Confused About Heating at Night...

[MMAnne]

I am planning to get a Stimmie in a few weeks if all goes well. I have been researching their needs and how to care for them for the last few weeks but still have a few questions on heating.

I was planning to use a Nocturnal Heat Lamp but, um, what exactly is a Nocturnal Heat Lamp. Does it emit light? Aka, will it disturb my sleep if I leave it on with a thermo?

That comes to my second question, are you even supposed to leave the heat on at night? Common sense tells me 'yes' or the poor Stimmie will freeze to death, but then again, wouldn't a lamp disturb peoples sleep?

I suppose draping a blanket over the enclosure at night would fix that little prob...

Also, I have a few more questions. Like, do I need a thermo for a Stimmie? And, for the night light issue, do I need to get a heat mat?

Please keep in mind I am trying to save what money I can.

Thanks. Any answers would be appreciated!
Michelle

[junglepython2]

Most of the night heat lamps will give off light but a lot less then the day bulbs, if they are in your room it will more then likely still disturb your sleep.
If you are getting hatchy best bet would be a heat matt or hear cord under the enclosure. And yes it is best to at least have some night heating available.

[MMAnne]

Hm. Should be fine, as long as it is super bright. I can always drape a blanket or sheet over one side of the enclosure so the light isn't on me.

I am also going to try and get a 6 - 10 month old Stimmie so I can put him directly in his adult enclosure, not click clacks. I am not getting a HUGE enclosure so he'she should be comfortable from that age.

Also, do I need a thermo?

Thanks for your help!
Michelle

[Jungleman]

Originally Posted by MMAnne

Hm. Should be fine, as long as it is super bright. I can always drape a blanket or sheet over one side of the enclosure so the light isn't on me.

I am also going to try and get a 6 - 10 month old Stimmie so I can put him directly in his adult enclosure, not click clacks. I am not getting a HUGE enclosure so he'she should be comfortable from that age.

Also, do I need a thermo?

Thanks for your help!
Michelle

Hi Michelle

Yes, I would recommend getting a thermo, as it monitors your heat 24/7 and keeps it at the required temperature set. Less stress for you too

I have a 15 month old female and a male hatchling Stimson....you'll love them, they are such friendly little critters. But mind you, this is probably just the start of your collection...they are very addictive...lol.

Wayne

[MMAnne]

Argh, I know what you mean! Went down to the pet shop tonight and, well, you can guess what happened...

Addictive!

The man at the ps dirrected me towards ceramic heat lamps (I think that's what they're called). He was very helpful, answered all my questions (he keeps Stimmies at home) and we were able to price everything, including a thermo.

I was very pleased as I have heard some dodgy things about buying from a ps but the Stimmies were kept in excellent sized tanks with suitable heating and substrate. He even told us when they were getting some captive bred Stimmies in, which I would in all honesty prefer.

Thanks for you're help though!
Michelle

[Chris89]

Hello,

Congratulations on getting a stimson python I've had my hatchling for 4 months, since she was about 3 weeks old, What I do is fold a towl in half and place over the whole enclosure at night time when I want to sleep, otherwise my whole room is red ..

When you get him/her don't forget to post pictures

[junglepython2]

I strongly recommend getting a captive bred snake especially if it's your first, they tend to be a lot hardier and healther then wild caught. What state is this pet shop in?

[MMAnne]

Thanks Chris-cool. And dw, I can't wait to get my Stimmie and show it off

I live in WA, junglepython. The Pet Shop is called Pet Magic. The guy I talked to reccommended a captive bred too, just for the sake they're less likely to have any health probs like mites and such.

Michelle

[shamous1]

Originally Posted by MMAnne

Also, do I need a thermo?

Thanks for your help!
Michelle

Do you mean thermometer or thermostat?

[Chris89]

You would need both a Thermometer and a Thermostat

[shamous1]

Originally Posted by chris-cool

You would need both a Thermometer and a Thermostat

You would definately need a thermostat but you would'nt have to have a thermomter in there all the time if you had a lazer thermometer.

[MMAnne]

Ops! I can see how that question was sorta confusing...

But, yeah, I am planning to get both.

Michelle

[dragon_tail]

howdy!
i have a tenant creek (NT) stimmie hatchy, and ive been told i have a pretty good set up (pictures available in "customised enclosure" thread) so i hope this description helps:
i keep him in a click clack (lockable tupperware), this clickclack is inside his eventual enclosre which has a caged ceramic 100 watt globe, and second caged 60watter (ceramics emitt NO light at all!) i used to have two 'black' night light things (60 watt each) but they didnt really get the temp up past 27, and they glow purple at night which is annoying! most enclosures you buy will come complete with a thermostat and light fittings

my enclosure is a 3X2X2 footer (recommended for a stimmies eventual size of 75-130cm) and it came with 2 thermostat wired screw fittings, 1 non controlled stand alone fitting, and a fluro display fitting.... i only use the fluro (for viewing, on a timer) and the two heat ones (now caged with ceramics).... be sure to plug any unused fittings with an inert plastic material (plugs are actually available at bunnings for just this) as your snake can get up inside a live fitting and cook itself! (this is the same reason we cage heat lamps!

other than that just provide plenty of hiding spots, a dish of water big enough for him/her to curl up in, and a weekly dose of a fuzzy mouse (defrosted to body temreature in a plastic bag immersed in a bowl of warm water)...be sure to upgrade to larger food as the snake grows.

if i havent covered anything, let me know, although there are others here who know alot more than me and could probebly help you further?


oh i forgot to mention....
if you dont want to or cant afford to buy the eventual enclosure now, just keep the click clack on a heat mat ( no light needed) be sure the heat mat only covers 30-60% of the bottom surface so the snake can choose if he wants to be warmer or cooler, 7 watts is plenty when choosing your heat mat for a hatchy stimmy in a click clack. ( i put a thin towel between the bench and the heat mat, and another between the heat mat and the click clack to prevent burning when i had mine....but maybe i was being paranoid?)

[MMAnne]

Thanks for all the advice, dragon-tail!

My dad is going to build the enclosure. It cheaper and he is a real handyman . It'll be about 80 - 90 x 45 x 50, made of wood with a glass sliding door. I will make sure to check out some of your pics, though!

I am planning to get a 10 month - 1.5 year old Stimmie so I don't have to bother with a click clack.

We sent off the license app this morning. Hopefully we'll get it back mid next week so we can start building the vivarium!

What do you use to cage the heat lamps? I would have thought using metal or wire would be dangerous as it could heat up and still burn your Stimmie.

Also, i have decided on ceramics and a fluro (also for viewing ).

Now just the hard bit, waiting for the license...
Michelle