Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[jpgtir]

Hi all, looking to become a helpful member (eventually )

Bought a 10 month old western hognose, picking him up on wednesday.

I bought and set up the viv on saturday and am ensuring it all works properly before i introduce the little fella.
The viv is 24" wide, with the heat mat covering over half (nearly two thirds). This due to advice from the shop owner.

First - I'm worried that there is too much heat mat, as with the water bowl in the cool bit along with a bit of hide there is not much room left for general movement in the cool side. I would also like to get a moist hide, but would this be ok in the warm side?

Second; i've read that the warm side should be approx. 28*C, which i have set the habistat to. But the heat mat probably gets to around 30 because the thermostat sensor is on the substrate (which is at 2, BUT the air temp reads nowhere near this. Is this ok, (i think it might be due to the snake always being on/in the substrate).


Any help would be very much appreciated.

P.S. Sorry for the extremely long thread

[jpgtir]

Also, the snake had corn for substrate in the shop. it seems absolutely fine on this, and the shop owner also advised this.

BUT, i have read on a few occaisions that corn is bad as it is ingested when feeding and absorbs water.

What are peoples opinions on this?

many thanks

[Scott W]

28c to 30c for the suface temp of the warm end should be fine, I would suggest that it should be the other way round with regards to coverage i.e. 1 third heat pad 2 thirds no heat pad.

As for the 'corn' substrate, I guess it's corn cob chips? If so, I have used it for many (100's) reptiles including hognoses. I have never had a problem with a reptile ingesting it and dying. It does however go mouldy if wet.

Also make sure you dry off any defrosted food before feeding, that way less substrate will stick to it and always keep fresh water in the viv.
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Please DO NOT pm orders for reptiles, send email instead scott@captivebred.co.uk

[jpgtir]

cool, i'm glad about the temp being surface and not air.
also relieved about the corn chips.

i'm a little concerned about the heat mat scenario, i'll call them tomorrow and maybe pick up a smaller heat mat.

good suggestion about drying the food, it makes sense.

cheers scott

jay

[Pendlehog]

Congrats on your new hoggy (very good choice - I have a few myself!)
Personally I wouldn't use corn cob, it does get mouldy pretty easily and I've never been very keen on it. I keep my hoggies on aspen, but they also enjoy eco earth for burrowing.
Make sure you offer a deep layer of substrate as these guys love to dig!

If you do this, you may find you need to put the heatmat on the side of the viv, as the heat can't travel up through a thick layer of substrate very easily.

This is the way I keep mine - that is not to say its the best/perfect way, but I hope I've been of some help!
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-Hannah-

[Dan]

Incidentally whether you put the heatmat on the side, top, bottom or back is far less important than making sure it is NOT in the viv. Not saying yours is in the viv, just thought i would say it anyway.
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TFA

The future is bright, the future is a net like pattern.................

I'm NOT an expert, so if you don't want to know my opinion don't ask!!

[Stuart]

If the viv is wooden the heat mat will be useless outside the viv..

[jpgtir]

thats what i thought. if under the viv, the wood soaks up all the heat making it useless. i have put a fair depth of substrate down, while still allowing some heat to reach.

i think i'll see how he feels on what i've done so far, if any probs i'll have to change a couple of things.

anyway, tomorrow's the big day. i'm really looking forward to it.

cheers for the help guys and girls, i'll report back with some pics.

j

[Dan]

Thats rubbish Stu.

If the heat isnt getting through the wood then insulate the mat.

A bit of effort with placing a mat safely and properly is better and cheaper in the long run than paying vet fees.

You guard every other form of heat source so why not mats? Especially when you are talking about a species that likes to burrow.

Plenty of people have used mats inside vivs for years (myself included) but i would rather spend an extra £4 (sheet of polystyrene from B&Q) and put in a little bit more effort than have to deal with a burned reptile. If you can avoid becoming a statistic then surely it is the better thing to do?
_________________
TFA

The future is bright, the future is a net like pattern.................

I'm NOT an expert, so if you don't want to know my opinion don't ask!!

[Stuart]

No Dan its not rubbish...Heat mats arent designed to penetrate wood!!.In my limited eperience I have tried placing wooden vivs on top of mats with polystyrene to insulate but found they didnt generate enough heat inside the viv..