mysnakesau
Almost Legendary
Just want to share a very popular method ppl use for hatchlings. I have a 3ft piece of melamine with two length-ways grooves routered into it about 3.5cm apart. Have threaded a 25w heatcord into the grooves. There is enough cord left over to go another one, maybe two rows but should the thermostat fail leaving the heat on full pelt, you have less chance of cooking your little snake on just two strands than if they were on more. Over the heatcord I have applied a strip of aluminium tape to help keep the warmth up. You can get the tape from Jaycar. I haven't found the right stuff at bunnings. They sell one called Flashtak but it has a bitchumen backing. I bought that but have been advised it isn't really good one to use, and you peel it off it leaves black tracks on your timber and heatcord. And where the black road is, generally hard to get anything else to stick. The stuff that Jaycar sells is for repairing air conditioning ducts and is a thin sheet of foil with a sticky side. Recommended by a reptuable breeder.
I have had this heatcord running without a thermostat and the temperature has not gone above 34c. The containers are just $2 plastic kitchenware tubs from The Reject Shop, with airholes melted into it using a soldering iron. How big the airholes need to be will depend on the baby snake. I melted a full hole in mine (full thingy of the soldering iron, sorry lost for words. The iron has a narrow length before a bit wider metal stem before the handle. I melted holes till the iron stopped at the wider stem. ) My tubs are for baby carpet pythons. Holes this big are invitations for anteresia and other little snakes so make smaller holes for smaller species.
The branches I cut from my grevilla tree and am using plain white paper towel, and a ceramic bowl for water. My paper towels are usually double layered so he can hide under the towel, as I don't have room for the hidebox without going bigger tub. They will upgrade into same size tub but higher which will give room for a hidebox.
For those who may be skeptical about the temperatures, I can turn the heatcord back on, and tape a thermometer to it and take another photo of it. Not sure how else to prove it without inviting you over for a cuppa coffee, but I left the thermometer attached for 3 days and the temps were mostly around 32c, sometimes up to 34 but never went higher than that.
Its not my design. Almost every breeder uses these, and all my babies were raised in these. Best "cot" for babies.
I have had this heatcord running without a thermostat and the temperature has not gone above 34c. The containers are just $2 plastic kitchenware tubs from The Reject Shop, with airholes melted into it using a soldering iron. How big the airholes need to be will depend on the baby snake. I melted a full hole in mine (full thingy of the soldering iron, sorry lost for words. The iron has a narrow length before a bit wider metal stem before the handle. I melted holes till the iron stopped at the wider stem. ) My tubs are for baby carpet pythons. Holes this big are invitations for anteresia and other little snakes so make smaller holes for smaller species.
The branches I cut from my grevilla tree and am using plain white paper towel, and a ceramic bowl for water. My paper towels are usually double layered so he can hide under the towel, as I don't have room for the hidebox without going bigger tub. They will upgrade into same size tub but higher which will give room for a hidebox.
For those who may be skeptical about the temperatures, I can turn the heatcord back on, and tape a thermometer to it and take another photo of it. Not sure how else to prove it without inviting you over for a cuppa coffee, but I left the thermometer attached for 3 days and the temps were mostly around 32c, sometimes up to 34 but never went higher than that.
Its not my design. Almost every breeder uses these, and all my babies were raised in these. Best "cot" for babies.
Attachments
Last edited:
