Heating

[Hedge182]

Hello

This is my cage for my bredli and will have another cage next week exactly the same.. But having trouble with the heating, the Fluro light creates abit of heat so the cage really doesn't have a cool end for the snake and not sure if its bad or not?

 

[TheChondroCharm]

With no temperature gradient the snake can't regulate its own temperature. I'd suggest replacing the fluro tube with an led light strip. Same effect with next to no heat emmitted

 

[Riffherper]

Fluro's emit next to nothing I wouldn't worry bout it. Have you actually measured what temp ur cool end is getting to with the fluro switched on?

 

[Riffherper]

Also led doesn't emit ultra violet light which I'm presuming is why the fluro is there?

 

[Hedge182]

Fluro's emit next to nothing I wouldn't worry bout it. Have you actually measured what temp ur cool end is getting to with the fluro switched on?

Well got 2 thermometers on each end the hot end with the heat emitter ranges clicks of at 32 and comes back on at 28 degrees and the cool end with that Fluro on sits at about 30-31 degrees.. Just a little worried dont want it to be bad for her in there

 

[Riffherper]

Oh that is a little hot. You really want the cool end about 28 degrees during the day. Might have to make some alterations.

 

[Riffherper]

Can you shift the fluro more to the hot end?

 

[LaDeDah]

I noticed in the photo of the enclosure the thermometers are half way up the side of the tank, but doesn't the temp have to be measure on the ground where the snake is. Don't have much experience with reptiles... but thats what I have heard. I could stand corrected. Cheers Naomi Oh nice enclosure by the way

 

[Hedge182]

Yeah I'm not to sure I'm not experienced yet either not to sure might to have a look at what I can do to get a better cool end

 

[Hedge182]

And cheers Naomi!

 

[Riffherper]

Excellent point I didn't notice that. That's why I use probe thermometers.

 

[J-A-X]

Naomi has good advice, move the thermometers to where you think the snake will be, thats where your temps should be taken from and its unlikely to be part way up the wall for any length of time.

I would move both to the side walls, or just 'drop' one on the floor by the water bowl and test the temp there, but move it when the occupant moves in, and only turn the light on when you are home to look at them (the snakes) assuming they are in a room that would get some natural light during the day (NOT direct sun on the tank, they will overheat quickly) and watch the thermostat dial. they can easily be moved by a wandering snake... ,

as a side note, i hope you didnt stick the thermostats on with double sided tape, it has a habit of softening with heat and the thermostat coming away from the tape and theres a chance your mate could find themselves stuck to the wall .
Once you decide where you want the readings to be done from, silicon them in place.

 

[montysrainbow]

i have a small fluro however its in the warm half of my enclosure and doesnt produce alot of heat. If you could maybe move your heat bulb up near your fluro? that way the other end will stay cooler 4 sure - just a thought.

 

[TheChondroCharm]

Also led doesn't emit ultra violet light which I'm presuming is why the fluro is there?

Comes down to prefference with uv. I've not yet read any Scientific proof that snakes need uv from a light. Never used it with any of mine and they are all happy and healthy, not even my greens have it and others think its a must have. uv lights dont produce much heat no but it is enough to shift temps a few degrees. Well enclosures I've built and tested that's been the case

 

[Hedge182]

Thanks heaps guys for the replies I moved the thermometers down and yeah they were abit to high to close to Fluro so all is good now

 

[J-A-X]

So what are they reading now ?

 

[Hedge182]

My cool is 28 - 29 and hot gets to 32 still I just adjusted the thermostat a bit

 

[Miker84]

Hi there,

I'd suggest using an infrared thermometer to gauge more accurate temps.

Good luck!

 

[J-A-X]

I'd still like it better if the cool end was cooler.

Sorry miker, no eBay links permitted. And a word of caution with IR temp devices. They are not just point and shoot- there is a science to them, they read radiated heat, so if you point it at something that radiates a lot of heat it's fine and pretty accurate but if you point it at something that absorbs heat your reading will be a lot lower that what the animal will feel if heated from above, ending up with potentially a burnt snake. The further away you hold it the bigger the area it reads and gives an 'average temp' the closer you hold it, the smaller the area it reads
I use standard mercury thermometers for setting up, I place it where I think the snake will be (on top of the log, on the ground etc) and set up according to that. I now only use my IR gun just to make sure the heat cords still work and nothing has failed

 

[Hedge182]

It was 40 degrees today in the town I live in that kinda heat makes my room pretty warm so it's cool down tomorrow so should be okay