| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 21/01/2011 : 21:20:05
My night time temperatures aren't great and I am reluctant to leave even a red light on all night so I bought a small 12 watt heat mat (using it with a habistat mat-stat just incase anyone wonders) anyway, the probe and thermometer probes are hot glued to the mat surface, I have then covered the whole thing with a brand new face cloth that just happens to have 1cm extra round the edges as I dont like the thought of direct contact tacked down and then covered in a thin layer of substrate (I will be putting lino in the bottom of my viv's very soon with the heat mats underneath, face cloths are just temporary). I have set it on a timer so it comes on half an hour before the heat lamp goes off and stays on half an hour after it comes on again. (Duke will not come out of his hide unless the lamp is off) and I'm aiming for it to provide just a little bit of backup heat overnight at a temperature of 26-27 degrees centigrade.
I know this is a slightly complex heating arrangement but I am trying to provide the best of both worlds for Duke, the air temp increase and daytime temps of 32 degrees at the hot spot and 26 degrees ambient. and dark at night as it would be in the wild whilst giving him a little hot spot should he need it.
Basically what do people think? |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| GMac |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 23:45:18
dimmer stat will be fine for a ceramic |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 23:44:10
I can answer that one in the great words of Churchill
OH YES |
| infatuateddrummer |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 23:38:37
Thank u pal!! Got a dimming stat that be ok?? |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 23:16:07
Hi infatuateddrummer. Yes you don't need to use a heat mat in a viv alongside a ceramic bulb. The ceramic bulb stays on 24/7 and will create a hot spot and raise the ambient temp. Just make sure all bulbs are used with a guard and a thermostat. |
| infatuateddrummer |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 22:57:35
Royalbob can I ditch the heat matt with my 5month old and just use a ceramic heat bulb?? Thanks |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 22:52:46
Perfect Lotabob. Hope your stuff comes on time. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 22:37:03
Its terrible advice, with hindsight I've no idea why I went along with it, its difficult for someone who's fairly new to tell someone who is supposed to be knowledgeable on these things that they are wrong. I would never use any heat source unprotected and unstatted, its just asking for trouble. The bulb goes off for three hours a night, just to give him some time in darkness, its definitely helping him to settle in. He is used to a 2 foot viv and a 12 hour light cycle as described above but its not the for the poor little guy. Just want the best setup ASAP and to then get him settled. I'm giving this bulb setup until Friday to arrive so I can fix it or go out and buy one at the weekend.
He is 473 grams and I would say just over 2 feet, and its a 2 foot vivarium, 2 hides and a log in the middle, with plenty of foliage round all sides. |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 22:22:17
Thats not the best advice. If he wasn't kept with a red bulb before or in a viv before he might just be getting used to it. How big is he and whats the size of the viv?
The prob with turning off the bulb at night as you've seen are the temps. It's a big debate whether they can actually see the red light and to what extent.
Placing any heating element in direct contact with wood without a thermostat is potentially dangerous. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 22:10:57
I have a red bulb which I'm keeping on most of the time, just turning it off for a few hours a day to give him a break from it (he does not like the red light) then its back on to keep the ambient up. Ceramic does seem to be the best option now I'm ignoring the rep shop and going off gut instinct.
This is the advice I got:
The red bulb on for 12 hours off for 12.
I then told him the night temps were too low:
Put a 12 watt heat mat at the opposite side to the bulb on the outside of the vivarium without a thermostat (said not needed as it would never get hot enough). and only switch it on at night.
I decided to ignore everything I know and go with the ''voice of experience'', never again. |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 21:57:08
Glad your getting it all sorted. I've even moved to buying my rats online now. |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 21:49:18
My mat is going, if I'm honest I went off advice from the reptile shop but I'm not happy, so I am installing a ceramic heating bulb. Just waiting on the bulb and light fitting been delivered. I'm going to just order parts from now on, rather than setups, I like to support my local shop but I'm telling them what I want instead of the other way round from now on or just ebaying it, god what did we do before ebay was invented. |
| infatuateddrummer |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 20:55:11
Would ya say that for royals about 5 month too? Ditch the heat mat and use ceric bulb on 24/7 |
| Blackecho |
Posted - 21/01/2011 : 23:09:38
Agreed as above. |
| Royalbob |
Posted - 21/01/2011 : 22:55:55
Complex and expensive way to run a viv. There's no need to use a heat mat in a viv alongside an I.R bulb. If you don't want to leave the red light on you could use a ceramic bulb instead with the same thermostat. What night time temps is the viv dropping down to as the heat mat won't raise the air temp in the viv. |
