| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| martinking6 |
Posted - 04/01/2011 : 02:18:24
Hiya
Got a few questions about the heat control for the royal python which is housed in an exo terra 18" square vivarium
When I first bought the set up with earl there was no heat mat on the base of the tank and the heat bulb was one that was silver then clear around the edges but red underneath and 60w, temperatures at the hot end of the tank never got above 74 degrees so I bought a small heat mat to go under the tank on the hot side under his hide, its an exo terra desert small 8" x 8" heat mat that is stuck to the underside of the tank (switched on permanently) and I also replaced the bulb with an infa red 100w heat bulb which is switched on around 9am till 10pm and switched off during the night, this keeps the vivarium at a steady 30 degree c whilst heat lamp is switched on but has dropped to about 20 degree c when I come to switch the heat lamp back on in the morning
This 10 degree drop has had me thinking as to whether I should use a thermostatically controlled system instead but the python seems happy enough to move about to where he is comfy in the vivarium, he eats well and is a happy placid snake so I tend to think why alter something that the snake seems happy with?
He spends most of the day time under the hide on the cool side of the viv and mainly comes out to play once infa red lamp is switched off at night having a good roam round until he settles down on the heat mat under his hide on hot side for the night but I have noticed that sometimes when am on the computer at the side of his viv he will come to the front of the viv and if I open up the doors he will sometimes crawl out himself onto my lap if I dont lift him out, really does seem a happy, relaxed snake
It was also mentioned that the snake only ever fed every 14 days or so on a single medium mouse when I first took him but noticed within a couple of days of upping the viv temp he was hungry so fed him which was 5 days after his last feed and been feeding him every 5 days since but was advised to make it every 7 days by local pet shop when I went to buy some more mice, this batch of medium mice were definitely bigger than the previous ones and he managed them easily so thinking am gonna move him up to large mice on his feed day next week and then stick to one feed every 7 days ?
This is a pic of him a couple of days ago, he is supposedly about 3yrs old but I weighed and measured him and he is 24" long and 3720 grams which according to the weight/age chart possibly makes him older than thought
He has put on noticeable size since ive had him, even the previous owner was surprised at how much he has grown in such a short time
Any advise would be great on my thoughts on the python or viv and also what heat controller/equipment is advisable
Martin |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 12/01/2011 : 10:57:42
no worries mate. |
| martinking6 |
Posted - 12/01/2011 : 02:18:42
Hiya
Cheers and very valid point bob, will get 1 stat per viv as it is for infa red bulb
Martin |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 11/01/2011 : 11:19:32
Maybe i read it wrong as well bats. mmm. Well it can be done with bulbs and there are those that do but it's not something that i would advise. I know there are dangers with multiple heat mats on on stat but i think bulbs are far more dangerous. for instance if the bulb in the viv with the thermostat probe blows the other viv is just going to keep heating up as there would be nothing to sense it had reach the correct temp. With a heat map it only covering a 1/3rd of the floor space but a bulb is heating the whole viv giving snakey no where to escape. just something to think about. |
| n/a |
Posted - 11/01/2011 : 00:25:19
Ah, I was assuming you meant dimmer stats for infra red/ceramic heating in vivs. Yes, if you are using heat mats/strips under *vivs* AAAH meant RUBS!!, you can run two from the same stat, as long as they are identically powered.
EDIT - spot the deliberate mistake! A heat mat can't be used underneath a viv - it could overheat (thermal blocking again) and cause a fire. Sorry about that. It was late at night ... |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 10/01/2011 : 23:47:58
If yourdoing it like this it's best to place the vivs beside each other and not on top of each other. |
| anatess |
Posted - 10/01/2011 : 17:47:26
quote:
Originally posted by martinking6
Hiya
Is it a case of 1 stat per vivarium as am setting up 2nd viv now for brb so may as well order both at same time if I need 2 ?
Martin
I use UTH (heat mat) only in my viv. I have the exact same set-up in 2 vivs controlled by 1 thermostat.
People who use racks can have the entire rack controlled by 1 thermostat.
The trick is - the 2 (or more) vivs would have the exact same set-up using the exact same heat sources displaying the same exact temp range without the thermostat. Then you can use the same thermostat. |
| n/a |
Posted - 10/01/2011 : 17:36:41
Yes, afraid so, you will need one for each viv ... if it's anything like my lot, your house will end up looking like Battersea Power Station ... |
| martinking6 |
Posted - 10/01/2011 : 16:36:52
Hiya
Is it a case of 1 stat per vivarium as am setting up 2nd viv now for brb so may as well order both at same time if I need 2 ?
Martin |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 16:08:44
Agreed with BATS, I personally use the Habistat ones. I bought a couple from the last Doncaster show for £30 each. |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 16:07:51
Hiya Martin, I've got the microclimate one's with magic eye. I use it with heat mats as mine are in rubs. I don't really use the feature as the temp in the room drops a few degrees at night affecting the temp in the rubs, although the mat temp stays the same.. However been cooling of a few that I'm attempting to breed so I'm using it for that. I know it's not necessary to cool but it's a feature the stats got so why not. At the end of the day I think it's only an extra £10 so if you don't mind spending it grab it. I'm a bit of a gadget head so always get sucked in with the optional extras. |
| n/a |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 15:59:53
I use the basic model Microclimate and Habistat dimming stats with infra-red, and they're fine, but as I said above, the reading on the dial often bears no relation to the temp registered by the probe - you just have to fiddle about till you get it right. My only quibble with the Microclimate ones is that you need a precision screwdriver or similar to turn the awkward little adjusting gismo. |
| scubadude |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 15:44:01
ME= magic eye used to control night time temp drop. |
| martinking6 |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 15:07:33
quote:
Originally posted by Blackecho
Agreed, I wouldn't spend the extra money for the ME.
Sorry, whats ME short for ?
Have people used the microclimate or habistat ones on here, in short after recommendation from personal use experience before I buy one of them and also is it worth me buying the day/night stat as I like the idea of the temp dropping a tad at night as it would in their natural environment but sounds like most don`t use the feature ?
Martin |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 11:16:48
Agreed, I wouldn't spend the extra money for the ME. |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 10:46:54
bought mine with the magic eye but to be honest i don't use it because the viv will naturally drop as few degrees at night unless its in a heat controlled room. Think it comes into it's own if your looking to drop night time temps for cooling before breeding. |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 06:59:51
If you buy a day/night stat with magic eye, it senses when the light goes off (or sun goes down) automatically.
Just to agree with others, I have my red lights on 24/7 on a dimming stat. |
| martinking6 |
Posted - 05/01/2011 : 00:28:24
Ok thanks for the links, I like the idea of the day/night dimmer stat will have a good read this weekend and order one, I assume I will need to buy a timer as well or is it all built into the unit ?
Martin |
| konrad1982 |
Posted - 04/01/2011 : 20:16:09
Those two stats seems to be a bit expensive. Check this one http://www.888reptiles.co.uk/productdetails.php?ProductID=1729&ProductGroupID=909
It took me some time to compare the prices but I haven't found any cheaper than that one. I'm just waiting for mine. |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 04/01/2011 : 18:40:11
no prob's, remember you can only use a dimmer stat with an IR bulb. |
| martinking6 |
Posted - 04/01/2011 : 18:32:54
Cheers for the input, all going in nicely and will deffo be getting stat system sorted |
