understand that heavy-bodied snakes need a lamp, and that corns get most of their heat from their belly (hence the heatmat heating).
Just shows how advice can differ depending on who and where you ask though! |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 15/06/2009 : 17:40:16
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i'm not doubting you for one minute *curious* who were you dealing with? was it Matt himself?
i still like the shop and they're usually full of good advice |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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deleted
125 Posts |
Posted - 16/06/2009 : 09:34:47
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I love Tpets - think it's one of the best pet shops in West Yorkshire (up there with Snakes N Adders although that's in Sheffield!)
It was one of the Saturday staff, Matt was around but he was with another customer.
I think we've decided on a 3x18x18 wooden viv (the 3x15x15 looks too small width-wise), with a heatmat held down with silicone, and the bit where the mains cable goes in sealed too for extra peace of mind - hopefully I can get some aquarium silicone sealant from a pet store nearby.
I think every shop has slightly different methods, but sometimes you can't believe what the staff are trying to convince you of...! |
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