| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 31/07/2011 : 15:57:11
Hi everyone, as you know I'm new to this and wanted some advice...
I got my 3-4 month old CF Royal Baby last week, and was originally going to house him in an old 30 inch(L) x 16 inch(H) x 12 inch (D) glass Jewel Aquarium. ( I since know this is not ideal).
I have since moved him into a 9 litre RUB which is inside the tank, with half on the 20W heat mat, which is underneath the glass tank, and the tank raised up 1cm on wooden supports to allow airflow.
I've put the thermometer probe ( digi thermometer, NOT from the thermostat) under his RUB between the glass and the container, on the warm side (over the heat mat).
I've got a hot & cold hide, the cold one with sphagnum moss (however you spell it) and that thicker type kitchen towel 3 layers deep for floor. Pottery water bowl and cork bark hide complete the picture.
Running the heat mat under half of the RUB I am getting temps (read under the RUB) of 33-35*C, controlled by a Microclimate DL1ME Microprocessor controlled 'dimming' stat, with built in Magic Eye for day/night drops (optional). Humidity in this set up is between 55-60.
I am happy with that end, and since the RUB is fairly small, I'm sure it's not heaps cooler the other end, although it is unheated.
Problem is, the heat mat provides no AMBIENT heat to speak of, and so the true cold end of the TANK (Not RUB, ya follow?)  only gets to about 22*C ( normal room temp plus maybe 1 or 2)
This is of no concern now, but going forward to when he's bigger, I want to have him in a viv, as I am not happy with the thermal dynamic of the glass tank.
I also bought a 'Clamp Lamp Ceramic Bulb holder' which has a wire 'guard' round it which wouldn't stop anything smaller than a badger from getting to it, so I wrapped the whole frame in a second layer of galvanized mesh. The problem is, it's so bloody HUGE that when I tried it in the tank it took up half of the hot end!
In the instructions it states it should be 40cm away from the animal. Now with only 16" (40cm) to play with, that 'aint gonna happen'.
Yesterday I switched the heat mat off and ran the 100W ceramic bulb (in huge monster wire mesh case) propped up off the floor, crammed in on the hot side, aiming at the RUB's warm end.
After some fine tuning I got the same sort of temps the warm end as with the mat, but the thermomter probe was this time on the nearest plastic wall to the heat lamp.
Very different results: Got the warm end up to a nice basky 34-35, and the whole tanks seemed to be much warmer, cold end being elevated to 27-29. Humidity dropped from 56 to 48 and the sides of the glass, and more worryingly, the hardened plastic 'aquarium lid' got quite hot to the touch. No burning hot, just like a radiator on low-medium.
Going forward, for safety and convenience, Percy will be staying in his RUB which he loves, and the heat mat *dimmer statted will be his only source of heat.
I do however plan to either buy or build a proper WOODEN vivarium (which is cheapest, really after 10 trips to B&Q to buy tools I'd need etc lol).
My question is...Say if in the near future I move him into a 24" x 18" x 18" wooden viv, how do you mount the ceramic element to be 40cm from the snake? Can anyone show any photos showing how it all works regarding headroom/gaurding etc, since I envisage the guard would get pretty bloody hot judging by the ferocity of my 100W ceramic yesterday!
P.S. I have just ordered a 40W Exo Terra ceramic since I think 100W might be too powerful, despite the efforts of the dimmer to tame it!
A lot of info, a lot of questions, I just want to have the [perfect set up by the time he's out of RUBs.
Meanwhile, is the heatmat going to be sufficent? He seems to sleep/rest in the warm end under his cork bark, then comes out and stretches out, bathing in his water bowl and slumping over his cold end hide.
I was told by the shop owner I bought the snake off not to use heat mats with a Royal as they are heavy bodied and will burn. Yet when in the shop he was in a RUB, on a heat mat, like most shop snakes.
Other info I read prior to getting him FAVOURED heat mats for Royals as they said in the wild they would seldom come out in the day and bask in the sun, as they'd get eaten by predators, instead favouring to hide away in rodent holes or under rocks in the day absorbing belly heat from the baked earth.
I must admit, I worry about the heat generated by the ceramic in my 'trial' and don't want to be paranoid about my house burning down etc.
The heat mat (being only 20W) seems a lot less threatening and statted correctly gives me peace of mind, but in a full viv, would it be too cold & damp with
just this form of heating (at the non heated end)?
Argh. Please help! 
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| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| boomslang |
Posted - 06/08/2011 : 22:07:31
quote:
Originally posted by SaltyTurtle
OK hang on...need to upload them from the camera...
Make a new thread in photos when you do.As this ones getting long. |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 06/08/2011 : 22:01:44
OK hang on...need to upload them from the camera... |
| boomslang |
Posted - 06/08/2011 : 21:01:50
Np you're welcome,Just remember to post the photos :) |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 06/08/2011 : 11:29:49
I know you were mate, I was just very tired last night after a hard week at work etc.
Anyway, to report back, all is good in Castle Percival. His temps are spot on both ends, and humidity is cock-on!
Glad I did it now. 
Thanks for all your help by the way! |
| boomslang |
Posted - 06/08/2011 : 04:42:37
quote:
Originally posted by SaltyTurtle
I've had a traumatic evening, I can't be bothered to say anything witty, sorry mate.
I never said anything to be witty to,I was being serious :P |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 06/08/2011 : 02:29:15
I've had a traumatic evening, I can't be bothered to say anything witty, sorry mate. |
| boomslang |
Posted - 05/08/2011 : 23:56:18
quote:
Originally posted by SaltyTurtle
Care to share which these two mystery brands are? 
No its a secret
http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/exo-terra-forest-bark.html thats the one i use :)
http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/zoo-med-repti-bark.html thats the poo one,if you look,you can see its all dark and wet in the bag. |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 05/08/2011 : 23:26:55
Care to share which these two mystery brands are? |
| boomslang |
Posted - 05/08/2011 : 21:48:05
Glad its all sorted now.I've seen two brands of bark for sale.One is total poo,always wet and full of spiders and bugs ( not mites)
Last bag bought,i had to soak it,then dry it out.
The other brand has non of that,and the bark seems better quality to. |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 05/08/2011 : 20:22:58
Yes mate, He's called 'Percy' for his sins lol!
I've just showered after finishing the 'orrible orchi-bark microwaving, and putting fixing screw in to get the infamous heater mounted.
The rest of the time I was just filling it with 'stuff'. It's so cramped in there now a) he'll think he's on 'selection' for the SAS tyring to clamber over it all, and b) I'll never, ever, ever see him again!
Will get some pics later, I'm still itching from the THOUGHT of mites being in his substrate (prior to me nuking it and nearly doing a Ray Mears in the kitchen with the embers!! *note. 3 minutes on high in a Panasonic Genius is about 1 minute too long!)
Going to relax for a bit while I watch the temperature SOARING in the 'Millenium Vivarium', then I'll snap it up.
And yes, he's about the size of a watch strap at the moment, so no danger of him ripping the heater gaurd apart with his fangs lol. |
| boomslang |
Posted - 05/08/2011 : 00:51:36
quote:
for a hatchling royal
Totally forgot about the snake,been talking about the guard.And yes its alot better then a rub.it looks fine good job don't forget to put up pictures,when its all done.and ofc pictures of the royal.Does he have a name yet? |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 05/08/2011 : 00:40:38
looks alright to me, the mesh isn't the strongest looking but the snake couldn't get round it to squeeze it so there wont be any climbing up there. You've done a good job. |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 04/08/2011 : 23:57:36
If you look closely at the PREVIOUS picture, the mesh cover is a much lighter grade mesh, and the bottom can be unfurled easily with some pliers after my 20,000 hour bulb packs up, leaving me time to maybe re-design it.
Space wise, I have no less room between the bottom of the heater than in your set up, but my guard offers a greater 'exclusion zone' and takes up a tiny proportion of the headroom, considering it's a Royal who barely comes out to play, not a lizard or such like.
The heater and gaurd take up less than 1/8 of the viv, and at 24" x 18" x 21" I'd hardly call it small, for a hatchling royal??!!?
I've done my best, and let's face it, it's a lot better than the RUB-a-dub-dub brigade who just wang 'em in a lunchbox, slap a heat mat on a mat stat and go spend the change on beer.
Beginning to wonder if I shouldn't have just done that!  |
| boomslang |
Posted - 04/08/2011 : 23:41:34
oh ok :) So can't you take the wire guard of the holder?then just make a mesh cage,from the mesh you have?
that limits your space abit in that small viv.
And how do you plan to change the bulb? |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 04/08/2011 : 23:28:37
Note, light provided by LED torch under ceramic lamp enclosure, Screwfix catalogue out of date, and no, the cable won't be slack when all 'Scmeistered' into position and nipped up, tight.
*Awaits the mockery* |
| boomslang |
Posted - 04/08/2011 : 23:23:54
quote:
I'm not sure I like the sinister 'LOL' at the end there!
And okay,picture of the new improved heat lamp and mesh is welcome. |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 04/08/2011 : 23:04:24
 I'm not sure I like the sinister 'LOL' at the end there!
No I can't take a pic of the final result, because the silicon isn't dry yet, and I wanted to get that all dried out before I screw in 'The Heat Beast'
I might run down and grab a shot of the new 'cladding' if you've run out of Live at The Apollo videos to watch on Youtube...
Hold on.. |
| boomslang |
Posted - 04/08/2011 : 22:42:13
quote:
can I use a seasoned silver birch trunk I've got, I was saving it for firewood
Theres about a million posts,On using wood from the woods etc.Some people say it needs cleaning/treating etc.others that it don't need cleaning/treating etc etc.
Theres nothing in the wood or bark that can harm the snake.as long as its not Poison oak or another poisonous plant etc.Or it wasn't collected from the forest outside chernobyl.So yeah depends where the wood is from,ie driftwood which would need cleaning.
So is the lamp setup and in the viv now?if so post a pic,id like to see it LOL. |
| SaltyTurtle |
Posted - 04/08/2011 : 22:22:52
The on/off switch was open-able, but the live wires were soldered onto the switching mechanism and the neutral ran through uninterupted to the side, so I came up with a better idea.
First I used some really light mesh I bought today from a steel stockholder to cover the wire cage, then (after building my new Vivexotic VX24 that arrived flat packed today, I passed the wire (pre-switch, lamp side) through the curved hole they leave at the top of the back panel, then re-attached & fixed on the roof, before going to town with the old Aquarium sealant.
My hands are now going to be waterproof for the next 40 years!
That stuff is vile! A mixture of white spirit, swarfega and washing up liquid (the breakfast of champions) finally got most of it off, but my hands smell like a melt down at a plasticine factory, and I'm not handling Percy till it wears off.
So now I've got a sealed, heated (I'm going to attach the lamp & new light weight cage to the rear, right hand corner with some wood screws) and almost ready to rumble viv!
When the sealant's cured, hopefully tomorrow as it's so warm, I'm going to bake off some Orchi-Bark in the oven ( if it's necessary?)
then start filling the viv up with hides and foliage and logs etc (can I use a seasoned silver birch trunk I've got, I was saving it for firewood, but could cut it up with the chainsaw and use it as a 'feature'?)
Then a bit of faffing around to get temps right etc, and all being well he can move in after his next feed at the weekend.
Phew!! |
| boomslang |
Posted - 04/08/2011 : 20:28:50
Can't you take that wire gaurd of the exo terra? Then just take the wires out from the holder,pass them through the hole,rewire into holder,then bracket it on the roof? Without having to drill through the top?
Then just buy a gaurd and job done?
the on/off switch,will most likely be a sealed unit. |
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