help please

[phantomreptiles]

Ok - I have just found my thermostat has failed on my BHP's enclosures, the temp was way too high, recorded at 47C under the lamp, they have 90cm in length so can move away, pulled out as soon as realised, they had a bowl of water too, I think my girl is ok, but my boy is usually very aggressive, he hissed only, I had him out for 30 mins, to cool enclosure and to cool him. Now the temps I recored with my heat gun off them did not top 33C. Heat stress can cause major probs in cats and dogs, eg kill them, what can I do to help them.................I am taking them straight to the vets tomorrow morning, regardless how they look, fine or otherwise...any help gratefully accepted - I am very upset and annoyed at myself, how can I stop this happening again? I have already lost one python due to an ill-fitting light fitting, so at the moment feeling like a killer:-( I assure you I do the upmost for my animals, though it would seem otherwise at the moment......If anything happens to these BHP's thats it - the whole collection will be given away

 

[Sezzzzzzzzz]

u cant blame yourself for a fail!

 

[slim6y]

Just as a side (and this isn't a dig - merely investigation and for future reference for other users) can you explain what exactly occurred to make a thermostat fail?

From previous experience thermostats seem pretty hardy and usually have a good track-record. Though, with anything electronic these days, it's easy enough to see them fail.

Usually a thermostat works with a sensor end which may be using hydraulics, thermocouples etc etc - usually these don't fail (but of course it is not impossible).

Secondly - I know you're in Brisbane - but is a heat lamp the best way to go? I admit I have lived in the luxury of the tropics and the no-need to heat for too long... But a heat mat could suffice???

As for damage caused by high temperatures - that I can't help with - though if it was a short time I'd say you're ok. The locality of most black heads would allow a design to get pretty warm during the day.

Good luck - and I'll be interested to know what the cause of the equipment failure is.

 

[phantomreptiles]

Thanks - i am just so upset, I have very high standards for myself, and for this to happen its just not good enough! I have just come back from the BHP's they are both moving well (though I would be happier if the male would try and strike at me.....) temps are more normal, fresh cool water introduced, both out until body temp reached lower than normal, eg not reutned to enclosure until they reached 27C, heat tiles removed.

 

[saximus]

There shouldn't be any need to take them to the vet unless you notice something wrong. They don't like such high temps but as Slim said having it like that for a short period isn't a huge issue considering where they come from. For the future you might want to look at using lower wattage globes. Yes they will be on for longer periods of time when it's cooler but if a thermo does fail (yes it happens a lot apparently) the max temp it can get to will be much lower. Hope that helps

 

[notechistiger]

I doubt a snake will still have trouble a day after having being exposed to high temperatures. If they're cool now, it should be fine. Remember, they are not like cats and dogs =)

I'm in Brisbane too, and use a tall class enclosure for one of my coastals with a heat mat in the bottom. The rest are in tubs on a heat cord. The heat mat is connected to a thermostat because it gets ridiculously hot, but the heat cord isn't connected to anything (a single "strand" of heat cord gets to around 26C or so underneath the tubs). I like heat cords because you can control how hot they are just by adding or removing more lengths of the cord underneath the tubs, and by moving them closer or further apart.

If you're set on heat globes, I suggest using lower wattages. Even though a thermostat controls how hot it gets, lower wattages guarantee the temperature cannot get fatally high should the thermostat break.

Don't beat yourself up too much. You can't control if and when a piece of equipment breaks if you're using is per the instructions =) Only thing you can do is minimise the damage.

 

[harley0402]

I dont use thermostates, i use bulbs and other equipment that only gets my enclosures to 34 degrees at the hot end, so i know they will not get hotter unless its a stinkin hot day then the ambient air temp might get a degree higher. At the end of the day i turn everything off and do it again the next day. My black heads are powering along and doing great. Im also a full time mum so im always able to ckeck on them if need be. But yeah, iv tested heaps of bulbs and what not to find which will get the temps right.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

The heat mat is connected to a thermostat because it gets ridiculously hot,

A very big problem encountered by lots of keepers is the reliance on thermostats to control heat sources which a far too high wattage. Thermostats can and do fail, and the cheaper ones fail in the OFF mode, so temperatures skyrocket to lethal levels very quickly if you have higher wattages than you need. It is far safer to use the minimum wattage heat source to achieve the results you want so that in the event of a thermostat failure, you have a good safety margin especially if you are not around for periods of time.

Excessive heat can kill reptiles in minutes, so you MUST allow a margin of error, and the chance to escape an overheating enclosure.

Jamie

 

[notechistiger]

A very big problem encountered by lots of keepers is the reliance on thermostats to control heat sources which a far too high wattage.

I agree. Only reason I'm using a heat mat at all is because I'm waiting for another heat cord to arrive in the post, and because the snake in question is sitting near the top of the enclosure 99% of the time anyway. I would not use the heat mat at all if the enclosure was plastic and not separated from everything else by a piece of ceramic. =)

 

[Earthling]

What sort of thermostat were you using?
Ive heard of many a cheap thermostat failing, however the higher end items tend to have a good reputation.
I was like hayley and never used thermostats (except Incubator), just cycled between 25watt to 40 watt party lights depending on the time of year.
Now though...no party lights....

 

[euphorion]

I prefer to regularly check the temps my heat sources are reaching, changing them throughout the year as required, and controlling them with timers rather than thermostats. I find it works very well for heatcords and day-glow bulbs, leaving a smaller wattage black bulb on to maintain ambient temps.

Good luck with your boy, don't beat yourself up too much, at least you've been given the opportunity to rectify your mistake chin up.

 

[Defective]

i to don't use a thermostat with yoda's enclosure but i check the temp gradient regularly to make sure it's just perfect

 

[Pythoninfinite]

I agree. Only reason I'm using a heat mat at all is because I'm waiting for another heat cord to arrive in the post, and because the snake in question is sitting near the top of the enclosure 99% of the time anyway. I would not use the heat mat at all if the enclosure was plastic and not separated from everything else by a piece of ceramic. =)

Good idea... I have seen far too many problems with heatmats to ever consider them a safe heating option. I've even seen fires caused by the tiny 7W ones when they're not set up properly. Cords are definitely the way to go...

J

 

[notechistiger]

It's surprising how much heat they can dish out. Mine's only 4x4cm (forget the wattage now), and it can easily burn my hand if it's left on long enough =/

 

[atothej09]

Go heat mat instead.

 

[phantomreptiles]

I would like to thank everyone for their advice and help - I was very stressed/upset at the time. He seems to be fine and has since eaten, and tried killing me the other day which is normal for him so am happy. The thermostat was a cheap $99 from a pet shop, I cannot remeber the brand, but it is the one with a a wire running from the control to the end which is a metal probe about the size of a small pencil. Most of my others are the habistat brand which I have had no probs with.
I use small heat mats (5w) in the tub enclosures which seem to be all good. I did use a heat cord for my incubation enclosure which I also found very good. But how do I use a heat cord in a 92cm Melamine enclosure? Eg how to fix in the enclosure, can a snake burn itself/tangle itself on it? If it was put under the enclosure the heat would not be enough... am interested to see what others use. As for the most time I like the heat lamps especially if they are on dimmers, it seems to maintain temps well, and if humidity is required a large bowl of water will do the trick

 

[KaotikJezta]

I put a layer of aluminium heat tape, then tape the heat cord on with the heat tape with spacing of about an inch. The heat tape carries and spreads the heat but is a fire retardent at the same time.

 

[phantomreptiles]

Hmm sounds good....but is it possible for the tape to come off and attach to the snake?

 

[KaotikJezta]

Hmm sounds good....but is it possible for the tape to come off and attach to the snake?

I put them under the enclosure not inside.

 

[Just_Plain_Nuts]

We dont use thermos at all anymore. Just another thing to go wrong. We have a well sorted system now and get it pretty much spot on straight up. We supplied Gold Coast Pet Centre with a three bay enclosure, all on top of each other. The first time the enclosure was turned on it reached 34 on the basking shelf and 25 at the cool end in all three bays with no thermos, heat pads reptile heat lamps or heat cords. Just our 12 V halogen system where the bulbs only cost a few $$ to replace. Gotta be happy with that. With this setup the temperature can never get dangerously high no matter what (unless your house burns down haha) . It is even relatively uneffected by the ambient temperature, apart from the cool end getting above 25 C when the room temperature goes above that, but that cant be helped...