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Old 12-28-11, 04:50 PM   #1
shotputtman
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Smile Hello from the South East of England

Hi all

I have been waiting for about 18 months now to purchase my first snake.
The reason its been so long was i lived at the Mother in Laws due to saving up for the mortgage deposit and NO way would she have a snake.

We have started on a 4 week old Corn snake and unfortunatelly i allowed the children to name him and he is now called Houdini (as many snakes i am sure are called) but hey its their snake too...

The main question i would like to be answered quickly is the temp in the vivarium.

I have a plastic viv while i build a solid wood one over the next few months or so to match the lounge furniture (wifes orders) and i seem to be having problems with the thermostat.

I have a heatpad under the tank, linked to a Microclimate ministat 100 and a digital thermometer. The thermometer reads from the same place as the ministat (ends cable tied trying to get a better/closer reading) and also takes a reading from the furthest corner in the tank (coolest).
The ministat is set at 30c but the thermometer goes up and down between 26.5 and 29.5 over about a 7 minute period.
Is this normal being that the thermostat sensor is much smaller in diameter or do i have a problem?

I have tried kidding the wife that we need to take him to our bedroom tonight so i can keep an eye on him but i didnt win.

Look forward to chatting and reading on the forums

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year to all

Thanks
Sean
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Old 12-28-11, 05:34 PM   #2
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

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Old 12-28-11, 05:36 PM   #3
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Hi there, welcome to the forums
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Old 12-28-11, 05:43 PM   #4
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Welcome! I can't help with your problem. Sorry. Someone will soon I'm sure.
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Old 12-28-11, 06:13 PM   #5
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Hello and welcome to our zoo Sean. I am not familiar with that brand of ministat, but it sound like you may have a bad one. If it was 3 degrees difference in Fahrenheit it wouldn't be any thing to worry about. But 3 degrees in Celsius is a big difference. It could be your heat pad, but i say it most like is your ministat.
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Old 12-28-11, 06:15 PM   #6
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Hyas & Welcome!!

I have had readings fluxuate often when setting up enclosures, which is why I always give myself a full day to monitor temps because they fluxuate when the heater turns on, AC turns on, doors open & close. I should also tell you that I am anal about the details, so someone may have a better answer for you. But the short answer from what I have experienced is Yes, it is normal for the temp to fluxuate a few degrees.

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Originally Posted by marvelfreak View Post
Hello and welcome to our zoo Sean. I am not familiar with that brand of ministat, but it sound like you may have a bad one. If it was 3 degrees difference in Fahrenheit it wouldn't be any thing to worry about. But 3 degrees in Celsius is a big difference. It could be your heat pad, but i say it most like is your ministat.

Good point, I didn't even compute Celsius! TY for catching that!!
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Old 12-28-11, 06:27 PM   #7
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Welcome!!!
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Old 12-28-11, 06:55 PM   #8
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Hi there, your best bet in my opinion is to get your hands on a laser thermometer, mine is an absolute godsend as can check multiple locations of multiple vivariums really easily and quickly, it may be that you have a dodgy thermometer that isnt showing consistent reading or it could be the thermostat. You really need a secondary temperature reading to be sure.
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Old 12-28-11, 07:16 PM   #9
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

I was given this piece of advice yesterday and got one on ebay for £15.
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Old 12-28-11, 07:44 PM   #10
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Welcome to the forum!
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Old 12-28-11, 08:00 PM   #11
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Quote:
Originally Posted by shotputtman View Post
Hi all

I have been waiting for about 18 months now to purchase my first snake.
The reason its been so long was i lived at the Mother in Laws due to saving up for the mortgage deposit and NO way would she have a snake.

We have started on a 4 week old Corn snake and unfortunatelly i allowed the children to name him and he is now called Houdini (as many snakes i am sure are called) but hey its their snake too...

The main question i would like to be answered quickly is the temp in the vivarium.

I have a plastic viv while i build a solid wood one over the next few months or so to match the lounge furniture (wifes orders) and i seem to be having problems with the thermostat.

I have a heatpad under the tank, linked to a Microclimate ministat 100 and a digital thermometer. The thermometer reads from the same place as the ministat (ends cable tied trying to get a better/closer reading) and also takes a reading from the furthest corner in the tank (coolest).
The ministat is set at 30c but the thermometer goes up and down between 26.5 and 29.5 over about a 7 minute period.
Is this normal being that the thermostat sensor is much smaller in diameter or do i have a problem?

I have tried kidding the wife that we need to take him to our bedroom tonight so i can keep an eye on him but i didnt win.

Look forward to chatting and reading on the forums

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year to all

Thanks
Sean

hello and welcome

your temperature fluctuations are down to the type of thermostat your using mate

mini stats or mat stats are on off stats,this means when it reaches the desired temperature it switches off.the mat usually continues to build up 1 or 2 degrees heat,after the stat swiches off.

it does not switch itself back on until 1 degree below your desired/set temperature

this causes the tank to have temperature fluctuations anything from 3 to 5 degrees,sometimes a little more

your best using a dimming stat or pulse stat.they are a little more expensive,but they will keep the tank at the exact temps you set it up for.

pulse and dimming stats have less than half a degree of temperature fluctuation

re pulse stats
they give continues pulses of power,once the desired temp is reached it gives of very short pulses of power to remain at the set temp.it gives off longer pulses of power when heating up to the set temp

re dimming stats
they cut down the power and once the desired temperature is reached,it gives out a constant little amount of power.when heating up the tank the dimmer gives a constant full power to the tank,then cuts back a little at a time towards the set temp being reached

pulse stats CANNOT be used on LIGHT emmiting heat sources,as it flashes the light on and off once temps are reached

dimming stats can be used on LIGHT emmiting and NON LIGHT emmiting bulbs,they just dim the light bit by bit,until the set temp is reached .then it will keep power going at a reduced level and the light emmiting bulb will have dimmed right down

both these types of thermostat are very accurate and very consistant,they cost roughly £30 to £45 depending on where you buy them

cheers shaun
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Last edited by shaunyboy; 12-28-11 at 08:11 PM..
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Old 12-28-11, 08:02 PM   #12
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Welcome!
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Old 12-28-11, 10:10 PM   #13
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Welcome to the forum, Sean
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Old 12-28-11, 10:59 PM   #14
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Welcome we would love to see some pictures of your little guy and his temporary tank.
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Old 12-29-11, 03:35 AM   #15
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Re: Hello from the South East of England

Thanks for all the help and hello's...

My daughter was in tears this morning, no the snake is fine but living up to his name as he was hidden in the bedding at the back of the tank having a snooze. Bless her she is eleven and so sensitive

I will be popping in to the shop this morning to have a chat with them to see what they use etc.

Have a good day.
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