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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
 Posted - 11/02/2014 : 17:44:24
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| When I got my snake and viv from the local pet shop they insisted on setting it up as I had told them that this was my first ever reptile. The heat mat was placed on the back of the viv and I was told that there was no requirement for a thermostat. I have no idea if this information is correct, however, I noticed that Boromir was constantly hiding in his hide so I put this down to him being a bit cold. I have bought a thermostat today and placed his heat mat under the substrate which when he was put back in his viv he burrowed under and lay on top of the heat mat. His hide is now placed with it partially over the heat mat. Any info on this matter would be greatly appreciated. |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
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Moppet
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3315 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2014 : 17:49:08
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*sigh* another petshop giving bad advice.
You've done the right thing buying a thermostat, heat mats can get VERY hot without them. Putting the heatmat on the back makes no sense as that isn't where the corn snake would sit so wouldn't get the full benefit from it, putting it on the floor of the viv with a hide on it is the right thing to do. I would suggest that you have two identical hides, one on the heat mat and one on the cool end of the viv. (A heatmat should cover 1/3 to 1/2 of the floor space of a viv.)
I would also suggest that you buy a digital thermometer and put the probe for it with the thermostat probe sitting on top of the heat mat as thermostats temperature settings aren't always accurate.  |
2.4.0 Corn snakes
1.0.0 horse
0.1.0 Golden retriever
1.4.0 Guinea pigs |
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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2014 : 18:03:18
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| Thanks for the info, I was told by adding an extra socket extension that I can run 3 heat mats off the same thermostat for 3 separate vivs. As long as all 3 heat mats are the same make, model and volts. The sensor would be placed in the central viv when all 3 are stacked. Would this advice be correct. |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
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Moppet
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3315 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2014 : 18:32:18
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Yes, some people do choose to do that and as long as they are the same size, make, model and volts it should work well enough.
However I prefer to have a thermostat per heat mat for accuracy and my own peace of mind, I think if one of them were to have a malfunction or stop working as efficiently, then the separate thermostat would be a good thing to have |
2.4.0 Corn snakes
1.0.0 horse
0.1.0 Golden retriever
1.4.0 Guinea pigs |
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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2014 : 18:57:21
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| Thanks for your help |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
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Moppet
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3315 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2014 : 19:17:53
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| You're welcome We were all new to the hobby at one point and everyone on this forum is happy to answer questions. |
2.4.0 Corn snakes
1.0.0 horse
0.1.0 Golden retriever
1.4.0 Guinea pigs |
Edited by - Moppet on 11/02/2014 19:18:09 |
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G7ACU
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
19 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2014 : 20:13:36
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I have read of others who rig up a single stat to control multiple mats, but my concern in doing this would be surely the lack of detecting a failing heat-mat wouldn't it?
To illustrate a potential scenario, a mat in a viv not monitored directly by the stat fails and exceeds a high temperature, then the stat wouldn't detect and shut off the supply to that viv would it.
Thankfully I appreciate failure is generally unlikely, but not unheard of. |
Paul |
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2014 : 10:07:09
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| Apparently there are some new habistat mats whaich ar designed only to be used vertically and ahould not be used on the floor. I'm not sure how true this is, and I very much doubt the mat you were supplied with was one of theses, I'd say it was much more likely to be yet another pet shop giving awful advice (after all they still need thermostats!) but I would just double check what kind of mat it is. As above I personally use a separate stat for each viv although others do use them for more than one. The other danger (following on from rifleman) is if the mat which you had the stat probe on failed and stopped working then the probe would simply register as too cold all the time, so the other 2 would therefore just be on full time and get far too hot. |
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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 17:12:09
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| Well had Boromir out yesterday and I noticed how warm and energetic he was. Before he was very cold, lethargic and would wrap himself around my hand to get my body heat. He now loves to burrow under the substrate and lay on the heat mat. I am thinking about putting a heat rock in also as up here in Northumberland its bloody freezing lol, would this be a good idea. His viv is a 3 footer. |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
Edited by - rifleman6925 on 13/02/2014 17:15:47 |
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 19:36:39
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| NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the heat rocks are very dangerous for snakes, if you want to raise the temps in general then you may want to think about a ceramic lamp instead of the mat - but NOT a heat rock! |
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Boomslang
Hatchling
United Kingdom
340 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 19:36:40
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| Is it a wooden viv?If you're worried about it getting to cold in winter.Could always replace the mat with another form of heating :) A heat rock is kinda pointless :) |
1.0.0 pinstripe Royal Python
1.0.0 Bumblebee Royal Python
1.0.0 Normal corn
1.0.0 Extreme red Hognose
0.1.0 Extreme red tiger Hognose
1.1.0 yemen chameleons
1.0.0 Piebald yemen
1.0.0 Tamatave panther
1.0.0 Quadricornis
2.1.0 pygmy chameleons
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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 19:53:39
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quote:
Originally posted by smart bunny
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the heat rocks are very dangerous for snakes, if you want to raise the temps in general then you may want to think about a ceramic lamp instead of the mat - but NOT a heat rock!
Ha ha ok you have convinced me that a heat rock is not the best option. Its a 3ft wooden vivexotic with glass front. I have one heat mat with the following specs; Prorep 6" x 11", 7 watts, 230v, 50Hz 0.05 amps |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 21:14:58
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Hmmm, well I would say a 6x11 is too small for a viv that size (jeez, he must have been freezing when it was on the wall!!). The heat mat should be between 1/2 and 1/3 the size of the viv - I use a 12x12 in my 3ft. Although thinking about it if I'm being totally honest, I think I also use a 12x12 in my 4ft viv - but it still covers a much bigger area than Corno's pretty large warm hide which she curls up in to digest, so I figure it's OK!! However following that reasoning if Boromir's hide is no bigger than the heat mat he'd probably be OK... but my advice would still be to go for a 12x12.
By the way, it's only the area you have to consider with heat mats - the wattage increases as the size increases. |
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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 21:20:30
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| Well it seems that the pet shop has given me bad advice. At the moment Boromir is nice and toasty in his hide as the heat mat is underneath but a larger one will be ordered ASAP, thanks a lot everyone for your invaluable advice |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5091 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 21:36:16
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| Glad we could help - unfortunately pet shops are well known for giving bad advice. One of our local ones believes thermostats aren't necessary as well :( |
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herriotfan
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
5853 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 22:03:24
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My snakes in vivs all have guarded heat lamps.
I simply use the theory that heat comes from above, well when we have sun it does! 
The probes are placed under the bulbs, on the viv bottom, and temperature set at 28-30c.
Never had any issues with that setup.
I must echo the DONT USE HEAT ROCKS!!
Why those things are still sold baffles me. 
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Husband....Very Understanding!!! (Phil)
Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol)
Granddaughter (Eva)
3.4.0 Cornsnakes Amel (Sidney) Caramel Stripe (Sultan) Amber (Cleo) Carolina (Phoebe) Anery Motley Stripe (Penny) Snow (Lily) Caramel (Holmes)
1.2.0 Royal Pythons(Peeps, Pandora & Pepsi)
1.0.0 Hognose (Hudson)
2.1.0 Dogs (Dillon, Alfie, Ellie)
0.1.0 Senegal Parrot (Peanut)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (Bonnie & Clyde)
1.0.0 Crested Geckos (Echo)
0.2.1 Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie & Twiglet)
0.1.0 Guinea Pig (Dolly-Pipsqueak)
0.1.9 Tarantulas (Poppy, Gypsy, Bumble, Insey Winsey, Sonic, Cookie, Raven, Fudge, Titch & Sox)
??? Foster animals
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
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Edited by - herriotfan on 13/02/2014 22:04:16 |
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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
Posted - 13/02/2014 : 22:06:39
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| Yep defo no heat rocks for me and thanks for the advice |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
Posted - 14/02/2014 : 16:58:25
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| 2 X 17" X 11" heat mats, thermostat and 2 X digital thermometers are ordered and on their way from Swell Reptiles |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
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G7ACU
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
19 Posts |
Posted - 15/02/2014 : 14:50:35
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I guess the heat-rocks are still sold as they're useful for other reptiles, but unfortunately there are many pet shops who offer inadequate advice and I don't want to think about how many unsuitable set-ups there could be as a result of poor advice.
As Smart Bunny has mentioned, there are some high powered heat mats, see http://www.eurorep.co.uk/heating/habistat-high-power-heat-mats
Again, it raises the concern about how many folk might try and use these for normal heating and subsequently cause both health and safety problems.
Boromir's obviously seems well settled and happy now :-) |
Paul |
Edited by - G7ACU on 15/02/2014 14:53:48 |
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rifleman6925
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
47 Posts |
Posted - 16/02/2014 : 23:09:21
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| Yes he is well settled and loving his new 3ft viv. Picked up my 2 new little ones today and they are gorgeous. Will post a couple of pics of them |
Amel
Motley
Ghost
Ghost Rootbeer
Rootbeer |
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Boomslang
Hatchling
United Kingdom
340 Posts |
Posted - 17/02/2014 : 03:09:35
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| Heat rocks aren't as bad,as they used to be :) But kinda pointless for a snake. |
1.0.0 pinstripe Royal Python
1.0.0 Bumblebee Royal Python
1.0.0 Normal corn
1.0.0 Extreme red Hognose
0.1.0 Extreme red tiger Hognose
1.1.0 yemen chameleons
1.0.0 Piebald yemen
1.0.0 Tamatave panther
1.0.0 Quadricornis
2.1.0 pygmy chameleons
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Heat mat location
