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Moriarty
Egg
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
 Posted - 21/02/2012 : 21:22:52
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Hi all, perhaps a slight issue I'm having at the moment is keeping my viv at a cool enough temperature. It's a 3 foot VivExotic vivarium, equipped with a heat lamp, heat mat and thermostat. The heat mat is reading 29.1 C and this fluctuates during the day, the lowest it has been today is 24 C and the highest 30 C. Despite this, the cooler side of my viv still feels warm to the touch, just putting my hand in that side feels warm. I don't currently have a set digital thermometer in that side (it's in the post), but the dial thermometer that came with the viv (I know they're not *very* accurate) says the cool end is 25C at least.
My snake, Shisha, ate a meal tonight, but instead of going to the warm hide to digest, he climbed straight to the top of a vine on the 'cool' side. I'm assuming this means the temperature there is warm enough for him to comfortably digest his meal, which is worrying if this is meant to be the cool side.
I have my suspicions that the lamp is to blame, as although it is only in there for lighting and visibility when it is dark in my bedroom, it produces a lot of heat as well. Other than using the lamp less regularly (it is switched off the majority of the time), is there any other way I can keep my viv cooler at the cool end, preferably without turning the heat mat down as I am happy with the temperatures it is reaching. I'm sorry if this is a ridiculous question, but I was beginning to worry that it might be TOO warm in there for the little guy. I've not yet seen him in his water bowl, and I've read they do this to keep cool, so maybe he's at a comfortable temperature, but like I say, just putting my hand in the cool end of the viv felt hot to me. (The substrate felt cool, it was just the air that was hot).
I really would appreciate any advice here! I'd like a happy, healthy snakey! Thanks guys. |
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LarkaDawg
Hatchling
442 Posts |
Posted - 21/02/2012 : 21:41:49
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Hmm I think that if its the air, not the bottom that is warm then its probably your lamp. My 3foot viv setup is just a lamp a third in from the right (statted and guarded) with one digi thermometer under it and one in the cool end. I personally prefer heat lamps to mats, and so don't use them. My hot end is 83F (28.5C) and my cool end is 67-77F (24.5C ish) which is basically room temperature in my room with a little influence from the lamp.
Where abouts is your heat mat? If your lamp is mostly for light then you could replace it with a less heat emmiting one maybe? I bought a viv a while back and it had a repti glow bulb which turned out to give off practically no heat but an incredible amount of light and (aparently) UV.
Regarding the heading straight for the cool end- my snakes have no prefference on which side they digest. I mean I know they're meant to go some place warm, but my boa sits wedged in the cool end for a few days (after eating) then comes back and sits next to the lamp! Oh and lastly, I heard that baby boas prefer warmer temps so maybe little corns do too? Don't take my word for it though!! |
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Moriarty
Egg
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 21/02/2012 : 21:49:28
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The heat mat is on the far right hand side of the viv, and the lamp is directly above it, practically in the back right hand corner of the viv. I tried to keep everything that emitted heat on the one side. I've left the lamp off for 20 minutes now and have just checked (I say 'checked', but I mean just stuck my hand in...) and it felt a *lot* cooler in there now. I turned the stat down a tiny little bit and it now reads 28.3 C on the warm side, so I'll see what happens. I feel a little silly, and think I may have over-reacted a bit, because things seem a lot more normal now... *smile*
The lamp that I have right now is caged, after seeing the horrible burn photos I wouldn't have set the lamp up without one, and judging on the amount of heat it's giving off I was right in doing so! I am very tempted in buying a replacement lamp though, thanks for the advice, much appreciated! :) |
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Edited by - Moriarty on 21/02/2012 21:50:08 |
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Auld Baldy
Ikea's Pimp
United Kingdom
1619 Posts |
Posted - 21/02/2012 : 22:12:15
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I think you are better getting rid of the lamp and fitting an LED strip. The LEDBERG LED from IKEA is perfect for the job.
The dial thermometer is measuring the ambient air temperature but not the actual mat temperature which is possibly too hot. If your hand feels it warm then it is too warm. Corns take in heat from the mat through their belly.
Get the digital thermometer in ASAP and zip tie it to the stat probe and weigh both down on the mat. Use the reading from the thermometer to set the thermostat as it will give you a more accurate reading.
In the meantime leave the lamp off.  |
1.0.0: Miami Normal: Taggart
0.0.1: Carolina Normal: Wee Woody
0.0.1: Grey Rat Snake: Mirkey
0.0.1: Amel Corn: Blaze
1.0.0: Carpet Python: Vambo
0.0.1: MBK: Fester
0.0.1: Florida King Snake : Rattler (Rattle & Hum)
0.0.1. California King Snake: El Diablo Diego
0.2.0 Tarantulas : Ermintrude & Euphemia. |
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Moriarty
Egg
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 21/02/2012 : 22:19:50
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I am very tempted to get an LED strip in, that would make a lot more sense. I don't think it's good for the electricity bill having a lamp this bright anyway, it probably illuminates my house for miles... :P
The heat mat is all set up with digital thermometer and a stat, so for the cool end should I literally just put the digi-probe under the substrate? That way I'd have 2 digi-therms, one on the heat mat which is controlled by the stat, and the other on the cool end. |
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lotabob
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
4334 Posts |
Posted - 21/02/2012 : 22:27:31
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| Its the lamp, bulbs get hot, heat the air and everything gets hot in the box unless its on a thermostat as well. |
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kdlang
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3556 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2012 : 16:45:03
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I use energy saving bulbs in my vivs when I want extra light. They emit hardly any heat and you only need a really low wattage one.
The thermometer probe for the cool end can just be resting on top of the substrate. |
4.1.0 corns - Izzy (Carolina) Alice (Amel) Peanut (Butter Motley) Swayze (Ghost) Carmellia (Butter Motley)
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Location - Chesterfield, Derbyshire
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Keeping Viv Cool?
