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Went to a reptile shop today...

StaceyBaybee

StaceyBaybee

New member
The woman in there said that I need to buy over a hundred pounds worth of more stuff. Now I want to ask if I really do NEED all this stuff? I have a feeling she is just trying to sell.

Currently my snake is in a 20 gallon long fish tank, she said that I need to buy a viv as soon as possible cause the snake will be getting stressed out because he can see out of all four walls. Also she said that the glass traps in too much heat and my snake will be too hot, she said to me 'you wouldn't keep fish in a vivarium would you?' and then she finished with the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard 'The snake is still small so could probably fit through the corners between the glass' ??? There is no way to escape through the corners? After saying this she was trying to sell me a 4ft viv saying that was a minimum size for a corn.

She said that I need to buy a UV light or my snake will stop eating during the winter months as it gets older. She said I can't just have a thermometer to test the temps, I need a thermostat because my snake is most certainly cooking in its own home???

Now do I really even NEED any of this stuff? Please tell me honestly because im really confused now. I thought I had all I needed.
 
StaceyBaybee said:
The woman in there said that I need to buy over a hundred pounds worth of more stuff. Now I want to ask if I really do NEED all this stuff? I have a feeling she is just trying to sell.

Currently my snake is in a 20 gallon long fish tank, she said that I need to buy a viv as soon as possible cause the snake will be getting stressed out because he can see out of all four walls. Also she said that the glass traps in too much heat and my snake will be too hot, she said to me 'you wouldn't keep fish in a vivarium would you?' and then she finished with the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard 'The snake is still small so could probably fit through the corners between the glass' ??? There is no way to escape through the corners? After saying this she was trying to sell me a 4ft viv saying that was a minimum size for a corn.

She said that I need to buy a UV light or my snake will stop eating during the winter months as it gets older. She said I can't just have a thermometer to test the temps, I need a thermostat because my snake is most certainly cooking in its own home???

Now do I really even NEED any of this stuff? Please tell me honestly because im really confused now. I thought I had all I needed.
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I agree a lot of that is a load of bs, but I do think you need a thermostat instead of just a thermometer. Thermometers measure the ambient temp. of the viv, not the temperature of the ground. Your snake MAY be too hot in the summer months where you are heating it, so a thermostat is ideal to control the heat when it gets too hot (90*F is perfect).


What she said about it escaping is very stupid though, sounded like she took you for an idiot and wanted to make a quick buck. That would be quite insulting to me and I would not buy from her store. I have also never heard of snakes getting stressed by seeing out of all four walls, but if I am wrong I stand corrected.
 
Firstly 20 gallon seems fine to me, 4ft viv is WAY to big. Also snakes dont need UV light.
I would recommend you buy a thermostat though, this will regulate the temps.
 
As long as you are monitoring the temp with a good digital thermometer with the probe set right on the heat mat, and regulating the temp with a thermostat or rheostat, there are no worries about the heat. She is right about needing a thermostat, or a rheostat to regulate the temp as heat mats running full blast are usually far too hot, in excess of 120 degrees f.

As for escaping, perhaps on the corner of the lid if it doesn't fit tight enough. Make sure you have a secure lid and use clips if necessary.

Stress from the open glass walls may be a point, but you can always cover the sides and back with paper of some kind, or even buy the expensive aquarium back pictures. But its really not an issue unless its a really busy area, and then it would be stressed in a 'viv' just as much.

4 ft is not the minimum size, a 20 long is. UV is NOT needed, in fact it may even harm the snake.

She was right about the thermostat, or rheostat/lamp dimmer. And you do need a digital thermometer with a probe set right on the heat mat, under the substrate, set to about 85 with the rheostat or thermostat.
 
Ok, thankyou, yeah i didn't buy anything from the store I left after my lecture and i don't think i will be going back there. Thanks for the info about the thermostat i will start looking for one.
 
If i go into a petshop and they then promptly try to sell me equipment i know i don't need, I don't return.

Petshops should give people the correct advise. They shouldn't try to pressure you into a sale either. I've been into shops where they will actually put pressure onto people to buy an animal which the customer knows nothing about just to get it out of their stock and make a bit of profit.

Also, 90f is too hot. 80-85 for warm side.
 
StaceyBaybee said:
Yeah i have a digital thermometer which reads 85 constantly on the hot side.
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Does it have a probe? if not and its stuck on the wall then its not going to be an accurate measurement of how hot it is where the snake lives and burrows.

If it has a probe, put it under the substrate right on the glass over the middle of the UTH. That's where it gets hottest and where the snake can get burned if its too high. If it's 85 there then you are fine.
 
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