temp. problems!!! help!!

[malcontent]

my house has some really bad problem with fluctulating temperatures. our thermostate is broken. has been for ages. and we just dont get anyone to fix it. ???

anyways! i had a problem with my cali kings habitat getting too cold at night. i have just been keeping his day lamp on. i guess THATS why hes always under his waterdish (i have provided a hide...two actually but he likes his damned waterdish!!)
i will try tinfoil on top of his cage like pinto said he did. and it worked. if that doesnt work. ill buy him a red/blue light. what is it exactly?? should it be on the warm side? how cold should it be going to at night on the warm side? on the cold side?
why do you think he doesnt go into either 2 hides i got him?! they arent too big.....one is in the warm side and the other in the cool. but he likes the damn waterdish in the middle......should i push his dish so far under the sand he cant get under it? to make him go into the other hides? thats sooooo meeeaaaan! :confused: i mean one of these days im going to get him a new waterdish. one of those cool fake rock ones. then whats he going to do? hell be so upset its missing unless i ween him out of the habit. like a kid with his blanket. you know? thanks anyone in advance!!!

[tHeGiNo]

Hey there, first of all your going to want to try to elminiate attributing any human characteristics to your snakes, lol! I can assure you your snake will not go through a stage of depression should you remove a particular cage decoration.

Anyhow, as far as not using the hides go, if he is happy where he is I would not sweat it. Chances are, the confinement of being under a heavy water bowl provides the necessary comfort and security that your snake is seeking. As the saying goes, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it!'

As far as maintaining night temperatures, I would suggest using a heat pad.

[malcontent]

darn. i should have mention i have one. i have a heating pad on one half and a day lamp on that half as well. if i were to turn of the day lamp should the heating pad be good enough even though the general temperature is low? or should i buy another pad and stick it on the other side as well??

[malcontent]

THANKS AGAIN!! i guess im just to much of a loser to not give him human personality. :)

[peterm15]

ok i dont know anthing about care for kings so its just a suggestion..

why not have a ceremic heat emitter hooked up to a dimmer to raise and lower conditions.. if you want to keep them at a constant and never have to worry what about a helix...

[malcontent]

i thought those were only for lizards to chill on. i never thought of that before. thanks! whats a dimmer?

[peterm15]

NO NO NO NOT A HEAT ROCk BAD BAD BAD...

the ceremic heat emitter is a basicly a light bulb that doesnt give off light.. only heat.. and alot of it..

http://www.sugar-gliders.com/heat-emitter.htm

youll NEED to have a porclyn fixture to put it in and hook the fixture up to a dimmer...


the rotary dimmer is just a dimming light switch from basicly anywhere... walmart is where i got mine...

just look up ratary dimmer if you dont uncerstand what i mean...

but you might wanna make sure with someone that knows kings.. i know absoutly nothing about them...

[malcontent]

yeah i forgot. someone said once it could burn my snakey-poo. so that link is of a emitter and a dimmer? (called a controller) do you think i could just get this equipment from a normal pet store? ill ask someone who has a king before i go get it dont worry. but thanks a lot for the idea! it sounds like a plan. i think the llight i have now is supposed to give off light to right? cause it does give off light.

[tHeGiNo]

If you have a heatpad, I am sure the night temperatures are fine in the enclosure.

[peterm15]

well dont bother with that controller unless you wont be able to figure out simple wireing.. juts a dimmer from waymart.. its like 5 bucks.. but i would seriously listen to someone who knows cali kings

[Pinto2]

I know this thread is kind of old, but i just thought that this might help. I keep the heating pad on 24/7, and i always find my snake on that side in the morning, sometimes he evens goes under the substrate to gets right on the pad ( theres glass seperating the two). I also, please don't laugh, have the back and the hot side of the tank lined with tin foil on the outside. I find this gives me a perfect temp. of 87 on the hot, and 76 on the cold. I know how hard it can be to keep heat up in a cold house. Let me know if this work, and how did the tin foil on the top do? I found that it helped, but not enough, this is why i hate all glas tanks!!!
Daniel

[malcontent]

i shall try the tin foil on the glass because on the top did nothing for me. he seems to stay on the cool side all the time though. fine? weird? dangerous?!?! maybe he just doesnt like the hut on the hot side. thanks for your help. its never too late!! :):):)

[Pinto2]

Heres some pics of my cage right know. It's a 20 gallon, and it's 87 on the hot, and 76 on the cold.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/god_of_pan/Img_0456.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/god_of_pan/Img_0455.jpg
I have a 75 watt light on the top, and a heating pad on the bottem. The top back, and right side are covered with tin foil, which creates the hot side ( hole on tope for light is cut out). I found that it took a lot of experimentation to get it right. Just make sure your watching the temp close. It went to 135 degress at first (all but the front was covered). Anyway, i hope this helps as well.
Daniel
Ps, the cloth is for humidity, the light makes the air so dry.

[malcontent]

thanks. i am definately going to try that! those are like the perfect temps. im guessing the cloth is damp? i should try that as well! thanks so much for your help!!!
:D
vic