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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
 Posted - 16/08/2010 : 22:42:43
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hi every1 im new to this forum and this is my first ever post.
I got my first snake on saturday, an 8month old royal python male, called him syd (original i know) lol.
Everything is fantastic he is active and exploring his new enclosure, but i just wondered should i have the heat mat and the heat lamp on during the day (the lamp is on a thermostat set between 84 an 88) i have been told to turn the lamp off at nite and just leave him with the mat which is on one of the side walls. thanks and hello every1!!!!!
cnt work out how to put pics on here. lol |
Edited by - matty87 on 16/08/2010 22:57:41 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 16/08/2010 : 22:48:13
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Wow - that was quick, I only just authorised your account!
A couple of things -
Is the lamp a red bulb or white?
A heat mat on the wall will be next to useless, if you need the mat, have it on the ground and on a thermostat of its own.
You may want to crank the temps up a little to around 90F at the hot end.
Photos - upload to www.photobucket.com and then copy the [IMG] file and paste it into a post here.
Welcome to the forum  |
 
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 16/08/2010 : 23:19:01
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the lamp is a 60 watt white bulb, the bloke in the reptile centre advised me on all that i have done so far, so would you put the heat matt under the substrate? i have adjusted the heat to around 90 . cheers |
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 16/08/2010 : 23:22:05
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2010 : 07:22:12
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Personally, I would swap the white bulb for a red heat bulb and leave it on 24/7, take the heat mat out completely.
You need at least one more hide in there too, at the cool end, so that your snake has the option and can thermoregulate.
How are you checking your temps, I can see a dial up by the light? |
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2010 : 08:26:25
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| Yeah that is a thermometer but i have a digital 1 aswell for more accurrate readings i have the sensor for the thermostat in the center of the tank. Yeah at the moment he just goes in the corner under that plant but i will put another hide in tonite when i move that heat matt. Tha chap in the shop just said to copy his display tanks and gave me abooklet that i followed, but obviously i came on this site and alot of the members tanks are set up differently. Thanksk |
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mischang
Yearling
United Kingdom
482 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2010 : 17:58:27
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| hiya and welcome |
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STICKS
Yearling
United Kingdom
408 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2010 : 18:21:17
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Hi there and welcome.What size is your viv looks like a 24 from the pics i agree with B take the mat out and going buy the photos very good by the way.
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2010 : 19:17:08
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ok thanks every1 for your help, im sure i will have loads more questions.
I have added a second hide in the cold end, but until i get a red heat bulb i will keep the mat on the wall. at night i turn the lamp off and the heat mat on and syd seems perfectly happy with this and the temps are usually fine in the morning.
i phoned the reptile shop this afternoon and they said NEVER EVER put the heat mat under the substrate cuz apparently the snakes belly is the softest and most temperature sensitive part and will burn extremely easily, now i want to listen to them because i have used this reptile shop for years and the bloke who sold me syd has bread and kept royals for years. as im new to this im just trying to understand everybodys reasoning for things but its difficult because everyone has a different opinion and hinks they know best lol
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2010 : 19:19:06
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| oh and yes my viv is 24 inches wide and 18 inches deep ; ) |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2010 : 20:49:02
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A mat on a stat is fine for a young Royal, 30C will not burn a snake, when they get larger though (over 1kg or so) they can cause thermal blocking and cause burns. So usually, when they are large enough for a viv it makes sense to move to a bulb (WHICH NEEDS A GUARD) so that they cannot come into contact with it.
Some owners who use heatmats in a viv will cover it with some lino so that the snake cannot lie directly on it.
Don't believe everything a reptile shop tells you |
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 17/08/2010 : 22:32:19
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ok in that case i may put it underneath the substrate and i have a cut off piece of lino to use aswell but when i get the red bulb i may not use it at all. you would expect people who sell these amazing animals to guide you in the right direction but its as if ther just guessing. thanks every1
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2010 : 18:11:11
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| ok i got a red heat lamp bulb now and i have also put the heat mat under the substrate but it doesnt look like i will need to use it that often as my tank is about 89 at the hot end and around 83 at the cool end is that about rite. |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2010 : 18:23:44
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| If the bulb is on a stat and in a guard then I'd get rid of the heat mat and leave the bulb on 24/7. |
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2010 : 19:02:10
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yeah the bulb is on a dimming stat, but the only reason i wanted to keep the heat mat was to have the buld running during the day and the heat mat on at night purley because the heat mats are so much cheaper to run.
not that im being a tight git though. lol
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2010 : 20:33:12
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| Has it got a guard, because it doesn't look like it in the picture above? |
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matty87
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
21 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2010 : 21:32:05
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that pic was taken the day i had bought sid and setup the viv, it didnt have a guard then, but when i realised how important it was to have a gaurd i bought 1 the next day. also hes got more hides and the dimming stat is keepin the temp in the hot end between 88 -91, and cold end is about 82-84 ish. will post more pics soon. I know this is really sad aswell but i was really excited when i found his first pooh yesterday. lmao. i dont blame you for laughing
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 19/08/2010 : 22:00:02
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| Sounds like everything's going well |
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Snecklifter
Yearling
United Kingdom
144 Posts |
Posted - 24/08/2010 : 11:04:35
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I use both a heat mat and a red lamp as i found that with my vivarium, the heat mat/bulb were not sufficient in isolation. I have the mat on a thermostat set to 29 degrees in the middle and the lamp on a timer at the hot end set for daylight hours only. Together, the heat lamp and mat would raise the temp too much, but is required to get the viv up to temperature in the mornings, as soon as the temp reaches 29 degrees in the middle, the mat switches off, leaving the lamp to do the heating, this ensures a temp gradient of 26/27 - 29/30 degrees across the viv, with the mat 'topping up' if required. At night, when the lamp goes off, the mat is the sole source of heat, which i leave set to 29 degrees (as its on its own now). the only thing I have noticed is that the temp drop at night causes condendation on the inside of the glass in the mornings. But this soon clears as the temp rises.
My mat is under beech substrate and assuming no malfunctions will not get hot enough to burn the snake, the lamp is guarded which you must do. |
0.0.1 Royal 'Trowzer' |
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woooohoooo
