but the temp in elmo's viv is 75. I asked in rep shop and they said pack around the viv to keep it warm as heatmats can only heat a viv to 10 higher than room temp. My house is not that cold but is currently 65. My question is how do i get the temp higher? I'd like to try feeding him again tomorrow but I'm still worried about the temp. He even prefers the cold hide and hasn't been in the warm half for days.(as far as I know)
right the set up has no stat, will getting a stat make my heatmat hotter? or should i get a different type of heating. This is the first reptile I have kept and I did lots of reading before hand but read a lot of contradicting information. I got a digital thermometer yesterday and put the probe in the warm half it got no higher than 75. It has dropped to 68 this morning. The substrate is very thin on the half of the tank with the heatmat. It is little squares of wood but i got a bag of aspen yesterday should i change it before i feed or will that upset elmo? sorry for all the questions :/
the stat will prevent your mat from getting too hot and doing permanent damage to the snake so it is an essential part of the set up (even if your temps seem fine without one). The thermometer probe needs to be on the heat mat under the substrate or at the very highest, level with the top of the substrate.
What size viv do you have and is it wood/plastic/glass? what size and wattage is the mat and where do you have it positioned?
7watt mat and its a small plastic viv a faun something or other, i got the whole set up as a package from a reptile shop. I understand about the thermostat stopping the heatmat from getting too hot and hurting the snake but mine just isnt getting hot enough. The probe for the thermometer is on top of the substrate in the warm half so i will move it lower. A few days ago I moved the viv onto a shelf on the bookcase to hold the heat more. It is now surrounded with polystyrene to hold the heat. Is it ok to change the substrate and move the viv around before i feed elmo or should i wait until he has had a successful feed. I dont want him to regurge again.
ok, I may have sorted the problem by putting the probe in the substrate above the heatmat we are in the right range now temp wise. Thank you for your patience and help. Us newbies are good at panic lol Ive fed Elmo now so fingers crossed the pinkies digest and we can get to know one another in 48 hours =D
But dont forget to get a thermostat!!! Your snake really needs it! I had a misshap when My probe came off my mat and the bottom of the viv was that hot I could not put my hand on it, so God knows what damage it would have done to my snake if she had gone up that end! Luckaly I noticed it! But it goes to show you dont need a big mat for them to get to high temps!
maybe a stupid question..
Posted - 12/12/2009 : 20:41:54
i think a change of shop is needed! 