Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[Freyja]

First of all....I apologise if this question has been asked, and answered before...I tried looking through past threads, but couldn't find relevant info. I'm picking up my Royal later this week, and wanted to make sure everything heating-wise is going to be OK. I've got a wooden viv, with a heatmat inside, covering half of it. I've got a heat bulb at the warm end too.
Thing is, our house is pretty cold in winter, so I was wondering if I should have a heat mat over the whole length of the viv, set permanently to approx 73-75 degrees and have the heat bulb on in the warm end during the daytime, to bring the temp up to 90 degrees. Or would two separate heat mats be better, and have them set to different temps on a couple of thermostats? Keeping the cool end "warm" enough is going to be my problem.
How do you heat your vivs (in a cold house)?
Also, do I need UV lighting for a Royal?
Sorry if I appear to be a bit thick about this, but I don't want to be making any mistakes.
My two Corn snakes are in a similar viv -- warm end is about 85 degrees, cool end is 65-70 degrees (daytime) but drops below this overnight. Isn't that a bit cool for a Royal?
Or am I just getting paranoid??

Hope you can help me.
_________________
)O( Freyja. /|\

1.0.0 Anery Corn. 1.0.0 Amel Corn. 1.0.0 striped Snow Corn. 1.1.0 Royal Pythons. 0.4.0 loony cats. 1.0.0 Husband.

[mike h]

Hello

Please be aware my reply is only my opinion and what works for me.
It would help if you said what size/age royal and what size including height viv you have.

1: forget uv, for that matter forget about lights fullstop...
I dont like unguarded bulbs, ceramics as the animal can easily burn itself, so if you use bulbs etc use a heatgaurd.

2: Also all heat sources need to be fixed to a thermostat.

3: you need an unheated area at least half/ two thirds in case the thermostats stick on, this stops your animal from dieing.
4: a heat mat covering approx one third of the bottom is fine so long as it cannot end up with water on it, usually it is recommended that they are under the tank, if plastic or glass, don't really know about wood vivs, trial and error. If you have hides on both the warm and cool side the snake can choose.

5: Royals need high humidity with a dry substrate and like small tanks.

i have the heat-mat underneath the box set to approx 88 surface temp outside the hide and works well for me.
In the pic all showing one of my albino royal python morphs the elements are there, hide, water, moss for humidity, I sprsy lightly daily as well, small tank and this simply sits about one third on top of a heatmat attached to thermostat, Of course there is a lid and a few air holes drilled, I am sure more people will give details of how to set viv up, better than me, but the same basic principles apply.
I dont worry about ambient temps at all so long as heatmat set properly.
hope gives ideas
mike

www.albinoroyalpythons.co.uk
_________________
Check out my albino royal python website!

[Freyja]

My viv is 3ft x 20" x 15". I'm getting a Royal who is 4 months old. (We can get a slightly taller viv if needed, when she gets a bit bigger).
The set up we have for the Corns is as you describe. They are also in a 3ft (but slightly taller) wooden viv, with the heatmat inside (It's covered with a thin layer of waterproof mat (taped down), with no heat light. We always use a thermostat.
I was just worried that the cool end would get too cool for a Royal, if we used the same set up as this.
_________________
)O( Freyja. /|\

1.0.0 Anery Corn. 1.0.0 Amel Corn. 1.0.0 striped Snow Corn. 1.1.0 Royal Pythons. 0.4.0 loony cats. 1.0.0 Husband.

[mike h]

hi
the size tank for the royal is probably way too big. i keep a 300grm royal in an 18ltr realy usefull box, approx 15 x 10 inch floor space and 8 inches high, my 2k adults are only in a box 33 x 18 x 8 inches high simply put on top of heatmat.
But some of the het babies I bred this year and sold have gone into 3 foot glass tanks and are feeding brill, but htese where fantastic feeders from day one and obviously because I bred them captivebred,
Just make the sure the royal you are getting is feeding easily on defrost,
If not dont buy it, If from a shop get them to show you it feeding, if they wont dont buy it.

mike
_________________
Check out my albino royal python website!

[Freyja]

"Our" Royal is already in a 3ft tank in the shop. I know the woman who is looking after her, and have seen her feeding/shedding records. We've seen her feed twice on defrosted hoppers.
_________________
)O( Freyja. /|\

1.0.0 Anery Corn. 1.0.0 Amel Corn. 1.0.0 striped Snow Corn. 1.1.0 Royal Pythons. 0.4.0 loony cats. 1.0.0 Husband.

[Lynne]

i would tend to agree with mike here. i put my first royal in a 3 foot viv. he stopped eating. the space was just way too big, even although i covered it in hides etc to cover most of it. mine are all in tubs now, but it took 5 months in a tub, then a move to an even smaller tub for this first royal to begin eating. i would put him in a tub or a smaller viv. also if i could suggest, ask for some of the substrate she has been on and put it in the new viv. the smell will associate her with the viv she has been living in. i usually ask for the tubs they have been living in and just pay the seller for the tub as well as the snake.
_________________

[Freyja]

I think I'll put her in a smaller viv to begin with. It won't do her any harm, and will probably help her settle in better. I'll get some of the substrate she's been living on too.
Many thanks for all advice.
_________________
)O( Freyja. /|\

1.0.0 Anery Corn. 1.0.0 Amel Corn. 1.0.0 striped Snow Corn. 1.1.0 Royal Pythons. 0.4.0 loony cats. 1.0.0 Husband.

[Lynne]

you would be surprised at the small amount of space a royal prefers. even in the smaller viv pack it well with hides and plants etc, to make it look smaller. good luck with your new baby, and show us pics as soon as you can.
_________________

[Freyja]

Thank you. I'll get some pics up when we've got her.
_________________
)O( Freyja. /|\

1.0.0 Anery Corn. 1.0.0 Amel Corn. 1.0.0 striped Snow Corn. 1.1.0 Royal Pythons. 0.4.0 loony cats. 1.0.0 Husband.

[James]

Ive got mine in a 2.5'x1'x20" wooden viv, with a heat mat covering about half the floor connected to a pulse stat and i get correct temperatures and my royal has been eating fine and shes probably abit smaller then the one your getting. I have got alot of hides in there one at each end and one in the middle with fake plants so there isn't actually that much space once you've added a water bowl as well. hope this helps.

also if your worried about not getting the correct temperatures you could always set up the viv now and check your temps before you get him/her.