Murray darling carpet owners

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blakehose

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G'day all,

I was just wondering about the setup's people have for their murray darling carpets in regards to heating, lighting etc? I have just built my first enclosure in preparation for my first snake and want to get as much info as i can before going ahead and buying!The enclosure built is 5.5ft wide 2.5ft high and 2ft deep. I will be getting a python around 12-18months old and big enough to go straight in, post click-clack stage :). any advice will be very helpfull.
cheers
 
hi...i keep my boy whos 6 1/2f..in a 5ft by 3ft by 2ft.....use a heat pad and light for heat..he loves is hides...which is a tub on the roof and a huge hollow log..
 
A 1200mm x 600mm x 600mm enclosure will be ok. A 60 to 75 watt basking globe shining onto a thick piece of slate or tile will eliminate the need of a heat mat. Murray Darlings are fairly tollerant to climatic changes, which is what makes them an idea first snake. They are one of my favorites.
 
The glass isnt yet on the enclosure, but I will definetly make sure its escape proof! dont want to get it and lose it
 
cheers for the slate/tile idea Simple. what temps do you run at either end ?
 
M.Ds come from Vic,S.A & NSW . So they can cope with a huge temperature range ( if you consider the huge temp ranges in these areas) So temps from 5-6 degrees celcius in winter of a night time are not uncommon and 35-37 degrtees celcius in day time summer . To answer question, if they can access at least 28 degrees celcius at any time they will be able to digest their food and keep good health, a basking spot a bit warmer than this will be good and you will have a happy M.D.
 
My MD is about 2 1/2 (not sure, because he was from a DECC ballot). He's in an enclosure 1 m wide, 1.2 m high and 600 mm deep. He's got a reptile radiator in the upper right corner with a basking shelf underneath and probe thermostat. Lighting is from a central compact flouro bulb. (Radiator and light are in cages.) There's another shelf halfway down across the back of the enclosure, a couple of branches and a hide box in the lower left corner near the large vent (cool spot in the enclosure). He uses the lot and there is a large temperature gradient from about 32 degrees down to maybe 18 if the room is really cold.
 
that sounds like a good setup. I just went and picked up my 100W ceramic which should do the trick, so ill be looking forward to setting it up and getting my little guy !
 
hey mate yeah murray darlings are very easy to keep and usually very easy to breed i keep my adults in a 5 foot long tank by 3 and a half hi climbing branch hide box and a basking spot of 28 to 30 degrees using a purple globe
 
sure is , but its a big enclosure, 1650mm long, 750mm high, 600mm deep. will make sure i have a big cage for it !
 
as long as its run on a thermostat with a large light cage i shouldnt have any trouble with this should I ? Or should i maybe go a 75watt Infared globe ?
 
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hey mate,just keep it simple im from central N.S.W and just have a flouro uv globe on a timer and a heat rock for him if he needs but our natural temp is is all that they need should be the same where you are.
 
I have 2 Murray Darlings and personally i prefer infared(spelling sorry) bulbs as ceramics heat the air more so than providing a basking area.Infared bulbs will also heat the air,thats a no brainer,but they also can have logs etc placed underneath them at a measured height to provide the basking temp that is required by the animal being housed.
 
yeah, thinking i may have to go and swap it for a infared! what wattage do you use for your enclosure? and how long do the globes last on average ? sorry about all of the questions guys !
 
yeah, thinking i may have to go and swap it for a infared! what wattage do you use for your enclosure? and how long do the globes last on average ? sorry about all of the questions guys !


I use infared bulbs in all my enclosures.Wattages depends on enclosure size and season as i choose NOT to use a thermostat.
During the cooler months i only use a 40watt infared bulb, which provides an elivated(drift wood) basking spot of 31-32 degrees.However i also use a 28x28cm heat matt for ground heating,which also provides heating to a hide.
During the warmer months i drop down to a 25watt bulb.Then over summer i usually switch all over head heating off and only provide heat via the heat matt, as the ambient temps are higher and heating isnt required ( For Murray Darlings).
Bulb life obviously varies,one of my bulbs only lasted for a week (on 24/7) but that was replaced free of charge from the shop i purchased it from.The heat bulbs i am using currently have been on now for well over 6 months and are still going strong.Infact i currently have a spare/empty enclosure due to upgrading sizes and that bulb, before i swithched it off, was over 12 months old.
I personally believe its thermostats that kill infared bulbs as they constantly get switched on then switched off,which gets them RED hot, then they cool then they get hot again and thus shortening the life span of the element inside.
By playing with wattages and swapping them over with the change of seasons, i feel thermostats arent required,however that is only my opinion and everyone is entitled to setup their enclosures the way they feel is best.
 
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