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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 29/04/2014 :  01:08:19  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hello Judith and Sally, unfortunately yes, this is the "starter Viv" I got from the pet shop. I got this one before I knew what I've learnt since being on here. I'm in the process of building a new one using the fantastic 101 I read posted by yourself Judith! It's going to take me a couple of weeks though as I'm in the Armed forces and have Sydney with me through the week and my new Viv is being built at my house with a little help from a good friend. I've already got a larger heat matt, enough MDF to build a 3ft by 1.5ft wide and 1.5ft tall Viv, the runners for the glass going on the front, the glass for the base that will go over the heat matt recessed into its polystyrene housing, the plastic air vents and the glass lock. I now just need a couple of hides, a new water dish, a climbing vine, some bark to assist Sydney shedding, a thermostat, and two temperature monitoring probes for the warm and cool ends and I should be done. I'll be sure to post a nice picture of the completed Viv as soon as it is complete. It shouldn't take long to be honest.
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Kellog
the nice one

United Kingdom
7308 Posts

Posted - 29/04/2014 :  09:25:50  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I guessed you'd be on it Alan . Can I suggest that until you have the new viv built you add another hide into his faun, so that he has one over the mat and another in the cool end. At the moment he can't thermoregulate as he only has one place to hide.

I'm not sure what your time schedule is but I am concerned that he's on an unstatted heatmat that is only being monitored by a dial thermometer, so you have no real idea what the temp is. This is what happened when one of my stats was unplugged by mistake -



Luckily I had a digital thermometer in the viv so saw that the temp was higher than it should be. This is in a wooden viv with the heatmat inside. I have heard of plastic fauns/RUBS being melted by heatmats that got too hot. It may be worth you at least getting a cheap digital thermometer, like this one - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-LCD-DIGITAL-FISH-REPTILE-AQUARIUM-TANK-WATER-THERMOMETER-TEMPERATURE-/111040744564?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item19da8b4c74 so you can be sure what is going on.

Another word of warning . Corns are known escape artists! Be very aware that all holes for cables are well blocked up, vents are secure and it may be worth putting something like a plastic book binder along the inside edge of the glass door. You'd be amazed at how small a gap they can squeeze through, as demonstrated here - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9578

Xxx


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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 30/04/2014 :  01:01:04  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I most certainly will Judith! Your and absolute god send on here and I can't thank you enough for all of your help and guidance!! I've learnt sooo much in such a little amount of time and it's mostly thanks to you!!

Deaks
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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 30/04/2014 :  14:14:59  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
As promised, an additional hide and a thermostat and temperature probe!! Thanks again for the help Judith your a star!!
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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 30/04/2014 :  14:22:52  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Oh the temperature showing is because I've just put it in! I've set the thermostat to 29 degrees C and set it to alarm if it fluctuates anything 2 degrees above or below 29 degree!

Deaks
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Kellog
the nice one

United Kingdom
7308 Posts

Posted - 01/05/2014 :  07:34:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
That's brilliant Alan . One thing I've found is that you can't necessarily go by what the thermostat says. It's best to set it to the approximate temp you want your heatmat and then allow the digital thermometer to guide you, tweaking the thermostat until the thermometer is showing the right temp.

And stop saying thanks ! It's what we're here for and you're the sort of owner we love, who just wants everything right for their snake .

Xxx


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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 06/05/2014 :  15:27:49  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think Sydney's Viv is now complete! What do you think?
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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 06/05/2014 :  15:31:21  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Sydney's heat mat is under the Viv on the left hand side so it's positioned under his piece of bark! This gives him his warm end and the hide on the right is his cool end so he can thermoregulate! I have a heat sensor on the hot end set to 29 degrees on the thermostat and a monitoring sensor in his cool end.
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Kellog
the nice one

United Kingdom
7308 Posts

Posted - 06/05/2014 :  16:53:08  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
That looks perfect Alan . Bet he's a very happy snake. When you say you have a 'heat sensor' set at 29oC in the warm end, is that the thermostat? Most of us don't rely on just the thermostat. We use digital thermometers to monitor what the actual heat is and often it means tweaking the thermostat until the thermometer shows what temp we want, even if it means the thermostat dial isn't where we think it should be. Hope that makes sense, it's a brain fog day . Is the 'heat sensor' directly on the mat (so outside of the viv) or inside, above the mat?

Sorry for the interrogation but I know you want to get it right.

Xxx


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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 07/05/2014 :  08:20:36  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No, by all accounts it's fine Judith I love your help and advice! The thermostat sensor is actually inside the Viv. It's situated above where the heat matt is so it should mean that the temperature he is lying on on the Aspen is at 29 degrees. I will however now go and get a digital thermometer so I can test that theory and then adjust it from there!! Xx
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yalovit
Hatchling

United Kingdom
199 Posts

Posted - 07/05/2014 :  14:17:46  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
hello and welcome

female corn mist.staffy cross English bull Kelsey
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Kellog
the nice one

United Kingdom
7308 Posts

Posted - 07/05/2014 :  19:36:45  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Most of us don't trust the thermostat 100%. The best set-up is to have the thermostat sensor outside of the faun, lying directly on the heatmat, and a digital thermometer within the faun monitoring the temperature. Then you tweak the thermostat until the thermometer shows the temperature you want. Often that's not necessarily what the setting on the thermostat is showing but it's better this way. Know I'm repeating myself .

A lot of us use something like this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-LCD-DIGITAL-FISH-REPTILE-AQUARIUM-TANK-WATER-THERMOMETER-TEMPERATURE-/111040744564?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item19da8b4c74

It's so good working with someone who wants to get it right and appreciates the help and support .

Xxx


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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 09/05/2014 :  08:24:00  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
It's even better having someone on hand who can offer such time, help and support!! I really cannot thank you enough Judith!!! Xx

Alan
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coxymk2
Sub Adult

United Kingdom
1245 Posts

Posted - 09/05/2014 :  08:33:24  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Deaks it doesn't matter what the question is just ask and somebody will be able to answer it and we don't bite (APART FROM SOME OF THE MODS)lol

0.0.1 ANERY (Liquorice)
0.0.1 CAROLINA (Bangle)
0.0.1 AMEL (Boozer)
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Kellog
the nice one

United Kingdom
7308 Posts

Posted - 09/05/2014 :  08:36:55  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No thanks necessary Alan. It's what we're here for and we only bite when we haven't received any Jaffa cake bribes recently .

Xxx


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coxymk2
Sub Adult

United Kingdom
1245 Posts

Posted - 09/05/2014 :  08:40:01  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No Jaffa cakes here in the poor north east

0.0.1 ANERY (Liquorice)
0.0.1 CAROLINA (Bangle)
0.0.1 AMEL (Boozer)
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Redware
Hatchling

United Kingdom
412 Posts

Posted - 10/05/2014 :  10:22:59  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Umm Jaffa cakes.
Well done on the set up Alan, I haden't come back to this thread since my first welcome, and I am really glad Judith has given you all this advice, your set up looks great now. Do keep asking questions we are all happy to help. Did you manage to to get the digi thermometer? As Judith said I don't trust my thermostats, I have the one on my two royals set to 31 degrees to get the 33-34 degrees they actually need (they like it hotter than corns) so it can vary quite a bit.

Great to see the care you are pitting into your new snake.


Corns: 1.2.0 Caramel Tessera Het Stripe ph lots (Oak) Caramel (Willow) Caramel Stripe Het Amel (Juniper)
Royals: 1:1:0 Lesser Pastel (Bismuth) Cinna Spin (Indium)
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Deaks1457
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
46 Posts

Posted - 10/05/2014 :  17:11:08  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks Redware! Yes I managed to get a Digital Thermometer. I have now tweeked my thermostat and it currently say 32 but in actual fact inside the Viv under Sydney's bark hide, above where the heat matt is the Digi Thermo reads 29 which is perfect!! I love learning how to best look after my Sydney and me and my little girl are constantly researching and learning new things. The advice and help we get on here is fantastic and very much appriciated and Judith has been an absolute super star!!!
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Kellog
the nice one

United Kingdom
7308 Posts

Posted - 11/05/2014 :  08:49:41  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Stop making me blush Alan !! So glad you've managed to sort out the temps in Sydney's faun. Well done .

Xxx


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