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Temperature Puzzler, some advice please...

stuart

stuart

New member
Ok, Ive had my snake 4 years now, and he is in a 4ft long, 2ft high and 1.5ft wide with a 60Watt reflector bulb. When I built the viv, I checked the temperatures on both the cool and warm side and since then, havent really checked them thoroughly.
Yesterday I decided to do a recheck at subsrate level to find that the cool end is 85F~ and the warm end is 95F~. Now, knowing that the temps are both 10F out at each side worries me.

BUT, My snake has not done any strange behaviour, or done anything new or strange to his normal routine. He is still healthy, eating very well and active at night. He even sits with his head on the basking stone at night sometimes.

So Im not sure whether to just leave the temperatures as they are or go with a 40Watt heat lamp. Im going to be getting a thermostat very shortly, might order it now actually (any names for good thermostats?) and see if that records the same temperatures. Maybe the thermometer Im using is a bit out, reading that some snakes go crazy when the temps too high, mines been high for 4 years with no problems.

Anything Ive forgot Ill probably add after this. Any ideas ? :shrugs:
 
If anything, I would think that a 60W bulb by itself would be insufficient to heat a tank that size. At any rate, I'm sure the temps in the viv are highly variable depending on ambient room temps. I know what I would do:

1. Buy an under-tank heating pad designed for reptiles, of a size appropriate for the tank (one that covers about 1/3 of the bottom). Wild corns don't do much basking. Instead, they absorb surface heat through their bellies.

2. Research and acquire decent thermostat and thermometer. Place thermostat probe on top of the substrate on the warm side. Try to get temps maintained at 72-75 on the cool side, and 82-85 on the warm side.

3. Ditch the bulb, or replace it with a fluorescent bulb that gives off very little heat.
 
Found in the F.A.Q. section, while I was looking for a good thermostat.

Q: Are stick on thermometers good to use?
A: NOOOO!!! Those measure ambient air (with poor accuracy) and that has nothing to do with what you need to know. Temperatures on the surface of the substrate are much more important than ambient air temperatures, or the temperature of the glass where the thermometer is stuck.

I think thats pretty much solved this thread then, sorry about the post :(
 
stuart said:
Found in the F.A.Q. section, while I was looking for a good thermostat.

Q: Are stick on thermometers good to use?
A: NOOOO!!! Those measure ambient air (with poor accuracy) and that has nothing to do with what you need to know. Temperatures on the surface of the substrate are much more important than ambient air temperatures, or the temperature of the glass where the thermometer is stuck.

I think thats pretty much solved this thread then, sorry about the post :(
Click to expand...

Aw... that's all right. I'm just glad that someone is using the FAQ! :)
 
Roy Munson said:
Aw... that's all right. I'm just glad that someone is using the FAQ! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply btw mate, Ive found what looks like anice thermostat to get :cheers: :cheers:
 
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