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anyone keep their rhacs in a 18x18x24 exo terra? pic request
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scrambled legs
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Joined: 23 Apr 2008
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Location: suffolk

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:03 pm    Post subject: anyone keep their rhacs in a 18x18x24 exo terra? pic request Reply with quote

hi all,

does anyone use the exo terra vivs mentioned above?

could i be cheeky and ask if people could say how they heat them with possible pics involved.

as said in an earlier thread, my house is very cold as its a listed building and in the evenings including summer the rooms get cold.

the bulb for my crestie viv is thermostaticly controlled but the bulb isn't man enough to provide the gentle heat required as i can only use a 25W. its hot around the bulb but colder (borderline too cold) nearer the bottom of the viv which i'm not happy about.

i use an exo terra top canopy which can only use a max of a 26w bulb. even though i'm complying with the requirements, this top canopy is getting so hot on top and at some point i see it melting.

a new form of heat is required i feel but just out of interest, what do people use for their exo terra? bulbs, holders, all info including pics are welcome.

thanks

Neil.

i
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Scott W
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi Neil,

I will be switching to exo terras very soon, my plan for heating is basically attaching a heat strip to the top rear glass wall at the back. This will be against an area that the geckos can hide in so they can get the heat while still be hidden.

I will set it to provide a basking surface temp of around 88f-90f BUT I will ensure the actual room temp and ambient temps are no more than 80f (this will be via air con units).

Hope that helps.
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scrambled legs
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Joined: 23 Apr 2008
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Location: suffolk

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks scott,


sorry if i repeat myself in what i write, i think i'm making more of a fuss about this than i need to. but would like peace of mind.

at the moment i use the 25w red bulb at the top, this creates heat around the very top by the bulb, i have a mat on the right hand side of the viv for 'back up' , it goes to the same on/off thermostat as the light so the mat really helps get to the temp i want.

i don't really want to run both methods of heat in a cresty viv, i feel its a little extreme... i'd rather run just a single bulb if i can.

the mat won't heat anything more than a couple of inches in front of it leaving the rest of the viv cold but alternatively, the bulb is only hot near the very very top.

temps are ok now as it stands .. the cresties aren't suffering!

well this is my new idea.
if i use a clamped ceramic lamp pointing down on the back half, fitted with a basking red bulb. surely this would correct the heat problem. it would theoreticly heat all the way down and i can then use a dimming stat to maintain a good thermal gradient. The rate of temperature change with respect to distance would be at a level of my satisfaction.

does anyone do this?

i think i might have confused you all!

Neil.
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negri
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 7:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is it a bulb you want?

Could you not just use a heatmat on the back wall of your tank?
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joffy666
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use a infrared bulb above my exo terra on a thermostat. Keeps the temps around 75F on cooler days, but this time of year doesn't need to be on at all.
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reptileparadise
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't use exoterra, but since its going about the temps..
I've noticed that my cilliatus are doing much and much better since I'm keeping them a tad warmer.
I used to keep them at room temp (16 celcius at night to 24 during the day) but I recently switched to 18 at night and 26 sometimes 27 during the day.
Now all things are going like they should. Eggs every 4 weeks, 10 to 15 crickets per animal per week, loads of babyfood...
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whiteraven666
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This threads got me abit worried now. Ive kept my 2 adlut male cresties at room temperature mine is 75-80 degrees Farenheit. They are in exoterras. I was told by the guy i got them from and read in books that they dont like it too hot and 85-90s are uncomfortable for them.

Do you guys thank i should get a heat mat/strip for the vivs or do you think theyre fine as they are?

Sorry to hijack for a second. I will post you some pickys of my exoterras tonight
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scrambled legs
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for the replies.

most info sheets and books about all reptiles conflict in some way or another i've always found. one crestie book i've got mentions NOTHING about temperature at all!! Mad

i have 8 tortoises and i've learned by experience with them that if i upped all their standard textbook temps everso slightly, they are so much more active, their appetites are even greedier and growth and weights are spot on. they truly are happy little things. (don't i just sound like their dad Confused )

so about the crestie temps, is warmer better?

or do they actually like to be cool?

if the climate of new calidonia averages about 25c during the day, then surely to mimick that would be a good idea?

like i said , i'd rather use a bulb for heat from above instead of a mat heating them from their underneath.

negri, i don't feel confident that a heat mat would heat the whole viv at all. sure it would reach the basking temp i want on the surface its stuck to but a mat alone fails to warm my glass viv.

i'll put my bulb idea into plan at the weekend then i'll report back to yer all.

take care.

Neil.
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1.2.0. Geochelone pardalis
0.0.1. Testudo marginata
0.1.3. Kinixys homeana
crested geckos, rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, cat, jackapoo, poodle, a gazillion fish.
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Scott W
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

whiteraven666 wrote:
This threads got me abit worried now. Ive kept my 2 adlut male cresties at room temperature mine is 75-80 degrees Farenheit. They are in exoterras. I was told by the guy i got them from and read in books that they dont like it too hot and 85-90s are uncomfortable for them.

Do you guys thank i should get a heat mat/strip for the vivs or do you think theyre fine as they are?

Sorry to hijack for a second. I will post you some pickys of my exoterras tonight


If they are doing great then don't fix what isn't broke Wink

I try and provide a HOT basking spot of the 88-90f just in a very localised area and to ensure that I air condition the entire building to prevent the room and ambients temps getting to hot due the hot basking sites. 75 - 80 is a great background temperature.

I think that it really helps any animal for it to find a hot spot when it's 'feeling run down / possible infection', this allows them to fight it far better.
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Scott W
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PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Neil,

You can experiment a little, if it's hotter then sometimes go off food, this can also happen if too cold. It's hard to judge through a computer screen as there are a lot of variables that we won't know (position of viv, other nearby heat sources, sun coming in etc)

Just watch and read what they are telling you, always active and at the coolest place then lower your temps, always at the hottest place then it's too cold. Of course just remember 99% of animals would prefer to remain hidden and SAFE rather than warm and exposed so take that into account when setting them up (ie plenty of hide choices at all temp zones).
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