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Old 12-18-13, 02:56 PM   #46
nepoez
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

While I wait for the video to upload can you please answer me this? The basking temp of 140F. Is that supposed to be the temp on the floor surface? Meaning I take a temp gun and measure the temp of the floor right under the bulb. Or should the 140F be the temp of the monitor's skin?

why I ask is because if the floor is 140F, then when the monitor is on the hot spot, the monitor is close to the bulb than the floor, which means his surface temp on his skin will be more than 140F.

So what to do?
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Old 12-18-13, 03:20 PM   #47
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

Here's the vid of him. I was hiding in the burrow but happened to pop his head out so I lured him out with fish. This video shows the poo, the temp, humidity, basking site, basking temps of the floor and the monitor. thx

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Old 12-18-13, 03:55 PM   #48
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

Quote:
Originally Posted by nepoez View Post
While I wait for the video to upload can you please answer me this? The basking temp of 140F. Is that supposed to be the temp on the floor surface? Meaning I take a temp gun and measure the temp of the floor right under the bulb. Or should the 140F be the temp of the monitor's skin?

why I ask is because if the floor is 140F, then when the monitor is on the hot spot, the monitor is close to the bulb than the floor, which means his surface temp on his skin will be more than 140F.

So what to do?
I don`t want to confuse you more than you seem to be just now, so I`ll just say that having the surface of the basking object at 140f will not cause the monitor any harm even though it`s body will be closer to the heat. It doesn`t mean his skin will burn or that his core temp will rise to that temp (again, it`s only the inanimate BASKING OBJECT `S surface).
He is quite overweight, that in itself will cause a lack of activity to some degree, if he isn`t really hungry there`s no need to move about apart from just basking to thermoregulate.
Try measuring either just the tail or just the snout to vent, then double it and you will have a fairly accurate measurement of his total length. If you have a plastic flexible tape measure it will make it a bit easier to do than the rigid metal one.
The enclosure looks very sparce, nothing on top of the soil such as bark or leaves etc, and no sturdy branches/logs for climbing. You absolutely MUST move the MVB to a safe distance immediately (30cm or over).

Last edited by murrindindi; 12-18-13 at 04:16 PM..
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Old 12-18-13, 04:24 PM   #49
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

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Originally Posted by murrindindi View Post
I don`t want to confuse you more than you seem to be just now, so I`ll just say that having the surface of the basking object at 140f will not cause the monitor any harm even though it`s body will be closer to the heat. It doesn`t mean his skin will burn or that his core temp will rise to that temp (again, it`s only the inanimate BASKING OBJECT `S surface).
He is quite overweight, that in itself will cause a lack of activity to some degree, if he isn`t really hungry there`s no need to move about apart from just basking to thermoregulate.
Try measuring either just the tail or just the snout to vent, then double it and you will have a fairly accurate measurement of his total length. If you have a plastic flexible tape measure it will make it a bit easier to do than the rigid metal one.
The enclosure looks very sparce, nothing on top of the soil such as bark or leaves etc, and no sturdy branches/logs for climbing. You absolutely MUST move the MVB to a safe distance immediately (30cm or over).

Hi so I take it you saw the video. So here's more, in point form

1.) I don't have a log to climb, but I do have a wooden ramp that allows climbing I'm not sure if you can see it in the video.

2.) I had a bunch of leaf litters covering the floor but they all got eaten or broken down and now it's winter so I have no more leaves outside(snowing)

3.) If I move the MVB higher, then the basking temp will not reach 140F, what do I do with that? This is where I'm most confused...
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Old 12-18-13, 05:26 PM   #50
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

Quote:
Originally Posted by nepoez View Post
Hi so I take it you saw the video. So here's more, in point form

1.) I don't have a log to climb, but I do have a wooden ramp that allows climbing I'm not sure if you can see it in the video.

2.) I had a bunch of leaf litters covering the floor but they all got eaten or broken down and now it's winter so I have no more leaves outside(snowing)

3.) If I move the MVB higher, then the basking temp will not reach 140F, what do I do with that? This is where I'm most confused...
You need to take out the MVB and replace it with 1 or 2 halogens as I showed in the photo earlier (I doubt you will need this many, but that will depend on the wattages)...
One ramp = one branch, that`s not much, you need to provide the monitor with the "furniture" that will allow him to use as much of the available space as possible, that means under, on, and above the ground!


Last edited by murrindindi; 12-18-13 at 05:32 PM..
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Old 12-19-13, 12:36 PM   #51
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

OK replaced MVB bulb with halogen. Will take temps when the heat is stabilized.

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrindindi View Post
You need to take out the MVB and replace it with 1 or 2 halogens as I showed in the photo earlier (I doubt you will need this many, but that will depend on the wattages)...
One ramp = one branch, that`s not much, you need to provide the monitor with the "furniture" that will allow him to use as much of the available space as possible, that means under, on, and above the ground!

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Old 12-19-13, 01:02 PM   #52
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

Can you tell me the wattage of the three halogens and the exact distance they are from the basking surface?
Also, when did you first fit the MVB in, and how far away from the basking surface was it initially, and when did you lower it to increase the temps (in relation to the monitor quite suddenly not being very active)?
Edit: Are those bulb fixtures ceramic?
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Old 12-19-13, 01:25 PM   #53
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

Hi!

Update,

- the humidity is now 95% I guess it took time for the meter to read.
- The monitor from nose to vent is 1 foot 3 inches

Answer,

- When I first put the MVB in was about 2 days ago, but he was already not active for some time that's why we had the conversation about diet several week ago. I put the MVB in at 30 CM or about 1 feet at first as per the instruction manual, but basking temp was 90F only or less, that's why I moved it closer to achieve 140F+ and it had to be moved to 5.5 inches

- All my bulbs now as of today since I replaced MVB is now 50 watts
- The distance is now 7-8 inches fro the wood, and basking temp as about 160F when I use the meter on the wood.
- They are ceramic, and weather proof.

Also, before I put the MVB the monitor was not active. After I put the MVB, the monitor hides underground all day.

Today after I removed the MVB, he seems to have surfaced. But I'll have to observe to see if he remains up here. It might be the MVB being too bright or strong and irritates him so he went underground for the past couple days.
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Old 12-19-13, 01:31 PM   #54
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

Hi, thanks for the details, and I think you may have hit the nail on the head re his behaviour over the last couple of days at least; it may very well be that he couldn`t stay in the basking area too long because of the intense brightness and heat from the MVB, so he retreated below.
In the video the hygrometer was reading (I think?) around 85f, is that the coolest ambient in the enclosure above/on the surface?
If he wasn`t active before you put the 160w bulb in, which bulbs were in place, and where is the humidity at 95%?

Last edited by murrindindi; 12-19-13 at 01:37 PM..
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Old 12-19-13, 01:47 PM   #55
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

Hi the meter was I think 26C? that's near the middle but slightly closer to the cool side so the coolest end will be cooler but maybe 1-2 degrees i'm not sure. But he actually rarely goes to the cool side except to take a crap. He craps in the same cold side everytime.

Also before the MVB, I was using this same 3 bulbs. So essentially I've just reverted back to 3 days ago and now i'm back to square one.

P.S. he' went in the burrow again just now...

EDIT, there's a slight difference to before the MVB and now. Before the MVB with the 3 halogens only I had surface temp of 140F, however today after the MVB is REMOVED the basking temp is 160F, due to some recommendations of people here. So everything is the same as a few days ago now, except I moved the bulbs to a distance to produce 160F.

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrindindi View Post
Hi, thanks for the details, and I think you may have hit the nail on the head re his behaviour over the last couple of days at least; it may very well be that he couldn`t stay in the basking area too long because of the intense brightness and heat from the MVB, so he retreated below.
In the video the hygrometer was reading (I think?) around 85f, is that the coolest ambient in the enclosure above/on the surface?
If he wasn`t active before you put the 160w bulb in, which bulbs were in place, and where is the humidity at 95%?
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Old 12-19-13, 02:11 PM   #56
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

I opened the door and he came out of the burrow and came to me for food, so I gave him a worm. Then he roamed around a little and realize there's no food around and now he's basking again. I think after he basks he'll return to the hole again. We'll see.. here's his picture basking just now.

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Old 12-19-13, 02:27 PM   #57
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

All you can do is keep an eye on him over the next few days, reduce the amount of food until his body condition improves, and keep us all updated (and try and get some more "furniture" so he can use more of the space)!
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Old 12-19-13, 03:00 PM   #58
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

OK I see he's no longer in the burrow. That's the most he's been above ground for the past couple days. So I think most likely the issue was the MVB making him go under. Now that issue is solved I guess we're back to the original problem where he just lays above ground and does nothing.

So what I'll do is keep the low intake diet and try to get him to lose weight.
Get some furnitures.. Not sure what yet... Maybe some fake leave and vines?

Quote:
Originally Posted by murrindindi View Post
All you can do is keep an eye on him over the next few days, reduce the amount of food until his body condition improves, and keep us all updated (and try and get some more "furniture" so he can use more of the space)!
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Old 12-19-13, 03:29 PM   #59
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

By all means you can add some plastic plants for cover but they won`t allow the monitor to use more of the space, sturdy, firmly fixed branches/logs, a few more ramps will.
I still think his being overweight is at least a part of his "immobility".
It may take many weeks to get him back in good condition, the reduced diet is not just for a week or two, keep it up as long as necessary.
EDIT: I know this current topic is your main concern just now, but did you notice David (crodoc) responded in the Bengal monitor thread you started?
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Old 12-19-13, 03:37 PM   #60
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Re: sav stay in burrow all day

As Stefan has pointed out it's your basking set-up causing you problems!!

I like to have a neat line of lights (like Stefan's),if you have more than 2 in a line then you find the middle one is usually hotter surface basking temp than the outer surface temps., that basking spot flood is what charges his./her turbo up.

Use bulbs that push the heat downwards, hals push the heat downwards, also the bigger the bulbs you use the greater the burn off in the viv of humidity, also the greater the gap between the bulb & basking surface the more air is pulled under & air dried/humidity burned off.

If you use a reflector this also pushes heat down, silver backed reflector are more efficient.

I like a greater gap between the light bulb & basking surface, this allows the monitor to pose rather than crawl under the lamps, if they have a high basking spot flood (160f) this allows the monitor to spend less time basking which means they aren't breathing the drier air for as long.

These light are mounted high above the ply surface & located at the top of the cage, the lower reflector has the bulb set the same height as the rest>

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