Heating tubs in the cold country?

[Colletts]

Hey guys

I recently made the move from sunny North Queensland to the Canberra region (I must be crazy). Of course, the kids made the move too but they just don’t seem to be settling in as much as I’d hope for. I house them in tubs on a rack with plywood shelves and mini golf green as substrate in each tub. I run heat cord on the plywood with aluminium tape to help disperse the heat, but it just doesn’t seem to be enough. Up in the Good State D) you hardly need heat cord at this time of year, everyone eats and all is good. But since the move, my Speckled Browns and Northern Adders have been picky eaters when they usually aren’t. My snake room reaches temps of 30 degrees most days (unless that miserable cold, rainy weather shows its ugly face) but along with the heat cord, it doesn’t seem to be enough to stimulate their appetites.

So, does anyone have some advice on how to heat my tubs more effectively? Would you think heat cord siliconed to slate slabs, placed on the plywood be fine? And safe? I don’t want to burn the house down now. I have a Habistat Pulse Proportional thermostat controlling the cord.

Thanks

P.S QUEENSLANDERRRRR! I’ll always be a Cane Toad

 

[jack]

how long ago was the move? i too moved fairly recently, from northern heat to cooler climate, and some of my animals are out of wack still with their eating... and i am very confident that the temps are virtually identical and it is only the stress of the move itself and possibly an increase in humidity that could be doing this.

 

[imported_Varanus]

Have a talk to Pete Childs at "Reptiles Inc" as he keeps many warm climate species in Canberra (though no elapids). Also, try "Canberra Reptile Centre". You may have to ditch the tubs and go conventional (plywood/ heat lamps) for some species, though Jamgo keeps Northerns and all types of Brownies in tubs in Glenn Innes (which has a similar climate to Canberra) without any problems. Perhaps you could shoot him a PM?

 

[jack]

or here's another thought, why not switch to cold climate elapids? (they are prettier anyway)

 

[Colletts]

Thanks guys.

Most of my collection are doing fine- Collett's, Pythons, Slaty-greys and of course my Tiger. I've moved about 5 times in Qld with these same animals in my care and had no trouble with them feeding, so I'm convinced it's the climate. Increase in humidity, I'm assuming you meant decrease? I used to live in Townsville, *that* is humidity. The snakes loved it.

I want to use conventional enclosures but I'm renting, don't have much room and I may have to move again soon. Tubs are easier and take up less space. Has anyone used those heating elements from the Herpshop that are encased in thin plastic that you buy off the roll? The width of them might help disperse heat better than a couple strands of heat cord.

I might send some pm's to people who live down here..

Thanks again

 

[imported_Varanus]

This is what I currently use in Armidale (NSW) for my young Mulgas and previously for some Collett's. They allow me to add extra heat and a basking spot, rather than just heat pads/ cord. 36c directly under the lamp (33c at night with a 50W red bulb), 30c in the hide (from the heat pad) and 22-27c at the far end. Tubs are 65cmx35cm.

They're cheap to set up to!!

 

[Colletts]

Hmm, thanks Varanus but those boxes seem to be a bit on the large size for me. I think I'm going to try the slate.

 

[jack]

the increase in humidity was in reference to my moving experience not yours.
have you thought about multiple runs of heat cord, perhaps zigzagged in increasing gaps to give a gradient?
i have this method under a inland taipan enclosure and have used this in adder and python enclosures in the past.