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Heating Problem

M

MadApocalypse

New member
well i have had my corn snake for about 2 weeks and i noticed a problem my room stays about 70-80 and when i use my heat lamp there times it will go to 90 in there so im having a problem using any heating for my corn during the day ( if i don’t use heat it stays between 80-85 during the day an 75-80 during night )

where i live corn snakes are found in the wild so should i use heat or will my room temp be fine ?
 
Those room temps will suffice. Your other option is to use a light bulb with reduced wattage. Most appliance bulbs have the same style base as what you are most likely using. Those bulbs are 25 watts. The other 2 options are 1) using an under cabinet halogen-xenon puck light coupled with a slide dimmer switch or 2) investing into a properly sized heat pad and the forum-recommended hydrofarm thermostat.

I use the puck light and dimmer switch combo for small gecko cages, like the Phelsuma I keep. If you have a large cage that's set up semi-naturalistically I could see keeping the basking light route. However, the energy saving and safer heating route is honestly using a heat pad and thermostat combo.

If you search the forum, you can find amazon links to the hydrofarm thermostat, as well as I believe I've posted links to the puck lights and dimmer switch that can readily be found at home depot.

Additional note, invest in a good digital thermometer for accurate temp reading, or even better a laser thermometer. You can get the laser thermometer at harbor freight.
 
MadApocalypse said:
the bulb im using for my heating lamp is a 100w bulb
Click to expand...

WAY too much wattage for either of the tank sizes you've mentioned in other posts.

If you are using a 100watt bulb and a simple analog (dial) thermometer, you are WAY hotter than 90°F. Analog (dial) thermometers use a bimetallic strip that coiled and moves as it heats or cools. They are seriously inaccurate to a potentially lethal level for reptile keeping needs.

For comparison:
I use a 60 watt on a 20 gallon long for some young box turtles that puts the basking site to 90-95. In a pinch when I've had a power sun (mercury vapor bulb) die on my ackies or beardie, I've used a 75 watt GE reveal incandescent to bring my basking site on a 40 gallon up to and over 100°F. The PowerSuns are 100W and bring the immediate basking site into the 110-120°F range.

You should be at 40 (60watts max) for the standard screw-in type incandescent bulb. GE has reworked their reveal incandescent bulbs, and if I recall, what was 60w is now rated at 43w which should work.

For now I'd ditch using a bulb for cage heating if your room is at the ambient range you've mentioned. My herp room is of similar ambient heat, where my holdback/hatchling rack is the only rack without heat in the room. Temps are routinely in the low to mid 80s within the rack.
 
thank u so much
what would be the best way to heat him without getting it to hot ( I know uth but that's not possible with my tank an stand atm ) and sorry if I ask so many questions this is my first ever snake
 
  1. aluminum (HVAC) tape...found down the ducting aisle. NOT "duck" tape or duct tape, but aluminum tape, once the heat pad is in place, use the tape to secure the outer edges to avoid having them accidentally peel http://www.homedepot.com/p/Nashua-T...ulti-Purpose-HVAC-Foil-Tape-1207792/100030120

  2. vinyl feet - used to elevate the tank, place at each corner and 1 in the middle on each long side. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Shepherd...Vinyl-Surface-Pads-16-per-Pack-9964/100047252
    http://www.lowes.com/pd/Waxman-12-Pack-0-5-in-x-0-5-in-Universal-Bumpers/3034874

  3. a quality UTH...I say quality, but I honestly use zoomed heat pads

  4. hydrofarm thermostat - this one is Jump Start, but it's the same thing as the Hydrofarm https://www.amazon.com/MTPRTC-ETL-C...69339536&sr=8-1&keywords=hydrofarm+thermostat

There is the sticker shock of going UTH, but truthfully you'll save in the long run on energy costs compared to using a basking bulb. Depending on cage size, you're looking at 8w or 16w for the small or medium Zoomed heat pad, plus whatever wattage the thermostat pulls. Later you can invest into something like a herpstat by Spyder Robotics, which offers proportional or pulse heating. Pulse, IIRC is simply on/off 100% power. Proportional actually maintains a set temperature, based upon probe readout, and then uses a percentage of power to bring your heating device back to temp. If you really need to come up to temp, it might use 80%, if you're just slightly off, it may only use 10%. It's a lot more efficient.
 
you tape the perimeter of the heat pad to keep in place. Some UTH do not have an adhesive side and need to be taped into place. The aluminum is flame resistant, and shouldn't dry rot like "duck" tape will over time from being heated. The Zoomed UTH do have an adhesive side, but I'd still secure the outer edges with aluminum tape.

BE CAREFUL USING THE TAPE. It does have a sharp edge and can cut you. I've been cut by both the tape at home and also using it in another form as a cover for toxicology lab sampling plates. The cover form managed to slice through 2 layers of nitrile gloves, but thankfully did not slice me.
 
I love that foil tape. I use it now with all my heat pads. I stick a piece of aluminum foil to the sticky part of the heat pad and then use the aluminum foil tape to place it wherever I want.

Another thing to consider is that the under tank heater does not have to go underneath the tank if that will not work with your setup. You can stick anywhere along the lower walls (on the outside of the tank) so that it can get proper air flow.
 
I also would recommend checking eBay or Amazon for under tank heaters. I usually find that they are at least a few dollars cheaper than the pet store.
 
hypnoctopus said:
I also would recommend checking eBay or Amazon for under tank heaters. I usually find that they are at least a few dollars cheaper than the pet store.
Click to expand...

Yup, sometimes even more than that. Can also check for any local or within reasonable driving distance herp shows.

If you happen to have amazon prime, some areas offer free same day or next day delivery. The DFW area is one such location.

http://kentuckyreptileexpo.com/calendar.html
 
Most of us use Heat pads not heat lamps.

"All Heat Sources" should be coupled with a thermostat to regulate the heat.

If you must use a heat lamp, you should still be using a thermostat. Also you can move the bulb farther away from the cage. Experimenting with various distances, wattage of bulbs, and thermostats until you can keep the required temps.

The biggest problem with a heat lamp is, they get hotter than a heat pad and they tend to heat a larger area than a pad which only heats where it is located.

Optimal setups would have half of the cage at a lower temp (about 74 degrees), and the other half at a warm temp (about 84 degrees). With a heat lamp in an already warm room, it will be almost impossible to do that.

Too much heat can hurt a snake just as too little can.
 
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