Hot spot temps for Central netted dragons

[Saz]

I've just installed a large heat mat underneath the basking site of the central netted's enclosure to bump up the basking spot, it's taken it up to 44 degrees. Is that too hot? It's a 3ft by 2.5 ft enclosure so they can get out of the heat. It's 28 degrees on the cool side, but they are all snuggled down in the hot sand.

I have just moved the large hide to the cooler side and the smaller hide to the hot side. I figure that way if they really want to sit on the hot sand they will, rather than doing it because their normal hide is there.

It's a URS enclosure, so not sure how I can put a thermostat in to control the temp as there aren't any holes.

Any suggestions? Do you think the hot spot is okay at the temp provided they have a cool retreat of 28?

Any advice welcomed as I'm a beginner with dragons!

 

[hornet]

in the reptiles aus mag its got a article about central netteds, it says they should have a hot spot of about 35c so i would turn it down a lil

 

[olivehydra]

I've just installed a large heat mat underneath the basking site of the central netted's enclosure to bump up the basking spot, it's taken it up to 44 degrees. Is that too hot? It's a 3ft by 2.5 ft enclosure so they can get out of the heat. It's 28 degrees on the cool side, but they are all snuggled down in the hot sand.

I have just moved the large hide to the cooler side and the smaller hide to the hot side. I figure that way if they really want to sit on the hot sand they will, rather than doing it because their normal hide is there.

It's a URS enclosure, so not sure how I can put a thermostat in to control the temp as there aren't any holes.

Any suggestions? Do you think the hot spot is okay at the temp provided they have a cool retreat of 28?



Any advice welcomed as I'm a beginner with dragons!

Re the thermostat..... I've used URS enclosures in the past. I drilled a hole in the back suitable for probe insertion. Failing that they have perf metal vents from memory, just increase the hole size to suit probe.

 

[Saz]

Good point, I might try and widen one of the holes in the mesh.

Thing is they seem to really like the hot spot. I did a little experiment after I posted this thread. I had to take all the dragons out to feed them, so whilst they were eating in their tub I moved the hides to the cool areas and left the hot spot bare. WHen I put them back in they all went and sat on the hot spot trying to bury themselves in the sand, so they must like it.

I've left it like that tonight, I'll fix up a thermostat in the morning for them. Thanks for the help.

:0)

 

[olivehydra]

I always found that the plastic enclosures were not the best at retaining heat, compared to timber constuction. Probably OK in QLD but I found them lacking in NSW winter. Great for cleaning though.

 

[Saz]

Yes, lovely enclosure. I will be heating the herp room to 18 degrees at night and 24 during the day anyway (as well as additional heating for the hatchlings/juvies, so it won't be too bad. It's a lovely size for them. They've started getting very shirty with each other, and keep having little fights, but they can get out of each others way now so I'm hoping we can avoid injury!!

 

[hugsta]

Saz, central netteds love the heat, I used to have a hotspot of around 45deg on mine under an ozbright and they loved it. So dont' change it, you can tell they love it as they are basking under it.

Why do you feed them out of the enclosure?

 

[Saz]

Thanks Hugsta, in that case I'll leave them as is. I find it easier to feed them out of the enclosure as they eat so many in one sitting!! If I put the crickets in the enclosure there would probably be a lot left over due to them hiding in various spots, and as the dragons seem to sleep through just about anything (including being picked up by their tails) I figured they may not always wake up whilst being nibbled by crickets. Geckos on the other hand flick them off straight away. Also gives me a chance to get all the poo out and uneaten veggies every other day without worrying about crazy dragons leaping from the enclosure LOL!!

:0)

 

[hugsta]

Fair enough, was just curious. I used to feed them in the enclosure to allow them to chase their dinner around. LOL

 

[Saz]

It's cute watching them eat. When I put them in the tub they all sit perfectly still looking around, then when I pour some crickets in there is a frenzy of movement! I really should get it on video, it's very amusing!! Something that always makes me laugh about central netteds is that they are such wimps when it comes to prey, my geckos will easily take prey the size of their head, although I don't purposefully give them anything that big, but the netteds will not take anything over half the size of their head, and that's at a push!! They run up to the cricket, skid to a halt and freeze!! WIMPS!

:0)