Duration to heat up?

[Synveil]

I've finally decided to take the dive and get myself a pet reptile (a woma python) and I'm currently in the stages of setting up the enclosure and making sure all is working properly before getting the snake itself.

I have a malamine enclosure with glass sliding doors on the front, measuring 1200x600x600, with a ceramic light fitting installed and currently a 100w globe from bunnings in it. This is connected to a microclimate evo lite thermostat set to dimming. I intend on having it on a 12 hour cycle from about 6am til 6pm where the light is on.

Now I've established that on to the question, I'm wondering what sort of time I should be expecting It to take for my enclosure to reach good temperatures, i had it on for a period of 4-5 hours before going to work just to watch the temps and see how fast it climbs, and over this time of 4 or so hours my enclosure went from approx 14 degrees to 32.5 (where my probe is located currently on top of a slate stepping stone down the hot end), it was still climbing slowly when I switched it off to go to work (I will do some more day long testing soon)

The other end of the enclosure was showing about 23-25 degrees, and up the top of the enclosure on the backing board closest to the globe it was showing around 37-38 degrees.

I guess my question is, does this allsound about right? Or should my enclosure be at the desired temperature faster than this? And if so what can I do to aid this in happening.

 

[danyjv]

Sounds good unless I’m missing some thing . Sounds identical to my set up ( except I use full glass , personal choice) and my woma seems happy and comfortable


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[Pauls_Pythons]

Set up sounds fine

 

[Synveil]

See that's what I was hoping, it looks to be able to get to the temperatures I need, it just takes a bit of time to get there.

I've had people tell me that the enclosure should be at the desired temp within a couple of minutes of the light coming on, and that just sounds like I'd risk cooking a snake if the heat is transferring that fast.

 

[Fall guys]

if it reaches and maintains a stable desired temp it’s fine lunch time should be around the time it reaches the peak

 

[Pauls_Pythons]

I've had people tell me that the enclosure should be at the desired temp within a couple of minutes of the light coming on

That would require a substantially oversized heat source. In which case if your thermostat were to fail you could be in real trouble.

 

[Synveil]

That would require a substantially oversized heat source. In which case if your thermostat were to fail you could be in real trouble.

Yeah well that was my thought, even without a thermostat failing the heat needed to do that in such a low time would be at a dangerous level if the snake was anywhere near the heat source when it came on.

I've had the enclosure running since 6am this morning with the thermostat set at 35, and it reached 35 pretty much bang on lunch time, meaning if I had it running for 12 hours the snake would have a good 6 hours at a comfortable 35, with the cool end sitting at around the 25-27 mark.

Understandably a woma will require more a 37-38 degree which I have now turned it up to, but it seems to reach the desired temperature and be maintaining it by about lunch time.

All of this is without a substrate in the enclosure yet, and I would assume a substrate will only help it reach that temperature at a better rate than the malamine wood.

Thanks a bunch for the advice! Based on other advice I was starting to be worried if my heating would be sufficient.

 

[user 45905]

I always think of it like mimicking nature. Once the sun rises in the morning it doesn't immediately get stinking hot, it takes time to warm up.

 

[Synveil]

I always think of it like mimicking nature. Once the sun rises in the morning it doesn't immediately get stinking hot, it takes time to warm up.

Yeah you would think having it closer to natural would be a good thing, it's why it kinda threw me when I was getting advice the other way. Also why i came to these forums for some advice now as I've browsed over many posts on here in my research of snakes and their care.