Looking for new snake - Page 2

dannybgoode · 09-12-16, 01:02 AM

Do you have a thermostat? Apologies you may have said already but I can't see if you have.

JellyBean · 09-12-16, 05:57 AM

Under tank heater is best, because heat lamps dry your tank out

If you use a full sheet of acrylic, just drill some small (!) holes on each side, keeping things sealed but still giving your baby some air.

Next week we are getting a Fogger. We will use it with the plexiglass top... Once set up, I will be posting lots of pics and reviews so you can follow our success

If your new snake is a baby, it's ok to use newspaper at first. Use a larger, shallow bowl for water. Put it on the heated side to help with humidity. (You can always have another one on the cool side). And make sure to mist your tank regularly.

Hope that helps

dannybgoode · 09-12-16, 06:41 AM

@jellybean. Simply not the case re: radiant heat sources v uth's. Been done to death but it's now generally agreed that radiant is better.

Further for heavy bodied snakes it's questionable whether uth's should be used (I'm in they should not be camp) because they do not sufficiently raiser ambient air temps to satisfactorily raise the temp of a large snake's body mass. Note this last point is open to debate and I know some agree and others don't.

I use CHE's for both my boa and lizard (and so do for my carpet when he's in a proper viv) and have no issues maintaining humidity. Indeed a uth would essentially be useless for the lizard as it wouldn't get the basking spot warm enough.

JellyBean · 09-12-16, 06:51 AM

Danny: Thanks, I'm completely open to learn... most of this info I got from this forum specifically for BRB's... So back to research for me

Sorry if I am giving incorrect info. I want what's best for my baby too

Maybe cliff from living gems can chime in to help? (No offense to you Danny, as you said, you don't keep a rainbow)

dannybgoode · 09-12-16, 07:01 AM

No offence taken at all. It's good to debate these things and heating is one area that is still very much open to different view points and of course someone like Cliff has way more experience than I.

Under tank isn't necessarily bad, just not as good if that makes sense

Plaxito · 09-12-16, 07:52 AM

I will buy a heat lamp and let you guys know how that works out.

Plaxito · 09-12-16, 09:23 AM

Anything else I should add to the order before I place it?

**Andy_G** · 09-12-16, 10:08 AM

Lights will dry out an enclosure, CHE much less so, RHP and UTH the least amount. I don't think those things in particular are debatable...but everything else kind of is as Danny said.

Plaxito · 09-12-16, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy_G

Lights will dry out an enclosure, CHE much less so, RHP and UTH the least amount. I don't think those things in particular are debatable...but everything else kind of is as Danny said.

So you would recommend against the light and just keep the UTH instead?
Right now the substrate is noticeably warmer on the hot side (83-85 degrees), however the air temperature is the same throughout the tank (75) Also, should I fully cover the top of the tank with an acrylic sheet and drill holes into it, or should I buy a mesh lid and cover 3/4 of that with the acrylic sheet

SnakeyJay · 09-12-16, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaxito

So you would recommend against the light and just keep the UTH instead?
Right now the substrate is noticeably warmer on the hot side (83-85 degrees), however the air temperature is the same throughout the tank (75) Also, should I fully cover the top of the tank with an acrylic sheet and drill holes into it, or should I buy a mesh lid and cover 3/4 of that with the acrylic sheet

Heat mats work well when your snakes are in a room that's heated year round so the ambient temp is already there and the mat is just supplying a hotspot.

What I suspect is happening is that the ambient temps of your house are changing/fluctuating all your temps in the enclosure as the heat mat will not do anything except heat what's directly above them to provide a "hotspot"...
So your hot end temp will be fine but everything else will be changing as your room temp changes.

You can either use the mat and get an oil filled radiator to heat the room that they're kept in, or use a heating device in your Viv that provides ambient air temp aswell as a basking spot... (Personally I'd go with a low wattage Ceramic bulb/CHE)....

That's what I do for my female sasha.... I'll post a pic of her now to give you an idea of adult size female.

SnakeyJay · 09-12-16, 11:35 AM

Ignore the ugly git holding her, definitely not photogenic like she is

**Andy_G** · 09-12-16, 11:40 AM

As Jamie mentioned, it's entirely dependent upon whether you can maintain ambient temps with your setup. It's been a good decade (plus probably a year or two) since I have used a traditional tank so I can't really suggest much in that regard.

Plaxito · 09-12-16, 01:09 PM

Wow. Beautiful snake.

My room rests between 78-82 degrees during the day and 75-79 at night. How long is she?
I am hoping that my male gets to a decent size. I heard that females typically get larger than males.

JellyBean · 09-12-16, 02:00 PM

It's true, males are usually smaller than the females.

Keep doing what you are doing... Researching and being open to change as you learn. (I am taking my own advise too)

Once armed with info from all these different sources, you'll find what works best for you and your snake

*Jay, she is stunning!!

Snakesitter · 09-12-16, 02:16 PM

Heya folks, weighing in as requested.

A few points....

One, fish tanks are indeed not the best choice for rainbows. As noted above, they hold neither heat nor humidity well. If you do use one, go with the recommended plexi cover sheet (with a *few* small holes drilled in) and consider insulating a few sides (but be careful, as this can also cause temp spikes).

Two, aim for a warm end of 82F. This allows you a few degrees of "safety" before that worrisome 85F level. For the broader room, try and keep it under 80F...72F is best though, as this gives the snake a nice thermal gradient.

Three, for heating, avoid a lamp at all costs...they do indeed kill humidity levels. I prefer underbelly, then radiant, and pretty much nothing else (rainbows are not heavy-bodied, so underbelly is fine). Pair it with a *good* thermostat for safety. Cheap ones eventually fail.

Four, for substrate, pick something that retains humidity and resists mold. Ecoearth is fine but tends to get everywhere. Other good options include orchid bark and coco husk. For new arrivals, paper towel works well...newspaper disintegrates too fast in small wet vivs.

Five, use as large and flat of a water bowl as you can to maximize surface area and therefore evaporation.

I'd recommend posting future questions like this in the rainbow area, as otherwise the specialists here may miss them. A friend of yours tipped me off this time. ;-)

Good luck, and keep us posted!