bckspc
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- Oct 7, 2013
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Hi all. I'm struggling with the temperatures and heating of my enclousure.
I'll state all that I have. This final setup was made after talking with the store that sold me the terrarium and also my vet.
For what I understood from talking for several people is that the terrarium temp should vary from 26º C and 30º C.
Everybody tells me that what I have in terms of heating is more than enought and that I should be getting the right temps. I've spent a fortune already trying to buy diferent heating and materials but nothing seems to work.
I want to know what can I do to help my poor snake getting the right environment. He already had a pneumonia a while back because of lower temps in a smaller terrarium. I've moved him to this one and I don't want it to happen again.
Are this temps normal? What are your suggestions to improve the temps? I cannot change the terrarium because this is brand new and I cannot afford to buy another one just now.
Also, I have some spare equipment I can use, I just need to know how can I used it.
Spare equipment:
Please if anyone can provide me with some ideas or solutions...
Thank you
I'll state all that I have. This final setup was made after talking with the store that sold me the terrarium and also my vet.
- My snake is a male Morelia Spilota mcdowelli with about 1.60m and a weight of 1.5 kg aprox.
- I have a glass terrarium of 120cm (width) x 60cm (depth) x 40cm (height).
- It as sliding doors in the front with a vent below and a vent in the ceiling. Both vents go all the lenght of the enclousure.
- I've lined all the terrarium walls from inside with coconut fiber (except the floor, doors and vents).
- I've placed a 150W ceramic heat lamp on the right side distancing 30cm from the right wall and in the middle (depthwise)
- Below I have a 50W heat cable attached to the floor on the outside zig-zaging until half of the enclousure
- Inside, the floor was covered with newspaper and then beech chaff substrate all over.
- I also have a HabiStat thermostat where I've connected both the lamp and the heat cable.
- I've set the thermostat to 30ºC
- Room temperature outside the terrarium are around 20ºC (I'm from Portugal and it's winter here).
- I have a digital themometer and also a fixed one with a probe. Both give out the same readings so I excluded wrong temp readings from any of the devices.
- Temperature readings inside (measured 1cm above the floor)
- Right side (hot zone) further away from the door: 28º C
- Right side (hot zone) nearer the door: 24º C
- Left side (cool zone) further away from the door: 21º C
- Left side (cool zone) nearer thedoor: 19º/20º C
For what I understood from talking for several people is that the terrarium temp should vary from 26º C and 30º C.
Everybody tells me that what I have in terms of heating is more than enought and that I should be getting the right temps. I've spent a fortune already trying to buy diferent heating and materials but nothing seems to work.
I want to know what can I do to help my poor snake getting the right environment. He already had a pneumonia a while back because of lower temps in a smaller terrarium. I've moved him to this one and I don't want it to happen again.
Are this temps normal? What are your suggestions to improve the temps? I cannot change the terrarium because this is brand new and I cannot afford to buy another one just now.
Also, I have some spare equipment I can use, I just need to know how can I used it.
Spare equipment:
- 25W Heat cable
- 100W Ceramic heat lamp
- 20W Heat mat (not sure if it's 20W, must recheck at home)
Please if anyone can provide me with some ideas or solutions...
Thank you