| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| li4mc |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 19:48:37
I recently bought my 1 - 2 year old snake and a faunarium to house him until hes a bit bigger and will feel comfortable in a bigger viv but im having trouble getting the tank hot enough the temperature gauge is showing 23 degrees and i've been told it should be between 26 & 32. I have the heat mat underneath and on top of some cardboard and a tea towel over the vents on the top to try and keep the heat in but no luck so far. He took his first feed without a problem so he can't be too unhappy but i would still like to get his temperature right so any advise would be very helpful and i apologise if this is in the wrong forum
Thanks, Liam |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 10/01/2012 : 18:14:40
If you can imagine it, google can provide you with a picture of it lol.
I think it was on the darkside a picture of a well burnt heat mat. It is very rare that they malfunction in such a way that they detroy themselves and whatever is touching it but it can happen. I have my whole vivstack on a surge protector too, I wouldn't want £300 worth of heating and lighting kit going bang but fuses in the plugs should protect against this. |
| JamesA |
Posted - 10/01/2012 : 14:01:48
quote:
Originally posted by Lotabob
The risk of a burn is reduced as its a faun...
Weren't there some pics of fauns that had been melted by unstatted/malfunctioning mats? Not wanting to cause panic or anything :)
|
| Lotabob |
Posted - 10/01/2012 : 13:06:52
Yeah a thermostat is the single most important piece of kit you can buy for the safety of your snake. I tested a 7 watt heat mat without a thermostat and it reached 39oC overnight sitting on a cold piece of marble without anything covering it. Thats 4oC too hot for a Royal. 4 degrees doesn't sound like much but in a cold blooded animal exposure to too warm or too hot for extended periods of time can cause real problems from not been able to digest their food to brain damage. The risk of a burn is reduced as its a faun and the snake is not in direct contact but a thermostat will switch off a malfunctioning heat mat before it gets hot enough to melt itself, the faun and the snake.
I use habistat thermostats (the mat stat is about £25 max and will happily run a heat mat) but there are microclimate thermostats available and they tend to be a bit cheaper, I've not used them though but many on here have and they work just fine. |
| JamesA |
Posted - 10/01/2012 : 11:19:00
As well as Kelf's excellent video, there is a good thread over on the corn snake forum about setting up fauns with heat mats etc. http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9878
And yes you need a thermostat asap, something like this: http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/habistat-mat-stat-thermostat-100w.html
|
| li4mc |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 21:47:51
sorry i forgot to answer that lol no i don't im guessing i should invest in one? |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 21:45:20
Do you have a thermostat? |
| li4mc |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 21:40:26
thanks for all the comments i've stole the thermometer from my girlfriends fish tank and thats reading 31 degrees so i feel a lot better about it but i'll make sure to keep a eye on it :D |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 20:34:46
First question from me. Do you have a thermostat? If you don't the hot end is too warm, guaranteed, irrelevant of what the (useless) stick on thermometer says, its not got a clue what the heat mat is doing as its not near it. Have a little watch of Kelfezonds video, how to set up a RUB(http://www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7720), its not quite a faunarium but the theory and method is exactly the same. |
| blackskull |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 20:30:13
yeah they are pants
you don't need fancy reptile branded ones. i use these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LCD-Digital-Fish-Aquarium-Tank-Water-Thermometer-UK-1st-/300594181362?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item45fccf34f2#ht_1847wt_1139
|
| ajacklin |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 20:24:08
I think they're pretty much useless from what I've read, you probably find with a digital one that the temperature is completely different. |
| li4mc |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 20:17:02
its just a stick on thermometer |
| ajacklin |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 20:05:44
But also, when you say temperature gauge, what are you using? A digital thermometer or a dial stick on one and also depends where it is positioned. |
| li4mc |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 20:01:21
yeah he is a Royal (: and thank you i'll try a thicker towel and i hope that works he's about 10 degrees to cold :( |
| n/a |
Posted - 09/01/2012 : 19:56:16
Nope - this is the right forum! (Well, I'm assuming you have a royal but it doesn't matter if not - this is a really helpful forum, I've learned loads since I joined.)
At the time of year a faun will tend to lose heat - you could try keeping your room as warm as possible, and putting something heavier, like a thick towel or blanket, over the faun, or even bubble wrap if you've got it, still allowing for a decent air current of course.
Hope this helps, and congrats on getting him and his first feed with you. |
