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puggyr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
 Posted - 29/08/2009 : 20:09:19
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Hi all i just got my first royal the other day still a youngster, he/she was hatched at the end of april, im having a few problems with the temperature, i have a thermostat but it the temp seems to go up to the correct temperature but when the thermostat goes off it drops way down to the bottom end of the thermometre sitting at roughly 23 degrees c and the snake feels really quite cold, i just dont seem to be able to get it just right, and im worried that the snake isnt getting enough heat.
What temperature should the thermometre drop to when the thermostat goes off?
Any help would be much appreciated
Thanks Ruth
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Remmy
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
642 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 20:17:49
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| Hi Puggyr, First off what sort of heating have you got and what sort of thermometers. If you have a dial thermometer they are not very accurate so digital is best. |
1.0.0 Ghost corn Tynan
0.1.0 Normal corn Sully
0.1.0 Royal Tilly
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MissCat
Fully Grown Royal
1971 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 20:17:51
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HI, as far as I am aware, in order to be able to give you any conclusive answers, we will also need to know a few things.
What is your set up like?
ie: what size/type enclosue do you have?
What substrate are you using?
What TYPE of thermostat are you using? (i.e pulse proportional, mat stat, dimming)
What type of heat source are you using? (ie ceramic bulb/infra red/ heat mat)
Where is the probe situated?
What are you using to measure the temperature? (ie digital thermometer or dial thermometer) and where are the thermometers (or thermometers probes) situated?
I already have a vague answer for you, but it will be much easier to try to help if you can fill in those details :)
sorry about the 20 questions lol.
welcome btw :) |
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puggyr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 20:33:08
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what size/type enclosue do you have? Its a plastic enclosure, L:43cm W:25.5cm H:18cm
What substrate are you using? At the moment as he/she still a baby i was advised to just use kitchen roll
What TYPE of thermostat are you using? (i.e pulse proportional, mat stat, dimming)The thermostat is a Microclimate ministat 100
What type of heat source are you using? (ie ceramic bulb/infra red/ heat mat)Its a heat mat that im using
Where is the probe situated? The probe is iside the enclosure not that far away from the bottom of enclosure, say about an inch, i think it should be a bit higher up though, but boyfriend says no.
What are you using to measure the temperature? (ie digital thermometer or dial thermometer) and where are the thermometers (or thermometers probes) situated? Its a dial thermometre and its placed on the base of the enclosure.
Thanks for the welcome hope you guys can help this little guy is my pride and joy  |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 20:49:53
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Get a digital thermometer, dial ones are rubbish.
Go onto ebay and search for a digital aquarium thermometer. You should be able to pick them up for <£4.
Is it a Plastic Faunarium you're using?
The probe position is fine, you could even have it on the substrate. |
 
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 20:50:26
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| PS. Good questions MC. |
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MissCat
Fully Grown Royal
1971 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 20:51:28
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quote:
Originally posted by puggyr
what size/type enclosue do you have? Its a plastic enclosure, L:43cm W:25.5cm H:18cm
What substrate are you using? At the moment as he/she still a baby i was advised to just use kitchen roll
What TYPE of thermostat are you using? (i.e pulse proportional, mat stat, dimming)The thermostat is a Microclimate ministat 100
What type of heat source are you using? (ie ceramic bulb/infra red/ heat mat)Its a heat mat that im using
Where is the probe situated? The probe is iside the enclosure not that far away from the bottom of enclosure, say about an inch, i think it should be a bit higher up though, but boyfriend says no.
What are you using to measure the temperature? (ie digital thermometer or dial thermometer) and where are the thermometers (or thermometers probes) situated? Its a dial thermometre and its placed on the base of the enclosure.
Thanks for the welcome hope you guys can help this little guy is my pride and joy
okee dokee, from what i can tell the set up sounds fine so far, so that shouldn't be an issue, with the exception of the thermometer, as remmy says, they are not particularly accurate, you can pick up dirt cheap digital thermometers from somewhere like ebay, they have probes like the thermostat and usually come with a battery too, with a set up like yours i would personally either have the thermostat probe with the thermometer probe IN the rub/faun at the same level as where the snake will be (i.e i dont stick them on the wall half way up the tank, though i know others do) or (as in the case of one of my royals, where i cant be bothered to melt a bigger hole to allow the thermostat probe to fit inside) i have the probe stuck to the heat mat under the rub, and have the thermometer probe inside the rub.
Then i adjust the thermostat temp accordingly, i dont think i even bother looking at the thermostat temperature anymore, i always go by the digital thermometer.
I also have two thermometers in each rub/faun/viv. one at the warm end and one at the cool end. then i have a spare digital thermometer which i use to daily check that the one in the warm end is still accurate...just in case that one goes wrong lol.
the only reason i can think of that the temperature fluctuates so much is because of the dial thermometer you are using.
that said, mat stats (as far as i am aware) work on an "on/off" method, turning off when desired temp is reached and on when it gets too cold. I think Pulse proportional thermostats are generally better as they give off a pulse of energy to keep the heat generally stable (though there is sometimes a varying degree in fluctuations) and can later be used for a ceramic heat bulb for when your snake gets bigger (heat mats are not recomended for larger bodied snakes) thus saving you money in the long run, despite the pp stat being marginally more expensive in the begining.
uhm, i think that's got that covered, hope i avent missed anything out or made any mistakes (best wait for someone to confirm what i have said...mind you in the time it's taken me to type this essay, i reckon someone else will have posted a shorter- more accurate response lol  )
EDIT: told you so. lol. ignore my post. BE's is shorter |
Edited by - MissCat on 29/08/2009 20:53:20 |
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puggyr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 21:10:43
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| ok so my set up seems ok. When the thermostat goes off it seems to take for ever to come back on and by time it comes back on the temp has dropped really low, surely that cant be good for the snake, being nice n warm and then being quite cold? Im just more worried about how cold the snake gets when the temp drops. Is it normal for them to feel so cold? I will try get a digital thermometre asap! |
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MissCat
Fully Grown Royal
1971 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 21:15:48
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they are cold blooded animals, and the temp they need is aparently colder than our actual skin temp so they should feel cool anyway (as far as i am aware).
until you get a digital thermometer in you wont be able to see for sure whether there is a genuine problem with the thermostat or not. what is the dial thermometer temp saying when the stat is on? |
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puggyr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2009 : 21:19:32
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| the stat is off just now and the temp is currently sitting at 77 degrees F i will get back to you when it comes back on as i missed its highest temp before it went off! I was advised at its highest it should sit at around 90 degrees F. |
Edited by - puggyr on 29/08/2009 21:20:45 |
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puggyr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 30/08/2009 : 00:32:49
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had to go out for a bit so missed the stat the last time it was on but just caught it there and the dial thermometer was sitting at roughly 95 degrees F which is the best iv had it at so ill keep it at that for just now and see how it goes. He/she is coming out the hide now and starting to explore which makes me feel a bit better.
Thanks for the advice guys hopefully thats it sorted but ill see about getting myself a digital thermometer. |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
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puggyr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 30/08/2009 : 13:34:30
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right iv just ordered the digital thermometer, thanks for the link.
hopefully ill be able to get it all sorted when it arrives! |
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madmez
Hatchling
United Kingdom
90 Posts |
Posted - 30/08/2009 : 19:19:50
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A pulse stat will reduce the tempreture fluctuations.
I use them on all i got. |
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boze
Yearling
United Kingdom
408 Posts |
Posted - 30/08/2009 : 20:33:04
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Ive found its very difficult to achieve a good temp gradient in a small RUB using heatmats, but as long as you have a thermostat and your snake is happy and the warm end is warm enough then it should be ok. It all replies on being able to accurately record the temperature though 
D |
0.1.0. Royal (Salmissra)
0.0.1. Western Hognose (Spiderman)
quote:
Originally posted by ruxpin64
I'm so happy I may lay on my back and pee in the air like a baby!
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Edited by - boze on 30/08/2009 20:49:19 |
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spor
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1226 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2009 : 23:34:11
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| Ok Thought i would through in my pennies worth. To much ventilation good add to the quick drop in temp. Also well we know the whole dial thermometer is cover. but. With using a heat mat , because it only really heats what its touching and doesn't effect the air temp a great deal by the time the probe which is an Inch above it reaches it desired temp the thermometer which is sitting on the base will be reading a higher temps. What you might find when a digital thermometer is in place is that the temps could be going a bit above 95F on the base. then when your stat turns off it is going to be a bigger drop in temp. i would suggest as Cat and other have said getting a pulse stat. but in the mean time also as Cat has done with hers. Attach the probe to the mat itself for a more accurate on/off time. also some ripped up strips of kitchen roll added might help hold the temps a wee bit? good luck. Do you have a picture of you plastic viv that you can post? |
0.4.0 Royal Python
1.0.0 Pastel Royal
0.1.0 Spider Royal
1.1.0 Carolina Corn Snake
1.0.0 Normal Stripe Corn
1.0.0 Yellow Bellied Turtle
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chris100575
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
743 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2009 : 15:52:48
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| I have my BCI in a faun with a heatmat and the probe for the thermostat sits on the substrate. As Spor says, a mat only really warms the surface, so I have the probe measuring the temp where she's going to be lying. |
0.1.0 Royal Python - Princess
0.1.0 BCI - Feather |
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puggyr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2009 : 20:37:49
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Iv not been able to get on here for a while but i now have the probe sitting on the base of the faun but i do agree that with it having a lot of ventilation it is making the temp drop quicker! I now have a ministat 300 as i said at the shop where i got it from about the problems and she said it may be faulty so she took it back and i upgraded seems to be a bit better!
He/she took its first feed off of me on monday so i was chuffed to bits with that, fed he/she again about half an hour ago and struck at it straight away and again i was chuffed to bits.
I dont have a pic as of yet, plenty of the snake but none of the faun. Im no good at posting pics but ill learn soon enough, need to show the wee guy off lol |
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spor
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1226 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 00:37:59
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| Well good that he/she is still feeding so must be content enough. have you got you temps to settle at a good level. No idea what you set up is like but you could try covering up some of the vents if you think there are to many. But don't go crazy and cover too many or you end up with a sweat box. |
0.4.0 Royal Python
1.0.0 Pastel Royal
0.1.0 Spider Royal
1.1.0 Carolina Corn Snake
1.0.0 Normal Stripe Corn
1.0.0 Yellow Bellied Turtle
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puggyr
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
10 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 20:49:41
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| sounds stupid but i never even thought of that lol (blonde) im might just do that, thanks spor. and yeah its sitting at a good temp now the stat is turning off at around 90-92 f and is dropping to about 80 f but i also changed the location of him to, it was a tad draughty where he/she was. oh iv now named he/she Diego! |
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spor
Fully Grown Royal
United Kingdom
1226 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2009 : 00:45:30
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| Nice name. good for you. yeah try covering some of the vents ( but like i said don't go crazy) and really you don't want the temps to be constantly up and down so investing in a pulse stat would be better in the long wrong. |
0.4.0 Royal Python
1.0.0 Pastel Royal
0.1.0 Spider Royal
1.1.0 Carolina Corn Snake
1.0.0 Normal Stripe Corn
1.0.0 Yellow Bellied Turtle
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Topic |
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Heating Problems
