hi, i went to pick up my royal today, she is lovely!!!! But when I put her in her new home and left her to settle for 6hours then went in the room to check her temp she was all curled up!!! I opened the doors (this is a home made viv- new) and the viv stank of varnish.... so we have put her in a plastic box, with a hot water bottle- wrapped up, and news paper in the box with a small bowl of water. this box has been placed in our bedroom by the radiator but not touching it- radiator to be left on all night!!! would this be ok for her for the night to try and get rid of the fumes??? I've taken the doors off to the viv and left the lights on in there with the rooms window left open!!!! Do you think she will be ok for the night?
* One wonderful husband-James! * One Old English Sheepdog- Tilly * Lots of tropical fish in two tanks * One Royal Python- Sheba (newest member of the family)
How big is the box? You can place the heatmat you have under the plastic box and that will keep her warm enough. Many people keep royals in plastic boxes (Really use boxes) with holes drilled in for ventilation. Do you have a stat for the heatmat? If so then she will be ok.
This thread shows how important it is to have your setup in place for a few days before you get a new snake.
Yeah I no and I wish I had left her till tomorrow! But when we checked on the viv this morning everything seemed fine!!! Yea we do haveva thermo for the heat mat! Will the set up we have be ok for tonight? The box is a 30ltr box but she is only 8 months so still v small
* One wonderful husband-James! * One Old English Sheepdog- Tilly * Lots of tropical fish in two tanks * One Royal Python- Sheba (newest member of the family)
I have my 8 month old royal in a 22ltr box with a heatmat underneath covering one third and he's fab and hadn't missed a single feed. So yours will be fine. Just make sure box has ventilation and the temps are about 32 hot and 24 - 26 cold and it'll all be good.
Wonderful so if I leve it as it is for tonight then tomorrow I will go and get a spare heat mat for her!! It will be good to have for spare anyway!!!! Thanks for ur help! I can sleep without worry now xx
* One wonderful husband-James! * One Old English Sheepdog- Tilly * Lots of tropical fish in two tanks * One Royal Python- Sheba (newest member of the family)
Hiya. Sorry for the late reply. You'll need to leave the viv running without the snake in it for a few days to possibly a couple of weeks in order to clear the rest of the fumes. The heatmat will need to stay on inside it as the increased temperature is causing the rest of the fumes to be released by the varnish. If you don't do this then you will keep encountering the same problem every time you switch the mat on in the viv to get it ready for snakey. The amount of time it will take to clear depends entirely on the varnish that you used. Low VOC varnishes generally only take a few days whereas the High VOC ones take what feels like a lifetime. Hope this helps you out a bit
Thanks for all of your help. We have just gone out and bought another heat mat and we are going to set the box up for a few days to give the viv chance to air. prob better for her anyway as the viv is very big so gives her chance to settle in new enviro!!!! one prob the only heat mats we could find to buy was the Reptile One and this says on the box only to be used in glass enclosures only!!!!! what would you rec we do?
* One wonderful husband-James! * One Old English Sheepdog- Tilly * Lots of tropical fish in two tanks * One Royal Python- Sheba (newest member of the family)
I imagine that a heat mat is a heat mat but others on here will know more. What ever you decide make sure it's controlled by a stat with the probe above the heatmat to ensure it doesn't overheat and measure the temp with a digi thermometer.
I've not used that particular make before. The Habistat ones that I use say the same but have been fine inside the wooden vivs I use them in.
If you are electrically minded, another thing you can do is rig a light fitting with a 40W or 60W bulb inside the viv whilst the snake isn't living in there. The heat from the bulb will raise the overall ambient air temperature and help the fumes evaporate away. If you are considering using a ceramic heat bulb to heat the viv then use the porcelein bulb holder rather than buying a plastic one.
Bold and underlined bit done to avoid any confusion and injury to snakes.
BIG problem
Posted - 06/02/2010 : 20:23:22
