Heating issues

[Mel2752]

Hi guys I'm back & need more help after following advise in ( poo & feeding spotted python post) I turn up the temp & when I went to bed it was 32 deg now when check her in the morning the temp has dropped to 27deg ! Shouldn't the temp stay @ what it is set at ! This is very frustrating! I'm trying to do the right thing !

 

[mad_at_arms]

Did the actual temperature drop over night?
Ambient temps will affect your desired temps.

 

[Baturb]

Do you have the heat mat on a thermostat? I have a 5 watt heat mat on a digital thermostat with a probe set at 32 inside the click clack and the temps only vary by 1 degree when it switches on and off

 

[Dutchy88]

I had it happen wit my heat mat sometimes ones it reaches the desired temp on the thermostat it switches off so it can take some time for it to reach the required temp again I'm not sure if a dimming thermostat would hel this

 

[slide]

Where are you reading the temp from? If it is one of the thermometers that has a cord with a probe on the end its possible that it was over the hotspot last night and the little fella has moved it off the hotspot when it went cruizing last night.

 

[Mel2752]

My heat mat has a probe which is placed on the mat between the plastic tub & heat mat & a temp dial, which goes as high as 40deg, I set it at 35 hope to get at least 32deg , which it did, perhaps it switches its self off when it gets to the set temp! It has dropped temp in the room overnight! I'm worried that if it keeps doing this she won't be able to digest her food!

I was told to put the probe inbetween the Mat & plastic tub !

I have a stick on thermometer on the side of her tub

 

[Baturb]

I did look at the pics and to me I can't clearly see how the heat mat is connected, I am simply adding my comment based on how I have successfully set up my click clack

 

[Bart70]

My thermostat probe is taped with a piece of heat proof tape to the surface of the heat mat. My tub is siting the same as yours, but placed up against the thermostat probe. I do not bother with foam under my heat mat.

My thermometer probe at the hot end sits directly on top of the paper towel in the tub - the same as a snake would. My temps vary from 29.5 - 31 degrees with my thermostat set to 31 degrees.

I am personally not a fan of the thermostat probe being between the tub and mat - my testing showed that I needed a higher thermostat setting to achieve the correct temp in the tub using this method.but at the end of the day it really does not matter as long as you are getting the correct temp in the hot end of the tub with whatever settings you are using. No method is more correct than the other.....as long as it works for you.

Have a play with your thermostat settings and probe placement (carefully if you have the snake already in the enclosure - I did mine before my snake came home) until you are getting the results you need where the snake is sitting on the tub floor.

HTH.

 

[slide]

Sounds like you are reading the air temp and thats what has dropped over night as it does.
The heat mat and thermostat will probably be still keeping the hotspot up to temp. That is where your snake will be getting its warmth- through belly heat. The heatmat provides a warm area without drastically raising the temp of the air.
Your air temp in the tub will vary with the air temp of the room (+/- a few degrees). However your floor temp should remain relatively similar over the whole day. Feel the warm spot with your hand. It should feel warm even when the air temp in the tub is low overnight.
I use probe thermometers placed just above the floor (about 1cm) or directly on the substrate on the hotspot to judge the hotspot temp.

 

[Snowman]

I have a stick on thermometer on the side of her tub

This is useless for the method of heating you are using.
You are providing belly heat for you snake via a heat pad. You need to measure the surface temp if the bottom of the tub. Get rid of the substrate, use paper towl so the snake can get to the heat. Get a probe thermometer from Bunnings for $13 at the outdoor section and measure the temp of the bottom where the heat mat is. If it's too hot you will burn your snake.
Also a heat mat on the foam is a fire waiting to happen.

 

[Snowman]

See the thermometer probe for measuring under floor heating.... also keep it ontop of the newspaper as that is where the snake will be sitting.

 

[Mel2752]

Thanks for the advise Bart70! My temp is slowly increasing all I can think off it must have switched off when it reached the right temp but it was a big variation 32 down to 27 & my concern is she wont be able to digest her food properly as she hasnt pooed since i got her two & half weeks ago, she has feed twice & has no problem taking & eating her food! Perhaps I should look at some other kind of heating if this keeps happening

 

[Snowman]

Thanks for the advise Bart70! My temp is slowly increasing all I can think off it must have switched off when it reached the right temp but it was a big variation 32 down to 27 & my concern is she wont be able to digest her food properly as she hasnt pooed since i got her two & half weeks ago, she has feed twice & has no problem taking & eating her food! Perhaps I should look at some other kind of heating if this keeps happening

27 is enough for digestion.... my concern would be that the floor of the tub is much warmer than 27. Too hot will kill a snake quicker than too cold.

 

[Mel2752]

Thanks snowman! advise taken i will get one of these probes & get rid of the substrate . I bought this as a kit & set it up how I was told to as the heat mat instructions said to sit it on the foam.

 

[Snowman]

Thanks snowman! advise taken i will get one of these probes & get rid of the substrate . I bought this as a kit & set it up how I was told to as the heat mat instructions said to sit it on the foam.

Strange advice... Basically when providing under floor heating. Your snake will warm up via belly heat transfer. Like a snake lying on a warm road after the sun goes down. The ambient temp in this situation doenst matter. All you want to know is the surface temp that the snake can sit on.

 

[Mel2752]

Thanks snowman, the kit was bought @ the recent expo@ castle hill also where we got our snake from. As this is my first snake & 0 experience with snakes only ever having beardies I'm trying to do the best by my snake with the advise I'm given. Thank you again

 

[Ramsayi]

Strange advice... Basically when providing under floor heating. Your snake will warm up via belly heat transfer. Like a snake lying on a warm road after the sun goes down. The ambient temp in this situation doenst matter. All you want to know is the surface temp that the snake can sit on.

Can't say I totally agree with that logic snow.Take Darwins as an example.If you supply a 33~35C hot spot but the air temp in the tub/cage etc gets down to say 15C overnight it is enough for them to go off their food.Most of the non feeding issues people have is directly as a result of incorrect temps.Low air temps along with too much gradient can cause issues.Even though they have access to a decent hot spot they still detect that temps away from it are too low and respond accordingly.

 

[Snowman]

Can't say I totally agree with that logic snow.Take Darwins as an example.If you supply a 33~35C hot spot but the air temp in the tub/cage etc gets down to say 15C overnight it is enough for them to go off their food.Most of the non feeding issues people have is directly as a result of incorrect temps.Low air temps along with too much gradient can cause issues.Even though they have access to a decent hot spot they still detect that temps away from it are too low and respond accordingly.

It's never been a problem with any ofy hatchies. Though I only keep 4 species of pythons. The tubs aren't that large so if they have a warm spot of 32 on the floor I gues the ambient temp is in the mid 20's. I really don't see how you can get a low air temp if you are heating 1/3 of the tub.