Heating problems

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I agree arevenant, this site alone has a whole bunch of information, you just need to read a lot to find thread and weigh up the points made by many people, as a lot of people have different opinions. Of all our reptiles only one is in wood at the moment , everything else is in glass. It's just about finding the right heat set up. All our full size tanks have a daylight bulb, with either a ceramic or infrared heat lamp as top up/night warmth.
Breeders are generally the most help when buying, because they want the see their offspring well creditor, and if they've bred, they clearly have set ups the animals are digging. I wouldn't trust a regular pet shop for advise, I've gone in before knowing what I needed and had staff tell me all this other rubbish that was completely unnecessary or just plain wrong. Reptile specific shops can be a great resource too, find a good one and give them your business, then they will look after you. Some are a bit snobbish too though....
 
Thanks for your feedback arevenant, I did do some research on the Woma Python and understand that they are not aboreal, have provide hides on the ground at warm and cool end, heating mat at warm end under hide attached to thermostat etc. I acknowledge further research into appropriate enclosures would have given me some idea about heat retention and space suitable for my pythons which would have prevented me from buying the full glass/mesh enclosures in the first place, rather than listening to pet store people :oops:. Looking forward now, I can only improve, my snakes health and well being is always my priority.

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So true Smurf, you can read a whole bunch of information and still have to weigh up what is recommended by many people as there are many different points of view, sometimes a bit confusing for the new herp... Guess the glass is Ok as long as you have the heat set up right.. I appreciate yours and arevenant's comments..My female Woma came home tonight and is settling in... she is very inquisitive as womas are and roamed around checking out the whole enclosure in the first half hour, eventually settled into the hide at the warm end but still has a careful eye on me as I type this post! She is watching me... so I will sign off now and let her get some peace and quiet... will keep you guys posted on her progress... and post some photos soon.
 
It's a bit of a trap really because as a beginner you assume the person at the per store knows what their talking about, but we live and learn and find forums like these to research and share information we've picked up along the way....
Happy to herp mate.... er... help (couldn't stop myself!)


Seems I have an inquisitive little stimmie checking me out too :)
 
All glass enclosures lose heat quickly for two main reasons. The tops are usually all mesh, so warmed air easily escapes via convection (?hot air rises?), and the thin glass sides and base readily allow heat to pass through them. This problem can be addressed by: a) increasing the heating - placing the given heat source closer to the animal, such as inside the cage, and/or upping the wattage of the heat source; b) reducing the rate of heat loss ? sealing off most of the mesh on top, except for a small area at both ends (i.e. above the ?hot spot? and also the cool end) and/or using insulating material, such as styrene foam sheets, on the back, sides and base.

Apologies for repeating what has already been said ? just trying to explain the ?whys and wherefores?.

Blue
 
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All glass enclosures lose heat quickly for two main reasons. The tops are usually all mesh, so warmed air easily escapes via convection (?hot air rises?), and the thin glass sides and base readily allow heat to pass through them. This problem can be addressed by: a) increasing the heating - placing the given heat source closer to the animal, such as inside the cage, and/or upping the wattage of the heat source; b) reducing the rate of heat loss ? sealing off most of the mesh on top, except for a small area at both ends (i.e. above the ?hot spot? and also the cool end) and/or using insulating material, such as styrene foam sheets, on the back, sides and base.
Blue

Thanks Bluetongue1, your comments regarding heating requirements and problems with heat retention with glass enclosures has reiterated the problems I have had over the last few days. Never will I buy this type of enclosure again for any of my snakes, it has been a stressful time. However some cardboard and a few towels over the mesh at the top where the hot air rises seems to have helped in the interim, my Mac and Woma enclosures both now at 30 C at afternoon and evening temps.

Cheers, Caroline AKA Ollie :)
 
Glass enclosures have their place; for certain reptiles, certain species in certain places.
Just not for your required applications...

I have my female Olive in a 4x2x2 glass URS terrarium with a 100w globe mounted inside the tank and it gets a hot spot of 32 easily and a nice gradient.
But its also in a room that is a half sun room so ambient temps never get below about 24 even in Melbourne, and my Olive is 3 and almost 2.5m. Using glass enclosures in the correct environment and for the correct application and they can be fantastic.
 
Great information Blue, but did you mean to put it in the thread about the bigger stimmie and the click clack?
Thanks Smurf. You are correct. I managed to get the two threads confused and combined a reply meant for each.

It is not that suprising, though. I have a dodgy tooth at the moment that has developed an abscess. As much as I hate taking pills, have been on strong antibiotics and pain killers the last few days. I knew something was not right when I had to combine two separate replies but was just too crook to work out what at the time. Am off to the dentist tomorrow and hopefully may get some pain relief that lasts...

Cheers mate,
Mike
 
my stimmie has lived in glass enclosure with no ill effects for 3.5yrs and temps good but saying this is has rear background insulation and is covered with dark blanket on 3 sides through the day and fully covered at nite so only exposed vent is a small piece along the front and a heat mat has been sufficent to keep warm hide 32-34 and cool end 23, she moved into the 90cm tank at around 12mths and never any shedding issues with humidity etc.
 
Thanks Smurf. You are correct. I managed to get the two threads confused and combined a reply meant for each.

It is not that suprising, though. I have a dodgy tooth at the moment that has developed an abscess. As much as I hate taking pills, have been on strong antibiotics and pain killers the last few days. I knew something was not right when I had to combine two separate replies but was just too crook to work out what at the time. Am off to the dentist tomorrow and hopefully may get some pain relief that lasts...

Cheers mate,
Mike

Ouch! They must be some hardcore antibiotics! Hopefully you get some relief soon. Thanks for trying to work through it to help out fellow keepers, what a trooper!
 
One thing i didnt check is to see if the snake could get into the heat cage through the gap for the lamps wires. Unfortunately i woke up to a roasted snake stuck inside the heat cage this morning :-( Just thought it would be somthing to mention for people that put their new hatchlings into a adult sized enclosure. Unfortunately if learned the hard way but i have moved my carpet snake hatchling into a very small cage just to be safe until she gets a little bigger
 
Yeah its a shame. She was a lovely snake. Never tried to bite me or anything. Only time if seen her mouth open was when feeding her. Cant think of a worst way to die :-(
 
Oh Josh I'm so sorry to hear. But a very important lesson for everyone, when installing any heat emitter ensure there is no access for your critters.
These little pythons are so tiny, it takes me a bit of work escape proofing the tanks, but I'd still rather have one escape than your little girls unfortunate fate :-(
 
That?s sad news. Am sorry for your loss.

Sounds a bit like a fish or yabbie trap scenario ? found its way in but couldn?t find the same way out.

There is a further consideration with putting protective cages around heat sources. The size of the cage needs to be big enough so that its surface does not get too hot. If you cannot hold your hand on the heat cage surface while the heat source is on because it gets too hot, then your protective cage is not big enough.

This is important because of the way snakes are designed. They crawl over hot sand, *****ly vegetation and sharp rocks on their bellies. We know how uncomfortable and painful that would be using bare feet. In order for snakes to tolerate the potential discomfort, they have almost no pain receptors in the skin. This means that if they wrap around a heat cage while it is cold, and it is then turned on, their skin can be severely burned before the rest of their body heats up sufficiently to make them seek a cooler spot. They don?t feel pain even though their skin is being damaged.

Blue


Ouch! They must be some hardcore antibiotics! Hopefully you get some relief soon. Thanks for trying to work through it to help out fellow keepers, what a trooper!
Had a root canal done by the dentist to drain the abscess. Despite two rather large needles and verbal assurances to the contrary, it was very painful. It was when the dentist injected fluid to flush out the abscess that it hurt. And once stirred up, it co0ntinued to hurt. It took every ounce of self-control to remain in the chair for the final 20 minutes of the procedure.

And I thought having the abscess hurt!
It was still tender a week later.
 
heating method

:shock:i use heating lamp too! works pretty good and hasn't failed on me yet
 
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