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lucyloop
Hatchling
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
 Posted - 08/11/2010 : 07:05:12
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I am hoping to move my snake from his faun to his viv this week. I obviously use a heat mat at the moment but wanted opinions on which method of heat is better for the viv. Clearly I am aware that the heat mat will have to go in the viv to be effective and am a little wary of this. Should I get a lamp and cage? I just wondered what experience you guys had of both methods?
Thanks
Lucy
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Mort13
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5599 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 07:49:28
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Hi,I moved my snakes to their viv a couple of weeks ago and all I use is a heat mat. Read up on here and it seemed that the majority of people use them in their vivs and they have no problems.
I used some aquarium sealant to stick it down with as I was worried about the snakes getting underneath and their furniture isn't big enough or heavy enough to it down. |
      
3.1.0 Corn snakes, 1.0.0 T-Albino Cape House Snake, 0.1.0 Western Hognose,
1.0.0 MBK, 0.1.0 Childrens Python, 1.0.0 Nicaraguan Dwarf Boas
0.0.1 Occelated Skink, 1.0.0 Leopard Gecko, 1.0.3 Tarantulas, 0.0.2 Damon diadema
1.0.0 C0ckatiel,
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 10:13:17
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i think the majority use mats, including myself, with no issue whatsoever 
they're safe (if statted) cheap to buy, cheap to run, only need a basic on/off type stat to regulate them, come in a variety of sizes to suit your requirements and, importantly, perfect for providing belly heat for corns 
i find ceramics/IRs etc raise the temp in the cool end too much for corns so don't provide enough of a temperature gradient. you ideally need to run bulbs off a pulse or dimmer stat (a dimmer if it's a light emitting bulb eg. IR) which are more expensive to buy. AND there's the guard to buy aswell....... |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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eeji
The Morph Master
United Kingdom
4335 Posts |
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a33272
our battery charger
United Kingdom
3063 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 11:52:11
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| as GP said, mates are best for corns, bulbs etc are ok if u have a bred that needs a high ambiant temp too or basking heat |
    
0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper
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lucyloop
Hatchling
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 12:40:59
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thanks all, I am glad for the advice as have the mat stat etc already so will just need a bigger mat - can I fix it down with duct tape or better to use sealant? Just thinking of total clean outs etc.
Lucy |
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eeji
The Morph Master
United Kingdom
4335 Posts |
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gingerpony
Queen Bee
United Kingdom
10455 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 14:42:02
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| i pin the mat down with decor such as hides and rocks, if the mat is statted it doesn't matter if the snake comes into direct contact with the mat as long as the stat probe is correctly positioned and secure |
cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos
Location:Leeds/York/Selby area |
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Morpheus
Snake Mite
26 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 16:28:05
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| What happens if water spills on the mat, are they waterproof in any way or will it short them out? |
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt" - Abraham Lincoln |
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DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3070 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 17:21:26
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| They're laminated so should be fine. |
0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky
0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha
Location: Liverpool |
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JackHutchy979
Hatchling
199 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 17:29:05
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| Hey I'm just wondering if your heat mat is unstated what temperature does it go to? Mine only hits 25/26.... |
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a33272
our battery charger
United Kingdom
3063 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 18:17:38
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| how u measuring that though, a heat mat will get into the upper 30's lower 40's |
0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper
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lucyloop
Hatchling
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 18:19:02
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| mine is statted jack, I would be too worried to run it without a stat but I am not sure what the others think, the temp on the hot is about 28/29. |
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JackHutchy979
Hatchling
199 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 18:23:50
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| At the moment is doesn't really need statted due to it lower than it should be. |
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Mort13
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5599 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 18:32:15
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I did some rearranging with my heatmat a bit ago and when I plugged it back in it went up to 38! Think it was because it hadn't really cooled between being unplugged and plugged back in again. The thermostat was set to the same temp as hadn't changed the setting on it.
So glad I have the probe and stat to control it as I dread to think what could have happened if I hadn't. To me it really isn't worth risking not having a stat.
My mat is set to about 28 and theres no problems with the wood of the viv getting too hot |
3.1.0 Corn snakes, 1.0.0 T-Albino Cape House Snake, 0.1.0 Western Hognose,
1.0.0 MBK, 0.1.0 Childrens Python, 1.0.0 Nicaraguan Dwarf Boas
0.0.1 Occelated Skink, 1.0.0 Leopard Gecko, 1.0.3 Tarantulas, 0.0.2 Damon diadema
1.0.0 C0ckatiel,
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DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3070 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 19:23:46
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quote:
Originally posted by JackHutchy979
At the moment is doesn't really need statted due to it lower than it should be.
Are you measuring this with a digital thermometer with the probe touching the mat? |
0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky
0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha
Location: Liverpool |
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JackHutchy979
Hatchling
199 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 19:50:19
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| I'm using a dial thermometer right beside it. |
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gmac
The Scottish Admin
United Kingdom
5319 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 19:53:27
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Dial thermometers are a much use as a ejector seat in a helicopter.. Best to try to get a digital thermometer, these give you accurate readings as the not so accurate reading from the dial.
Dials will give you ambient temperature readings not the temperature on the mat. |
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Edited by - gmac on 08/11/2010 19:54:27 |
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heatseeker872591
Hatchling
United Kingdom
355 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 20:15:29
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| i was advised from a well known reptile shop in my area that mats are no good for adult corns wether they are thermostatically controlled or not, the weight of the snake when it coils up on the mat in the end can give the snake "wet" burns and advised me to go heat bulb full time controlled by a dimmer, i switched to bulbs from then on and wudnt go back to mats ever now the viv was always dark aswell when i wasnt using a heat bulb, in the would the heat from the sun comes from up above not from below , im sure others will argue different |
[URL=http://www.mybannermaker.com/link.php?nurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mybannermaker.com] [/URL] |
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chrish
Hatchling
United Kingdom
172 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 20:17:53
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quote:
Originally posted by gmac
Dial thermometers are a much use as a ejector seat in a helicopter
Lol - Nice analagy!
I agree with gmac, i was using dial thermometers and was worried about temps being too low so i got a digital one and it turned out they were too high! |
0.0.1 Bloodred
0.1.0 Snow |
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gmac
The Scottish Admin
United Kingdom
5319 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2010 : 20:19:50
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quote:
Originally posted by heatseeker872591
i was advised from a well known reptile shop in my area that mats are no good for adult corns wether they are thermostatically controlled or not, the weight of the snake when it coils up on the mat in the end can give the snake "wet" burns and advised me to go heat bulb full time controlled by a dimmer, i switched to bulbs from then on and wudnt go back to mats ever now the viv was always dark aswell when i wasnt using a heat bulb, in the would the heat from the sun comes from up above not from below , im sure others will argue different
I have yet to hear of this being caused by corn snakes, large bodied reptiles yes this can be a problem where lights/ ceramics/ ahs should be used, however as mentioned never seen this problem caused by a corn (doesnt mean to say it hasnt happened). |
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Edited by - gmac on 08/11/2010 20:20:49 |
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Topic |
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Heat mats vs Heat Lamps
