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voodoo
Hatchling
162 Posts |
 Posted - 01/06/2012 : 13:52:16
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hi,
I bought my new snake Hemlock on Saturday 26th May, hes 9 months old, bout 23 inches long but not too sure of weight. he doesnt seem to be overweight or skinny, judging by how he looks. I have put him in a 3 foot viv, with plenty of hides and tubes, theres barely floor space! I know he is still settling in, but he doesnt seem to be thermoregulating properly. he just stays in the hide on the cool side. I fed him on Wednesday as that was his usual fed day, which I know you arent supposed to do, but he seemed a bit grumpy when I checked his substrate was clean and changed his water on the Tuesday. I thought this might have been from hunger. he ate fine, 2 good sized pinkies, but when I placed him back in his viv (I fed him in a smaller tank), he went straight over into the cool side and hasnt moved since. I have a heatmat with an on/off matstat, and 2 thermometers reading 30C warm side, 21C cool side. but dial ones, not digital, which I have no read arent accurate at all. I cant find a digital animal one, so will have to order one online but with the bank holiday they will take time to arrive. however I have found a human digital thermometer for sale, and was wondering if these work the same? obviously you dont leave it in the viv, but could it test the substrate? |
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Donnie
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3215 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 13:59:34
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| I would turn the temp on the stat down a couple of degrees. If it is reading 30 that will be the air temperature not the actual temperature of the mat which will be hotter. 30 deg on the mat should be the max temp. If you have a pets at home near to you they normally have the exo terra digital thermometers in stock which are good as they show you a max and min temp but they will be cheaper online. |
1.1 Corns (Anery Stripe, Amel) 1.0 Rootbeer 0.2 Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 Zebra Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 50% Diamond Zebra Carpet Python |
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 14:01:03
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If the dial one is reading 30 then the temp is far too high and you need to turn it down immediately. That's why he's staying in the cool end. If he was fed Weds then he should have digested pretty much by now so it's probably best to turn the mat stat right down, then just wait until your digi thermometer arrives. Welcome to the forum :)
Edit: Doh too slow! |
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Edited by - smart bunny on 01/06/2012 14:01:47 |
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voodoo
Hatchling
162 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 14:04:47
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| I should probably have mentioned I put the dial thermometers directly onto the substrate in front of his hides to measure the temps. if I leave them on the side of the viv, they say its a lot cooler than that. so, are only reptile/aquarium digital thermometers ok then? thank you both for the advice :) |
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Donnie
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3215 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 14:11:56
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| Even put on the substrate it will not be as accurate as a digital one and you need to put the thermometer probe directly on the mat if the mat is in the viv/faun or on the floor of the viv/faun above where the mat is if the mat is on the outside. |
1.1 Corns (Anery Stripe, Amel) 1.0 Rootbeer 0.2 Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 Zebra Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 50% Diamond Zebra Carpet Python |
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voodoo
Hatchling
162 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 14:20:45
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| I know its not as accurate now, thats why I plan on getting a digital one. wish I had known before I bought 2 rubbish ones! Im just trying to find out if any digital thermometer will work to measure the temperature, or if I have to have a proper reptile/aquarium one |
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Donnie
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3215 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 14:31:35
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| I suppose any thermometer that has a probe will work |
1.1 Corns (Anery Stripe, Amel) 1.0 Rootbeer 0.2 Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 Zebra Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 50% Diamond Zebra Carpet Python |
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voodoo
Hatchling
162 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 15:06:58
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| ok, thank you. I shall buy the one Ive found, and get hold of a proper reptile one if that doesnt work. thank you. one last point though is how can you tell if a snake is stressed by his viv being too big? Im a bit concerned that he isnt thermoregulating. he really doesnt seem to want to move around the viv. would it be worth dividing it? and if so, how do you do that? sorry for all the questions, I just want to make Hemlock as happy as possible and not kept a snake before, and have been unable to really find the answers online |
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kev 5
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3065 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 15:17:57
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| as donnie says i'd turn the thermostat down a few degrees until you get your digital thermometer. in my opinion he'll be fine in your viv as you have plenty of hides. he's probably still settling in. most of my corns stay in their hides during the day and come out at night, i've got 2 that are out all day though. they don't all act the same. just see how he gets on in the next week or 2, i doubt he's that stressed out as he ate |
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voodoo
Hatchling
162 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 16:25:08
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| have indeed turned the stat down, and will order a digital thermometer. I know hes still settling in, just concerns me slightly he doesnt move at all, from what I can tell! thank you, will just keep an eye on him |
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Donnie
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3215 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 17:15:43
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| He will move to the warm side if he needs to. Don't worry it is normal :) |
1.1 Corns (Anery Stripe, Amel) 1.0 Rootbeer 0.2 Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 Zebra Jungle Carpet Python 1.0 50% Diamond Zebra Carpet Python |
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lupi lou
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3670 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 18:22:18
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| i have got a not reptile specific digi thermometer for one of my setups and an exotera one for the other and apart from the non descript one not showing min and max temp it works just as well as the exo one. I checked accuracy against my exo one just to make sure it was accurate before i started using it though :-) |
 
1.0.1 Corns
0.1.0 Dog: springer
1.0.0 Horse
0.4.0 Gerbils
2.2.0 Leopard gecko
0.2.0 Cave gecko |
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voodoo
Hatchling
162 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2012 : 18:55:52
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| excellent, thank you all very much! Ive also worked out the dial ones I have measure 3 degrees lower than it actually is, so it was too hot. now at correct temps. thank you all who have helped :) |
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Topic |
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new snake owner questions
