| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| jetsfan |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 10:08:33
Hi - can someone advise me. I've been reading the forums and can't seem to find an exact answer - or i'm being dim. Houdini seems to spend all of the day in his cool hide. My tank is too big (5ft) (previously had Bearded Dragons in) but i have packed it with accessories to reduce the size. Anyway my question is should i move to an Infra Red heat bulb and run it at night. Day temps are spot on and i'm using a 75w heat bulb which keeps the air temp up but as he doesnt come out it seems pointless. I have a heat mat partially under his warm hide and it is always 91 - 92 in their so he has a warm place to go in the daytime. So i figure it might be better to raise the temp at night when he ventures out.
Any advise would be great.
Steve |
| 6 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| chris100575 |
Posted - 06/04/2010 : 12:21:52
If you get the air temp in the warm end to 32c then the hide will be 32c too. Heavier built snakes like royals need warm air rather than a warm spot on the floor which is why most of us would only use a heatmat in a RUB where you can't use a lamp.
The best and simplest setup is an IR or ceramic bulb, with guard, on a dimmer thermostat, and use a digital thermometer to measure the temps. It'll keep the temps exactly as you want them and once it's set you can leave it alone. An IR bulb will provide both heat and enough light for you to see in without upsetting the snake, so it's all you need. |
| Nazzle |
Posted - 05/04/2010 : 18:39:08
Is it a 5 x 2? You could partition it into two and have 2 vivs with a ir/ceramic in each. And buy another royal... |
| jetsfan |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 15:40:28
Thanks for the feedback - its really appreciated. To answer the first question i have a heat mat on 24/7 and a standard heat bulb during the day. My temps are pretty good. The mat i have placed so that the warm hide is not directly on top of it. It is close enough to pick up heat conducted through the wood and is a very nice 92 deg inside. I have a water bowl dirctly on the mat which keeps the humidity at a steady 45%. The air temp is usually 85 when the heat bulb is on and drops to 75 / 78 when off. Cool hide is always around 74. I have read the stories of heat mat issues so i have a good ammount of substrate to act as a barrier and the floor temp on the mat (with substrate) is 90 - 92. He does tend to move the substrate away in the hides which is why i keep the hide off the mat. I now have a 75w IR bulb which i have on at the moment and am monitoring temps. I had to get rid of the Bearded Dragons as they were killing my electricity bill and am looking to introduce a second light fitting and may use a energy saving bulb to light it up or possibly a lower wattage heat bulb. Main problem is the tank size and i suppose the obvious option would be to change it but i'm skint.
Am i right in figuring that the air temp is of secondry importance to the hide temp during the day as he never comes out and want to move to the IR being on through the night so the air temp raises when he ventures out
Steve |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 14:06:37
I'm with the others, go for a red heat bulb or ceramic and ditch the heat mat. |
| boze |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 13:32:16
Aye, you'd be better off ditching the heat mat and just using either a red bulb on a dimmer stat or a ceramic bulb on either a dimmer or pulse stat. Remember youve got a Royal, I hardly ever see mine as she only really comes out at night when the house is deadly silent, or if ive changed her layout about...
D |
| chris100575 |
Posted - 04/04/2010 : 13:28:16
How are you heating it at night, just with the mat?
My only heat source is an infra red bulb on a dimming stat, it's on 24/7 and it holds the temp nicely. Princess does spend a lot of time in her hides, but she does swap from end to end. |
