Liam Video Thread - New Enclosure

[Pirarucu]

You want to up the basking temperature a bit, 120 is a bit low. You want 130-150 degrees.

[AjaMichelle]

Originally Posted by simpleyork

looking good there.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

You want to up the basking temperature a bit, 120 is a bit low. You want 130-150 degrees.

Well the readings received on the temp gun are relative to the albedo, or reflectivity, of the material that makes up the basking platform. Had I chosen black or grey flagstone instead, my readings would be upwards of 200*F because the darker flagstone would absorb more, and thus reflect less, of the radiant heat. I chose this red flagstone specifically to achieve 120*F belly heat, as this is the standard ventral heat experienced by terrestrially basking reptiles on rock. The temperature readings taken from her back are 130*F to 140*F at this distance.

She also had several spots to choose from in her previous enclosure and her preference was always 120*F belly heat and 140*F on her back. So that's what I replicated here.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by AjaMichelle

Thanks!



Well the readings received on the temp gun are relative to the albedo, or reflectivity, of the material that makes up the basking platform. Had I chosen black or grey flagstone instead, my readings would be upwards of 200*F because the darker flagstone would absorb more, and thus reflect less, of the radiant heat. I chose this red flagstone specifically to achieve 120*F belly heat, as this is the standard ventral heat experienced by terrestrially basking reptiles on rock. The temperature readings taken from her back are 130*F to 140*F at this distance.

She also had several spots to choose from in her previous enclosure and her preference was always 120*F belly heat and 140*F on her back. So that's what I replicated here.

Impressive, I mean it.

[Pirarucu]

Originally Posted by AjaMichelle

Well the readings received on the temp gun are relative to the albedo, or reflectivity, of the material that makes up the basking platform. Had I chosen black or grey flagstone instead, my readings would be upwards of 200*F because the darker flagstone would absorb more, and thus reflect less, of the radiant heat. I chose this red flagstone specifically to achieve 120*F belly heat, as this is the standard ventral heat experienced by terrestrially basking reptiles on rock. The temperature readings taken from her back are 130*F to 140*F at this distance.

She also had several spots to choose from in her previous enclosure and her preference was always 120*F belly heat and 140*F on her back. So that's what I replicated here.

Very interesting, thank you for the input!

[AjaMichelle]

Originally Posted by infernalis

Impressive, I mean it.

Thanks Wayne! That means a lot!

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

Very interesting, thank you for the input!

Thank you for your input! If you see anything else that needs changed, please let me know!

[Pirarucu]

Nope, it all looks good to me. The only other thing is that you may want to secure some of those cork pieces and branches. Monitors seem to have a habit of hurting themselves if they can. If she burrows under something heavy or makes something fall on her, she could get injured. The cork on the basking area come to mind, though those are probably light enough that they wouldn't cause harm.

[infernalis]

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

Nope, it all looks good to me. The only other thing is that you may want to secure some of those cork pieces and branches. Monitors seem to have a habit of hurting themselves if they can. If she burrows under something heavy or makes something fall on her, she could get injured. The cork on the basking area come to mind, though those are probably light enough that they wouldn't cause harm.

Along those lines.. I put a huge flat rock in the bottom of my enclosure (it's under the platform) with this in mind, I cribbed it in place with treated 2x6 planks before I covered it all in dirt.

[Pirarucu]

Originally Posted by infernalis

Along those lines.. I put a huge flat rock in the bottom of my enclosure (it's under the platform) with this in mind, I cribbed it in place with treated 2x6 planks before I covered it all in dirt.

That is exactly what I have been thinking would be the best option for stuff like this.

[Gatorhunter1231]

Looking good. Very good observation with the temps. I also kicked my surface temps down some on my large monitors. My croc monitor could hit 170 on her back on a 120 basking area. Big difference when the lizard is only an inch thick to when they are 6in thick.

[Pirarucu]

I like where this thread is going. Oftentimes I have attempted to explain to people that it's the monitor's temp that really matters, and not so much the surface it's sitting on. This applies more in captivity than in the wild, as the difference in heat over a few inches is increased.

I was explaining to someone a few months ago that surface temperatures of 130+ are quite common in nature and will not fry their monitor. I informed them that if they were to gun a piece of stone or wood that has been out in the sun, it would be surprisingly hot.
Their return argument was that Savannah Monitors live in grassy savannas, where apparently there are no rocks or pieces of wood to bask on, so the monitor could not get to temps that hot. Sigh..

[AjaMichelle]

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

Nope, it all looks good to me. The only other thing is that you may want to secure some of those cork pieces and branches. Monitors seem to have a habit of hurting themselves if they can. If she burrows under something heavy or makes something fall on her, she could get injured. The cork on the basking area come to mind, though those are probably light enough that they wouldn't cause harm.

I definitely agree! The flagstone is siliconed to the shelf so she can't push it off, and any other pieces of stone I put on the shelves will also be in fixed positions. I put the cork bark around just to make it smell like home, and wasn't intending for the pieces to stay where they were. She's effectively moved them all lol Everything else is also fixed. She can't knock the branches over and there aren't any heavy rocks on the surface. She intentionally pushes the cork bark around too. It was a game in the last enclosure. She would wait until feeding time, every time.

Originally Posted by infernalis

Along those lines.. I put a huge flat rock in the bottom of my enclosure (it's under the platform) with this in mind, I cribbed it in place with treated 2x6 planks before I covered it all in dirt.

What is the flat rock for?

Originally Posted by Gatorhunter1231

Looking good. Very good observation with the temps. I also kicked my surface temps down some on my large monitors. My croc monitor could hit 170 on her back on a 120 basking area. Big difference when the lizard is only an inch thick to when they are 6in thick.

Thanks so much! I've definitely noticed she has an obvious preference. We've done branches with surface temps varying from 120*F to 140*F, cork bark, varying heights, plywood, and rocks of varying albedo. She had the choice in her last enclosure among a black piece of slate that was 140*F, a piece of granite that was 120*F, and a piece of cork that was 140*F. Her preference was the granite which was the same temp as her flagstone.

I'm going to try a piece of black slate on the next shelf down. The surface temp should be the same but her surface temp should be lower.

I may also need to include a radiant heat panel in the enclosure. I think I'm going to need the substrate to be a little warmer under the basking platform.

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

I like where this thread is going. Oftentimes I have attempted to explain to people that it's the monitor's temp that really matters, and not so much the surface it's sitting on. This applies more in captivity than in the wild, as the difference in heat over a few inches is increased.

I was explaining to someone a few months ago that surface temperatures of 130+ are quite common in nature and will not fry their monitor. I informed them that if they were to gun a piece of stone or wood that has been out in the sun, it would be surprisingly hot.

That is too true! I've been doing field surveys over the last few summers and the ground (dirt) reaches surface temps upwards of 130*F, while the wood and rocks stay much cooler. And terrestrially basking reptiles use it all!

Originally Posted by Pirarucu

Their return argument was that Savannah Monitors live in grassy savannas, where apparently there are no rocks or pieces of wood to bask on, so the monitor could not get to temps that hot. Sigh..

That must be in the same area where savannah monitors live in a dry grassy savannah and don't need high humidity.

[infernalis]

The flat rock WAS Chomper's basking platform, Now there is another platform over it, so it's a basking stack with a stone bottom layer.

The mass of the solid stone also retains heat for many hours after I turn off the basking lamps at night.

[AjaMichelle]

Wayne that's awesome!

[AjaMichelle]

More Videos!

Liam has overcome her fear of the door!









Climbing into my hand!

[Terranaut]

So how did you come up with "her" name. Liam is one of my sons name it's Irish Gaelic for William. Not your typical girl name.
I have to see the videos at home. Not working here at work