Changing my method of heating?

[cirice]

Hey all. I have a two year old Coastal Carpet Python who is 1.7m long right now. I don't know it's sex (I'm suspecting female) so I just refer to it as a he. He's the only reptile I've ever owned (so far, at least) and so I haven't had any experience with heat lamps for different species.

Anyway, he lives in my room in a perspex vivarium. It has a mesh top and sliding front doors with a rubber stopper as he's learned how to open it, and the stopper prevents him from doing so. The bottom is slightly raised (perspex with a plastic border, so the bottom is about half an inch from the ground) so I have a rubber-coated type heating cord underneath half the tank. I've always used a heating cord, as I got it free with a bunch of other left-over stock from a pet store I used to work at when it closed down.

The warm side of the tank sits at 30c in the winter, 32c in the summer. The cool side sits at 25c in the winter and 27c in the summer.

He was getting a bit too big for his current vivarium, and while I was bargain-hunting at my local rubbish dump, oh-so glamorous, I found a snake cabinet with a missing front. The guy who was on-duty told me a local snake owner had dropped it off that morning, and so I got it for a total of $5 because it had gotten rain damaged from the rain we'd had that morning. After stripping the back and front panels, replacing with some scrap timber, and replacing latches with some spares I had, I've gotten half-way and spent no money so far! However, I noticed that the top has a section where it looks like a lighting-cage was set in, and I've discovered that a heating cord wouldn't be sufficient as the cabinet is much taller than it is wide, so only a quarter or so of the cabinet would be heated, unless I put the heating cord on the side, which kind of ruins the natural effect I'm going for.

The top of the cabinet is also opaque unless you open the lid.

I really want to use a heating lamp, but I've never used one before. What wattage would I need to produce a 32c-ish heat? Are there lamps I can get that don't emit too much light, so I can alternate the lights (so there isn't a bright light coming from the cabinet 24/7)? Can I just use one of those timers (for Christmas lights and such) from Bunnings or Mitre 10 to turn the light on and off at night? Does he even need a heat lamp at night?

There's so much information I've found online, but none that's really helpful as it isn't specific enough.

I live a ways off Gympie, so it's hard for me to get into a proper town with pet supplies, so I'd like to have a proper list of things before I go anywhere. I'd go into a pet/supply store, but I've been in before and the employees won't even touch pythons without gloves because they think the snakes are vicious, and don't know the slightest thing about them.

Hope I've given enough information. Any help would be appreciated

 

[pythoninfinite]

Sorry, but you should definitely ditch the dump-salvaged cabinet. You have no idea what the reason for dumping it was, and if it contained any animals infected with some of the always fatal viral diseases snakes are susceptible to, you'll be signing a death warrant for your animal. In my opinion, it is NEVER safe to use other people's second-hand enclosures, and especially dangerous to risk using one of unknown history that you found at a tip. Seems like a bargain, but very unwise.

Jamie

 

[Ironmind91]

Everyone will tell you something different. I use heat lamps, some use ceramic. With my lamps I have a 50 watt for my 2 year old jungle, and a 150 watt for my 3 year old jag. The reason I have a 50 watt for my jungle is because she climbs up on the background and gets right under it so I only need a small one. The temp directly under it is around 32c so it's perfect for her. Now the jag can't get as close to it so I use a 150 watt for him and when I check the temp when he's as close as he can get to it, it's around the same. So it depends on your setup. As for the timers, I use ones from Bunnings. My 2 get heat in the morning, then it switches off until about 6 at night, then it turns back on for a few hours. At night I don't give them heat at all. Now I live in qld so it never gets low enough to cause alarm, plus in the wild there is no sun obviously. Some people will be outraged at how I do it, but I've had my 2 for years and they are perfectly healthy and happy. So it's up to you.

I agree with Jamie on the cabinet though, I'd be ditching that thing pretty quick. I know it saves some coin, but incredibly risky.

Hope I helped somewhat.

 

[cement]

I'm with Jamie on this. Never use second hand enclosures, your one you picked up there is a definate no go.
You have the heat cord, so all you really need is to make a melamine box. 1200 x 600 x 600 works for the sizes that melamine comes in (2400mm x 595mm) you only need two sheets. $50 at Bunnings
Some glass and glass track and set the heat cord up under the box at one end and your away, gives you plenty of room for branches or shelves too. Less then a $100 and your snake will stay alive, enclosure will last for years

 

[cirice]

I would never use an enclosure that I didn't know was safe. I have contacted the previous owner of the cabinet, and he used to keep a Jungle Python in there (I've seen his python before). The thing is over 8 feet and just doesn't fit in the cabinet. I saw his snake today and asked about the cabinet, not letting him know I'd gotten it. His python (Banana) is safe and hasn't had any issues, the guy said he'd been trying to sell the cabinet for weeks but just ended up taking out the glass front, and ditching the rest earlier that morning. He even seemed annoyed that I had gotten it for cheap just after he stopped trying to sell it, and I saw the advertisement on my local billboard. Even still, I have laid it on a tarp and covered the whole cabinet in boiling water, let dry, and repeated, many times. I have also sprayed it with a reptile enclosure cleaner inside and out. If I hadn't have known the previous owner (and known them as a friend previously) and been able to contact them, I would not have even bothered fixing it up, I just would have gotten the hardware off it and thrown the rest out.

As for what this thread was actually about, I have decided to go with a ceramic lamp, and just have some other light fixture near the cabinet for daytime.

 

[cement]

Ok then.
yeah just fit a shelf under the lamp if its up high, doesn't matter if only 1/4 of the cage is heated, thats actually good, give them a basking site that they can curl up on or under, of about 35 degrees and let the rest of the cage be unheated, thats what you want. If its a vertical cage, make the basking site up high so that if you get a really hot day it can get down the bottom away from it. Ceramic would be fine, so would the heat cord fixed to the bottom of a shelf. Make sure there's a vent up there too. If the cage is in a room where theres a window you won't need any other light source.

 

[cirice]

I have fitted a shelf in under where the hole for the lamp cord is, for a basking spot. Thanks

Also, there is a window in the room, but unfortunately the window faces a balcony so there's about 3m of shaded balcony before any light is, so I just want a bit of extra light for it.

Sometimes in winter my bedroom gets to about 15c, so I just like to know that his tank doesn't get lower than around 22.

 

[pythoninfinite]

You're pretty resistant to very good advice it seems. There is very good sense in making a principle of never using second-hand enclosures from other people, especially as many of them will never admit to losing animals to viral infections. Boiling water won't help you sterilise an enclosure, particularly against viruses. 10% good quality bleach solution, applied and left to work for 30 mins would be far better - exposure time is important when using biocides.

Jamie

 

[Wokka]

In my opinion many captive snakes are kept too hot. Ideally a cage should have a temperature gradient from 35c to even 10c however that is not practical for most. As long as you have a warm basking spot the rest of the cage can be as cold as you like.
I agree bleach is cheapest and best for disinfecting cages.I doubt that reptiles are any more prone to deadly diseases than any other domestic animals. A secondhand reptile cage probably carries the same risk as a secondhand avairy or dog kennel, so good hygiene should be followed.

 

[cement]

if your window is completely blacked out so you cant tell the difference between day and night, then sure you need a light,.. so the animal has a sense of what is called photoperiod.
Circadian rhythm is good for us all. But if you can tell the difference between night and day then you don't NEED a light. But if you want to put one in then put one in, but if your doing it on the cheap then you don't need it.

"I really want to use a heating lamp, but I've never used one before. What wattage would I need to produce a 32c-ish heat. ​60-100 watt. get a thermostat too. A dimming one.
Are there lamps I can get that don't emit too much light, so I can alternate the lights (so there isn't a bright light coming from the cabinet 24/7)? Yes, ceramic heat elements emit NO light at all. Can I just use one of those timers (for Christmas lights and such) from Bunnings or Mitre 10 to turn the light on and off at night? Yes Does he even need a heat lamp at night? No.Snakes have a really cool ability to coil up tightly and retain heat that they get through the day, if your room only gets down to 15 then there is no problem"
Sometimes in winter my bedroom gets to about 15c, so I just like to know that his tank doesn't get lower than around 22. Theres a reason why snakes don't feed in winter. If you keep your animal hot all year with no changes in temperature, and a lighting and temperature regime that doesn't follow the natural seasonal photoperiod or temps, aren't you working against what nature has evolved? You did say your going for the natural effect.....12-14 hrs of basking site in summer, 8-10 hrs in autumn and spring, 6-8 hrs in winter. No heat at night. If it stops feeding when it gets cooler then good, save money on food. Now you can have two snakes for the price you were keeping one.

 

[cirice]

I have a reptile disinfectant (I think it's called Herpacare?) that claims to offer hospital B standards, and I've used that too. "You're pretty resistant to very good advice it seems." Nope, I've taken all necessary precautions, and like I've stated, the only past "resident" of this cabinet, Banana, had no viral infections or issues. She simply outgrew her home.

I'm not stupid enough to put my pet in a random wooden box I found on the cheap and don't know the history of. Additionally, I asked for advice about heating and lighting, which you've offered none of.

 

[pythoninfinite]

I have a reptile disinfectant (I think it's called Herpacare?) that claims to offer hospital B standards, and I've used that too. "You're pretty resistant to very good advice it seems." Nope, I've taken all necessary precautions, and like I've stated, the only past "resident" of this cabinet, Banana, had no viral infections or issues. She simply outgrew her home.

I'm not stupid enough to put my pet in a random wooden box I found on the cheap and don't know the history of. Additionally, I asked for advice about heating and lighting, which you've offered none of.

Hmmm... I don't know why I bother sometimes. Bleach will be far better than your commercial crappy disinfectant, but go for it, I'm sure you know best. I should point out that you first questions were pretty simplistic, you seem like a novice and you made no reference to your knowledge of the provenance of the enclosure. I was only trying to save you from making a fundamental and possibly catastrophic error before you got to the lighting/heating stage. But you're a law student... so what would I know?

Jamie

 

[Repthills]

Hi Cirice.
if you don't want a heat light turning on at all hours buy a ceramic heater instead. If the enclosure if large and tall go for a higher wattage. Or you could use a purple heat lamp. Set it up with a thermostat to regulate the temps.

 

[pythonmum]

I agree about the ceramic heat emitter. Much better than lights flashing on and off and they last much longer, too. However, they are not as energy efficient as heat cord.

I began mounting my ceramic heat emitters UNDER a basking shelf (in a light cage) near the top of the cage and putting the thermostat probe right on top. This way you retain heat which would otherwise be going out the top of the enclosure. You can put a branch under the shelf, giving the snake a choice of top or bottom heat. Don't worry about the temp at the bottom of the enclosure. Cold is fine, as long as the snake can move toward warm as necessary. My Darwins get down to 15 in winter in cold areas of the cage, but they aren't eating and it isn't a problem.

For more energy efficient heating, make your own heat panel using heat cord with a floor tile on top to nicely spread out the heat, metal flyscreen immediately below to keep the snake away from the hot cord, and a branch below. This is what I have gone to as the most energy efficient and snake-friendly setup. My Darwins love it.