| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Ian Calvert
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
11 Posts |
 Posted - 02/09/2011 : 23:47:00
|
Thank god for this forum. I want to know as much as I can as I have only just started with Snakes (Royal Python)
I have finished setting up my Viv as mentioned on another thread. It looks great and i'm pleased with all of it. The thing now is, the Heat Mat. I have situated it 'outside' the Viv underneath it. The heat is there, which is good i'm sure. The snake house is above the mat, which is right, I have set the 'Forest' on the other side of the Viv along with the water hole, this all looks great with the blue LED lighting reflecting off the black log effect Viv background, he's got logs and trees and sawdust, what more could he want??? as long as he does not get cooked in his house I will be happy. He's been for a swim, climbed all over the Viv, looked around, bit my daughter when she startled him, now gone back into his hole. So it must be ok I guess. Does all this sound good to you guys out there???? |
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 02/09/2011 : 23:52:46
|
| What sort of viv is it? If the wooden sort, the mat should be inside; the floor of a wooden viv can cause thermal blocking and overheating, despite a thermostat being used; mat and royals don't really mix though, I'm afraid, as an adult royal basking on the mat can cause the same thing; plus mats aren't completely waterproof ...the 'royal wee' can be a problem. Smelly too! |
|
 |
|
|
Ian Calvert
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
11 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 00:02:15
|
| Thanks BATS, I guess I need to go for the heatlamp then? I was advised to set the mat on the outside and I can understand the reason behind it. Although I thought of thermal blocking when I actually bought it. The dealer/breeder assured me it would be a good way forward. The mat has two copper strips on it but I have only pushed the mat under the Viv (which is pine effect wood with glass font)as far as one copper strip. The reason behind that is the electrical connection wont allow the Viv to sit flat. I can feel the heat so it is working, although I dont want him to cook. As soon as I put the lights out, he's wandering all over the Viv, he looks great but should he be doing this when its dark?? |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 00:11:38
|
quote:
Originally posted by Ian Calvert
Thanks BATS, I guess I need to go for the heatlamp then? I was advised to set the mat on the outside and I can understand the reason behind it. Although I thought of thermal blocking when I actually bought it. The dealer/breeder assured me it would be a good way forward. The mat has two copper strips on it but I have only pushed the mat under the Viv (which is pine effect wood with glass font)as far as one copper strip. The reason behind that is the electrical connection wont allow the Viv to sit flat. I can feel the heat so it is working, although I dont want him to cook. As soon as I put the lights out, he's wandering all over the Viv, he looks great but should he be doing this when its dark??
His exploring is normal for a snake in a new setup - he sounds fine. I know it's late at night, but if you can put something, even newspaper pads, under the viv, just to raise it up a fraction and provide a tiny airspace between the viv floor and the mat, I feel it would be safer. I'm afraid the mat realy should be in the viv, and I'm assuming it's statted? That also is essential (sorry if you have a stat already.)
This is a long thread, but one of the most comprehensive ones I know about setting up and equipping: -
http://www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5183
All the best.
|
|
|
|
|
SaltyTurtle
Yearling
155 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 00:18:23
|
Hi there Ian, have you got the old heat mat on a thermostat my friend?
It's a common mistake to just 'plug and play' which is what can cause these 'thermal blocking' episodes, snake burning mayhem & general house destoying fire antics.
Through my limited experience with all manor of configs, I'd say this. Your viv sounds great, you're 90% there. But...ditch the heatmat (well store it so if you travel with the lad you can rig him up in a hotel in a plastic RUB (really usefull box) as temporary heated accomodation.
So yeah, ditch (to a cupboard) the heat mat, get a ceramic bulb holder, guard (mesh cage), and either ceramic or Infra Red lamp 60 - 100w should do it unless you've got a massive viv.
Then run it through a dimmer thermostat (if it's ceramic you can use Pulse Proportionate) but for the few pounds extra I'd go dimmer (i've got both) as if you hate the ceramics you can buy an infra red and the dimmer will handle it (P.P won't..strobes like a disco).
That's what I've learneded and didded.
Good luck mate & welcome! |
 |
|
|
|
Ian Calvert
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
11 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 00:33:16
|
| Thats all great advice and thanks, If I turn off the heatmat tonight and just use it for a couple of hours in the day until I can get back to the dealer would that be OK?? my house isn't cold by a long shot. So I've gone from cooking him to freezing him to death in a comment. Great tho' I was going to get the ceramic set up anyway. |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 00:40:39
|
It would be better if you could get the mat into the viv, but if unstatted, it still wouldn't be a good idea ...yes, if the house is warm, then I'd turn the mat off for now, but better to leave it off entirely until you rig up a new heating system asap. Other people may be able to give more advice but in view of the late hour I think that's all you can do.
You really have my sympathies here - shops' advice isn't always the best - this sort of thing has happened to me too and a lot of us on the forum. You'll get there. All the very best! |
|
|
|
|
Lorraine
Yearling
United Kingdom
480 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 11:59:19
|
| I'm no expert at all so all I can offer is that they're mostly nocturnal, so moving around lots at night is perfectly normal. |
1.0.0 CB11 Normal Royal, Oscar.
1.0.0 German Shepherd, Bailey.
Still lots to learn. |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
7384 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2011 : 14:13:32
|
Hi, hope you're getting on ok - had a think and maybe the safest way to run that mat unstatted and out of viv (temporarily) could be to do as I suggested last night - raise the viv up say less than a cm on pads of magazines/newspaper, so that there's room to slip the mat underneath with a small airspace between viv bottom and mat. That way there would still be some heat reaching the viv, but no danger of thermal blocking. The worst of the heat from the mat would be diffused.
Hope you get things sorted soon - all the best. |
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Heatmat
