getting ready for our new arrival

[Pythonlovers]

hey everyone,
were getting ready for our new Gtp that's coming next week so we have setup our enclosure, its 18" x 18" x 24" exo terra, and we have a mister that goes off every 4 hours for 8 seconds, we have one basking lamp and one ceramic for warmth, and two uv lights.
but its still not warm enough in there, we live in vic, so it is cold most of the time, could someone help with some more heating ideas? or anything we could do to keep the heat in there.

cheers jesse.

 

[veenarm]

How old big is it?

Mines baby is in a tub because i found heating a glass enclosure way too difficult in Canberra even when it was only a small one the top section was 28-31 but the bottom was 19...

Tub is easy to clean/use etc.. and I'm in the process of organising/making a nice celluka 2ft cube tank design I got off Erebus..

 

[Pythonlovers]

its a hatchling, the middle off the enclosure hovers around 28, and thats where were putting the perches but is that too cold? and over night it gets to like 19 too....

i was gonna make one but the money wasnt there haha

and another thing, when the mister goes off, does it matter that its cold? or should we use warm water?? cause i have read that cold water can put them into shock?

 

[ChondroAddict]

Be careful you dont make it to wet. I mist mine with warm water but only once a day. Enough so that the cage drys again before you spay it. Constantly wet may cause bacteria issues. Your best heating option at this age is to keep it in a small tub. All my GTPS are kept in one room and i run an oil heater 24/7.

 

[Pythonlovers]

cheers, its not constantly wet, it drys pretty quickly, what size tubs do you use?

should i post a photo on the enclosure so you can see it? and help us out.

 

[ChondroAddict]

My tubes are 15 ltr. Mine are in a rack but you could just sit yours on a heat mat. Just until things warm up. I cycle my babies and drop temps to 25 in the nite.. Do you know how old it is?

 

[Pythonlovers]

so once things warm up take it off the heat mat, is that what you mean by warm things up?? and we na we dont, we will ask the guy now.

 

[ChondroAddict]

When the weather warms up. The ambient temperature. Thats why i use a heater in the room. Place a third of the tub over the heat mat controlled by your thermostat. If the room is controlled at 25 simply cycle on off for 12hr cycle. If you cant get the ambient temp to 25 get a day nite thermostat for two settings and put it on a timer. I understand you want it on display and not in a tub but if you cant afford to set up the enclosure at the moment. It will only take one cold nite down there and you will lose it.

 

[Ramsayi]

Very difficult to keep any warmth in exo terras in a cold room,much better to make up a melamine enclosure.I wouldn't bother using an automated misting setup either,just use a spray bottle when needed.

 

[Greenmad]

Use a 10 to 20 litre tub for the first few months to get some size on the new arrival before putting a hatchling into a enclosure.
Also misting every 4 hours is not needed, just once a day is adequate.
It sounds like you have to much ventilation in the exo terra as you have a basking and ceramic heat source and you can not maintain heat also you said the cage is dry in between misting every four hours. Try and block off some ventilation as it sounds like thats the problem.
As for misting just use a spray bottle once a day, the cage should remain humid for a few hours and dry out overnight.

 

[shrinkie]

heat mats

 

[Pythonlovers]

hey everyone we have reached perfect basking spot and top half of the enclosure is around 28 to 32, and the rest of the enclosure is hovering around 25, and we have changed the setting of the auto mister to once every 24 hours for 20 seconds and we have put perspex to cover up some of the ventilation, we haven't been through a night yet with the next setup we just did so i cant say what the temps are yet. heres a picture
View attachment 258222

also its about 7 months old

 

[Waterrat]

+1
Also, use tap hot water in the spray bottle very time. By the time it hits the snake it's only lukewarm due to pressure through a very small opening. Water from auto-spay will be very cold and can give the snake a thermal shock.

 

[Pythonlovers]

yeah, thats what im worried about. hmmmmm we will probs just take yuor advice and use a spray bottle. but are our temps alright? and whats a good overnight temp?

if we put a heat mat under the enclosure would that give it enough warmth plus the ceramic for over night?

 

[Waterrat]

You don't need to have different temps for day and night. Set up your enclosure so there is 30 to 26 degrees gradient and it should alright for day and night. Measure the temp on / near the perches the snake will rest on. How you achieve this and what sort of equipment you need is for someone else to advise, I don't know because I am not using heating up here. Hope this helps a bit.
Also, ask the breeder for advice.

 

[Pythonlovers]

okay sweet, well our perches are hovering at 29 to 31, and the bottom of the enclosure is 25.2, we are thinking another light with the ceramic to keep it warm over night. and yeah i know, your very lucky haha i sent you a email a week or so back. its jesse.

 

[ChondroAddict]

Yes cycling isnt necessary.The only reason i drop temps in the nite is when using a click clack it is to small to get a big enough temperature gradient. Best to ask your breeder and stick to the method the animal is used to.

 

[Pythonlovers]

yeah we did, and our day temps are perfect and tonight is the first night to test, so hopefully all goes well, i will post in the morning.
*fingers crossed*

hey guys, last night wasnt the best success, as it hovered at 22 most of the night... gotta go get a nightlight

 

[Waterrat]

Jesse, 22 is still too low, he won't feed at such low temp. Bring it up to 26 and 30 during the day - if you can.

cheers
M

 

[Pythonlovers]

the day temps are perfect at those temps, we are getting another light for night time today, we still have a week to fix any problems