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james
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
18 Posts |
 Posted - 31/05/2010 : 18:36:24
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I posted a note a hour ago and I am back for more advice. I have just bought a Florida King Snake 2 days (5 months old) ago and this is my 1st snake. He is great and I want to make sure he is ok.
I have just noticed that the thermostat in the plastic tank is showing just 72 degrees (the snake has also gone into hiding now after being active throughout most of the afternoon). The thermostat is in the middle of the tank half way up. I had opened a window in the bedroom a little earlier as it seemed hot in the room, but this has cooled the room right down. Should I put our heat fan on in the room to increase the temperature or is this not advised?
After reading the other posts regarding temperature issues I am a bit concerned that this is a bit cool. I am also a bit confused by some of the termanology in the other notes on this subject. I have the heat mat under the tank, on the outside, and it covers a third of it. No other heat source and my snake also has a long log as his cover, water and the flooring material.
The tank the snake came in does have holes throughout the lid and also in the 1st inch or two down the side of the front and back of the plastic tank and I wonder whether too much heat is escaping, irrespective of opening the window for a hour or so?
What is the ideal temperature for a Florida King and what should I do. I did not read the temperature gage before opening the window, but this has no doubt effected the temperature.
Can you give me some advice as what I should do.
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Silas
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
18 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2010 : 01:08:55
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Hi James, i'm relatively new to the forum and snake-keeping too so probably can't help you directly but have you looked at the care sheets on here?
They should be able to help you with finding out the optimum temperatures for your snake. |
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lpbldg18
Egg
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2010 : 12:53:34
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| Care sheets work great here!! Lots of help. have you thought about getting a heating bulb/light? Its not as recommended as a mat (i have both mat and bulb on my viv) but it works quite well to heat it! Im sure more veteran snake keepers will be by soon to help ya out! welcome to the forum! |
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filardimarg2
Egg
United Kingdom
53 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2010 : 20:12:10
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Hi James,
I have recently got a california king snake, the caresheet says anywhere between 81 & 91f for temperature, i keep mins about 85/86ish, he seems perfectly happy & eating ok.
I have a spot bulb on a dimmer stat also a heatmat for night time after the light goes out, that is on a mat stat, set for a few degrees below daytime temps.
What sort of viv are u keeping ur snake in, i don't quite understand what u are saying about it.
Marg. |
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james
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
18 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2010 : 22:09:01
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The plastiv viv is 2 foot long by one foot wide. It has lots of holes in the lid and down 2/3 inches of the viv.
I have today installed a thermometre in the viv on top of the mat, the mat being under the viv. I have also installed a thermometre inside the viv on the side. The mat reading seem high at 93 degrees and the air temperature reading low at just 71 degrees.
I have put a small towel on the viv today to help retain heat.
I will get a stat tomorrow for the heat mat, probably a Habistat Pulse Proportional, as it is recommended by the manufacturers of the heat mat. I will then follow your recommendations an keep the temperature in the mid 80s 24/7.
Have I got the other thermometre in the correct place for the air temperature? What temperature should this ideally be at? |
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filardimarg2
Egg
United Kingdom
53 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2010 : 13:25:17
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Hi James,
Have u got the digital thermometer or the round dial type, if it's a round one, they aren't very reliable, the best sort are the digital ones, i have one under the the light & one the other end of viv in the cool end, room temperature is fine for cool end & mid 80'sf for warm end.
A mat stat is fine for the heat matm they are relativly cheap, try livefoods omline, just type livefoods into google.
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james
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
18 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2010 : 19:37:31
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Hi Marg
I have 2 digital thermometer's.
I have also today purchased a mat stat and have just this minute placed it besides the thermometer probe at the bottom of the viv, above the heat mat. When I got home an hour ago the thermometer was showing that the heat mat was 99 degrees!!!!
I have set the stat now at 84 degrees as the shop recommended this for the temp of the heat mat. They have also said that I should turn the stat down to around 72 degrees at night.
I have also moved the 2nd thermometer so that it is now dangling down from the centre of the viv through the lid. This is showing 75 degrees. Do you think that it would be better to have the 2nd thermometer at the cool end???
Thanks for help to date.
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filardimarg2
Egg
United Kingdom
53 Posts |
Posted - 02/06/2010 : 20:42:58
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Well i wouldn't have the thermometer in the middle, i would have it at the other end to the heat mat, about 6inches from cool end of viv. That will be fine, i have a heat mat for night time set at approx 78, day time is 85ish, day time i have a spot light on a dimmer stat, it is on a timer, on at 8AM off at 10PM, thats when the heat mat kicks in.
Hope this is helpful to you.
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magneticblue
Kingsnake Forum Admin
United Kingdom
1511 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2010 : 15:15:19
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| Hi James, it sounds like the plastic tank you have is a faunarium and these are fine for young kings, I have two at the moment. From your description I would say that you had your thermometer probes in the wrong place. You don't need to measure the air temperature as a heat mat doesn't heat the air at all. You should place your themometer in the warmest area that your snake has access to and ensure that this area is not too hot. If it is too hot then turn down your thermostat. The dial on the thermostat is not going to give you an accurate temperature by itself, use your themometer to measure the temps and then adjust your stat accordingly. I place my thermostat probe outside of the faunarium, on top of the heat mat. Hope that helps |
1.1.0 Arizona mountain king (Sylar and Claire)
0.1.0 Blotched king ( Jasmin)
1.1.0 Guyana red-tail boa (Hercules and Athena)
1.0.1 children (Alfie and BUMP)
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james
Snake Mite
United Kingdom
18 Posts |
Posted - 03/06/2010 : 18:09:00
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Thanks for the help.
Based on what you are both saying I will leave the 1st thermometer and the thermostat sensors where they are above the heat mat and put the 2nd thermometer a few inches from the end of the cool area. |
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filardimarg2
Egg
United Kingdom
53 Posts |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 11:36:30
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Hi James,
That sounds fine James, just right.
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Topic |
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Temperature Concerns in New Plastic Tank
