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blundey
Hatchling
86 Posts |
 Posted - 19/01/2009 : 16:41:54
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My last minute check list.
Alright guys this is my last thread before buying my royal this week.
I posted my setup in my last posts, and most replys cam back as it was ok
The temps have finally settled so wanted to make sure this was all ok before taking the plunge and purchasing.
Royal will be a male at roughly 300 grams.
Enclosure is a RUB 18litr
Orchid substrate baked for 20mins to get rid of possible mites.
6x11 heat mat on a ministat 100 set at 35c (MAX I can set it to)
The probe for the stat is on its side inside and level with the floor and substrate. The substrate barely covers the probe, but i want it like this so I can a true reading of both substrate and rub base.
My temps Ive taken are 29-33c hot end depending on where I point my IR thermometer, and the cold end is between 21-23c.
The humidity was high at 75% but has since dropped and settled at about 59% over the last day or so. My house is 48%.
So my concerns:
The habistat heat mat is on the carpet floor, and the rub directly on top. Is this ok or a fire risk? The Rub is not a flat base it has diamoned grooves, so the mat SHOULD have ample breathing space. The reason for the rub being on the floor is because i have pipes going through the floor boards and this helps with the ambient temps of the viv. The viv ranges from cold end at 20-23 and gets warmer the closer to the mat 30-33.
My next question. Is 20-23 to cold? It hard to get this ANY higher...any tips on this would be so very helpful. My heating is on when im in, and due to costs i cant have it on ALLLLL day.
Im yet to buy hides and add a water bowl in, but i assume when a water bowl goes in if i put it in the cold end, humidty should stay below 60% if it rises, ill add more ventalation.
Hides im not sure what side to buy yet, as i dont know the size of the snake exactly, im assuming a medium hide from exo will be ok?
TYhank you people, you have been a great help this far.
Personal thanks goes to Blackecho, Foxymama, Roewammi and paplan for your help to date. |
Edited by - Blackecho on 19/01/2009 17:58:16 |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 19/01/2009 : 17:22:35
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i would bake the substrate for about 1 hour at 100*c as was told that this is enough...
i have heard of mats burning/scorching wood before so i would not leave it on the carpet...
i have my probes flat on th cardboard covering the mat outside the hide, cos my royals seen to dig down and it was hotter down there, also found that when they laid on the probes it made them read cooler than they actually were and kicked the stat in raise the temp...
hides im using exo-terra at the moment for warm hides and cork bark for cool hides. i will be making these all cork bark hides soon due to how quickly they out grow them and cos of the cost...
with the cool end temps i took mine of the floor and put it high up on the top of my shelving to raise the temps... |
 
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Edited by - dazb on 19/01/2009 17:24:40 |
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blundey
Hatchling
86 Posts |
Posted - 19/01/2009 : 17:45:40
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| Ah good idea, didnt think of putting it HIGHER up. Hmmm...waist height? |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 19/01/2009 : 17:56:13
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mine is now on top of my stack units, you can see it in this pic...
i would say go for waist height though. floors get very cold in winter due to no isultion under most peoples houses and heat rises.
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 19/01/2009 : 17:57:35
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Orchid bark is quite a good insulator, so if you're struggling to reach the temps you want either use a thinner layer or you could even change to newspaper. Although it sounds like you have the temps about right now.
A Medium hide should be fine and yes, keep the water bowl at the cool end to reduce any extra humidity. |
 
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lee2308
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2597 Posts |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 19/01/2009 : 20:30:22
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i only got afew bits and bobs really...
0.2.0 royal pythons
1.1.0 corn snakes
1.3.0 leopard geckos
(and building a 3 viv stack at the moment also...) |
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Edited by - dazb on 19/01/2009 20:31:12 |
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blundey
Hatchling
86 Posts |
Posted - 20/01/2009 : 11:35:20
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I checked all the temps last night of surfaces higher up and the floor is the warmest because of the carpet and pipes running through the floor boards. Just need to put something in between the heat matt and carpet as this is my only fear.
Blackecho. You might be onto something there. Im going to put the substrate a bit thinner as i think its probably a little to thick. Ive got until thursday to do all of this and im worrying!
I posted for help on RFUK, but it seems this is the only place that has come to my aid on two occasions now. So thank you, you have a member for life. |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 20/01/2009 : 11:41:31
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Have you already chosen the snake? - Excited yet?
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blundey
Hatchling
86 Posts |
Posted - 20/01/2009 : 12:06:56
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Well im getting it from an rfuk member called paplan who is local to me. Here is a pic:
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 20/01/2009 : 17:26:51
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thats a great looking royal you got there...
i used some old conti/furniture board. but i suppose you could use anything that is non flammable really. |
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matty18714
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2016 Posts |
Posted - 20/01/2009 : 17:36:23
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| Very nice royal |
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blundey
Hatchling
86 Posts |
Posted - 21/01/2009 : 10:09:16
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Thanks. Yet to see the thing in the flesh but thats on Thursday.
Checked on temps last night.
Cold end was 24c and hot end 29c. I lifted some substrate and measured the rub surface temp and that was 39c! So ive since turned the stat down a notch and removed a small layer of substrate to hopefully try and equal the temps out a bit ! Its taking me a week to get this far, im scared how long it will take once ive got him to clean out~! |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 21/01/2009 : 15:31:26
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can i just ask a question...
is your temps 29*C on the surface of the substrate and 39*C on the RUB floor wen the substrate is moved away??? |
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Edited by - dazb on 21/01/2009 15:32:16 |
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blundey
Hatchling
86 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2009 : 13:20:45
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| Yeah 29 on top of substrate and 37-39 on top of rub floor. I since turned the stat down a notch and removed the substrate a little to make it thinner. Now its 31c on top of substrate and 33 on rub floor. Cold end sitting at 25 now. with a 55% humidity reading! So its all looking good! Hpefully tonight is the night i bring him home! Woo! |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2009 : 15:23:20
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personally i set all my temps at RUB/viv floor level. cos mine seem to move all the substrate away, they like digging a little pot hole in the substrate and lying on the base of the RUB/viv.
37-39 is definately too hot for the floor. just imagine if he/she digs down. he/she will be laid on that.
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Edited by - dazb on 22/01/2009 15:25:55 |
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blundey
Hatchling
86 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2009 : 17:52:35
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| Thats why i got rid of some substrate and turned the stat down a bit. All good now though. Will post pics of him settled in when i get him home...as ill need to leave him a while (week/2) before i can play :( |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2009 : 19:05:44
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quote:
Originally posted by blundey
Thats why i got rid of some substrate and turned the stat down a bit.
i know and its really good that your getting everything sorted before you get him. i never did with my first...
didnt mean to sound like i was critising you or anything... |
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Edited by - dazb on 22/01/2009 19:06:52 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2009 : 19:10:08
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| Its really good to see someone putting the effort in before! |
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dazb
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2847 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2009 : 19:16:56
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| i agree, i like alot of people didnt do the proper research and impulsed bought never did with my first corn... |
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Gingerpony
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
2663 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2009 : 20:30:32
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| yeah it's much better to research before buying. that said, when i went to buy my first snake i'd researched and wanted a garter........... and came home with an anery corn i knew very little about! |
Dumerils boas, BCO hybrids, Sinder Hypo boas, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, Day Geckos
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