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Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred
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Crunchie
Key Member
Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Posts: 252
Location: Falkirk, Scotland
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 Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:34 pm Post subject: setting up a ceramic from scratch for boa |
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Right since browsing about I think my hog island boa would prefer a ceramic in his tank rather than a heat mat but I've never used these before and am unsure what I need to set it up. I have a pulse stat which I'm using with the heat mat at the moment but I can see it's not ideal.
Will a 150watt ceramic be best or will I get away with a 100? The tank is 48(l)x18(d)x20(h). What else do I need along with the heater though, I'm looking on livefoods just now and it all looks very confusing, I've just no idea what I need! |
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The Medusan
Key Member
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 233
Location: Portugal
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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| For what it's worth I would strongly advise against going the ceramic route - I've never had anything other than problems with their reliability and it's so easy for the snake to burn itself unwittingly. |
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Sharpman
Key Member
Joined: 21 Jan 2007
Posts: 227
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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| The Medusan wrote: | | For what it's worth I would strongly advise against going the ceramic route - I've never had anything other than problems with their reliability and it's so easy for the snake to burn itself unwittingly. |
well i have to disagree there , i have no idea where you get your ceramics from ,but i have about 22 vivs set up with ceramics for my boas some have been running only 6 months while others have been running about 6 or 7 years and as of yet i havnt had any problems with any of them , and im also planning to set alot more vivs up like that
Boas seem to do better with ceramics as they warm the air much better that heat mats , i once got electrocuted after one of my boas pooped on its heatmat and shorted it out ( luckily is wasnt major ) since that day ive refused to use heat mats in vivs , i will only used them in racking systems
all you need to set up a ceramic is , a pulse stat ( they seem to work best ) the ceramic itself , the ceramic holder and most importantly a ceramic GUARD ( then it cannot burn itself ) , i cant really tell you weather a 100w or 150w would be better as it depends on how warm the room is that the viv is kept in , i would think a 100w will be ok though
you will have to experiment with the position of the ceramic , i generally find it best when it about a third from one end and 2 thirds from the other |
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The Medusan
Key Member
Joined: 22 Sep 2007
Posts: 233
Location: Portugal
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| Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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Oh well, one man's poison ...  I used to use the Microclimate models (350 w and 500 w) which were self-contained in their own housing. Out of 32 units I had 8 failures over a 5 year period. And I lost a Blackhead python who managed to burn herself very badly just by resting right up against the unit.
Cheers, Dave |
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Crunchie
Key Member
Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Posts: 252
Location: Falkirk, Scotland
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| Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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At the minute I have a heat mat protected by tiles in the viv but I just get the impression this isn't the ideal for el hisspy-puff.
So if I buy a 100 watt ceramic I just need a holder for it, what kind of holder would people recommend? Also do I need my own cables and such to connect them all with?  |
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Sharpman
Key Member
Joined: 21 Jan 2007
Posts: 227
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:08 am Post subject: |
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| The Medusan wrote: | Oh well, one man's poison ... I used to use the Microclimate models (350 w and 500 w) which were self-contained in their own housing. Out of 32 units I had 8 failures over a 5 year period. And I lost a Blackhead python who managed to burn herself very badly just by resting right up against the unit.
Cheers, Dave |
are the the AHS units , i have 4 of these on the go and had them a couple of years with no probs , but dont like them as much as thenormal ceramics |
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Sharpman
Key Member
Joined: 21 Jan 2007
Posts: 227
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:11 am Post subject: |
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| Crunchie wrote: | At the minute I have a heat mat protected by tiles in the viv but I just get the impression this isn't the ideal for el hisspy-puff.
So if I buy a 100 watt ceramic I just need a holder for it, what kind of holder would people recommend? Also do I need my own cables and such to connect them all with? |
you should be able to get a holder and guard for it where you get the ceramic from , you will need some heat proof cable to connect the ceramic holder one end and a plug the other , you should be able to buy the cable by the meter from either an electrical store or a DIY store like B&Q or Homebase |
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Crunchie
Key Member
Joined: 26 Mar 2006
Posts: 252
Location: Falkirk, Scotland
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:47 am Post subject: |
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This is starting to sound complicated but I will go across to Homebase tomorrow night perhaps and buy the plug and wire.
So say I got this ceramic at 150watts just in case (my room is normally reasonably warm but we do live in Scotland).
This one here...
or is this one better?
Are there maybe better ones elsewhere?
Problem is I'm not sure what fitting would go with this...
The fittings
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Bazzer
Key Member
Joined: 05 Oct 2007
Posts: 313
Location: Horsham, West Sussex
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:10 am Post subject: |
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I think there are pros and cons for all heat sources.
HEAT MATS
My snakes are in tubs at the moment and the heat mats work ideally with them, however when the Boa gets bigger i'm gonna have to rethink how I house them. As I ideally just want one male and one female, i am seriously thinking along the lines of vivariums so I can put them on a nice display.
If I use heat mats inside the viv, I will most likely use them with a piece of perspex over the top. However, like its been said, they don't provide enough heat for an ambient air temp, but as long as they have a warm spot, this isn't too much of a concern.
CERAMICS
Personally, i've never tried the ceramic light fitting ones. I don't intend to either. I think the object is easy for snakes to wrap around. If a guard is fitted, I think you run the risk of this coming off if the snake decides to start messing with it. The reptile ceramic heat plates i have used and personally I like them. They lay flat on the ceiling, cover a wider area, and the edges of it don't get too hot. The actual surface area does get warm, but i've never seen a snake trying to lay flat in the air on the ceiling. Controlled with a pulse stat controls the amount of heat being output, so once the viv is upto temp, not too much heat is kicked out. Ideally, i would like to use a reptile heat plate for ambient temp and a heat mat as a basking spot. IMO only though.
Hopefully the vivarium builders out there will realise that the customer wants the best of both worlds and start producing vivariums with a nice floor, where heat mats can be slid in place, without the owner worrying about them. Like a thin slot where you slide them in or something.
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"When i'm a big boy I wanna avatar like Johonny. lmao and rofl" |
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Rad
Captivebred Communist
Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 1312
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:33 am Post subject: |
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If it is ceramic you want, this has worked for me for a long time with no burns are mis-haps.
A 150watt cermic lamp fitted to ceramic lamp holder wired using heat cable fitted to a plug with a 3amp fuse. And all enclosed within a heat guard.
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