Do I need a thermostat? And what temp should it be?

[ukdeveloper]

WOW, i asked another question and got replies within minutes! Now thats what i call a forum LOL.

I have another question:

I have a set up which looks like this for our cali corn hatchling:



This tub is sitting on top of our gecko viv and the top seems cool.

Im wondering if i need a thermostat of some kind in the corns box as im not sure if its too hot or too cold for him. Last night the corn was wrapped up in the top left corner over the heat source but today has been buried in its substrate all day.

Any advice would be good.

Also the gecko viv has a light in his tank (under the heatmat shown above although its not a heat lamp just a small red bulb) which does come on once every hour for 15-20 mins just to boost warmth and the corn seemed to move away from the heat mat when the light came on, so i think the corn can feel warmth from the gockos light bulb underneath.

Im a bit worried that he might be getting uncomfortable and dont know what signs to look out for. Thats why i was wondering if i should invest in a thermostat.

Carl.

[Meko]

yep you do need one...

if you have a look in the snakes section there's a sticky on thermostats and the heat unstatted mats can rise to.

[georgieabc123]

yep you defnatly need one and maybe a bit more heat mat in ther it should be half of the incloser sorry i didnt see i think he needs a biiger home so he can have a hot hid and a cool one

[Meko]

when you get the thermostat you could do with moving the tub further over as well so there's more of it covering the heat mat.

if you look at your picture, when your corn is in its hide its not on the heat mat so it can either feel safe and secure in it's hide or behind its hide and warm..
the heat mat should heat approximately half of the 'viv' but looking at the pic i'm guessing its an 11x6 heatmat and only 3 inches of the tub is getting any heat from it.

[ukdeveloper]

Originally Posted by Meko

when you get the thermostat you could do with moving the tub further over as well so there's more of it covering the heat mat.

if you look at your picture, when your corn is in its hide its not on the heat mat so it can either feel safe and secure in it's hide or behind its hide and warm..
the heat mat should heat approximately half of the 'viv' but looking at the pic i'm guessing its an 11x6 heatmat and only 3 inches of the tub is getting any heat from it.

So would you suggest a slightly bigger enclosure? and should the hide be cool or warm? or if i get a bigger enclosure should I get two hides?

Also what should the temp be at the WARM end?

Thanks everyone.

Carl.

[Paul B]

I keep my babies between 85 and 90 hot end. 75 cool end. with hides in both ends.
heat mats can get to welll over 100 so yes you need a stat. plus in the summer the temps will rocket in the box if the mat is not statted.
You will cook the snake.

[freekygeeky]

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/snake...hermostat.html

[ukdeveloper]

This is really confusing but im so happy to be getting responses. What propmpted me to post this in the first place was, before I read the thermostat sticky, i rang 2 reptile pet shops who both said a stat was unnecessary.

The 2nd shop i spoke to said something like:

"its probably a 12 x 6 heat mat, which is only 11 watts so wouldnt even register on a thermostat so it wont work anyway"

so im confused and may get one just to be on the safe side. Why would a pet shop not give the correct advice?

Which one should I get too?
Carl.

[angela__k__84]

Any stat is fine, habistat or microclimate, but regardless of what the shop says you do need one.
Also....cali corn? Do you mean carolina corn? Or cali king? There is no cali corn.
As for the heat mat not registering on the stat - that has got to be one of the worst pieces of advice I have ever heard. Stats start in the high sixties and go to the high nineties if your mat won't register on the stat then it is not providing your snake with any heat. Pet shops frequently give out incorrect advice.

[angela__k__84]

Also once you get your stat feel free to PM me on how to set it up. Sometimes they are not completely accurate. You set it to 88f and end up getting 98f. There is a trick to it. If you like I can send you a step by step.
You will need a good quality digital thermometer too if you don't have one.
Even aquarium thermometers work too