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Bob
Snake mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
 Posted - 02/12/2010 : 13:30:46
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| Hi, since I've had Flash (my BRB) he never seems to go up the warm end of his viv. The heat range is from 28/9 down to 20/1 at the cool end. I've got 4 hides in there all spread from one end to the other, with a damp hide in the middle. I often see him out exploring but never at the warm end. I use a red heat bulb as source. is it to warm for him? Humidity is between 70 and 80% depending on when I mist it. |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2010 : 18:07:00
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Hmm. Let me throw several possibilities out.
For climate, overall your settings sound perfect. I'd just notch the low end up a touch, from 20-21 to 21-22 (which keeps it in the 70s F).
For heat source, I'm always wary of bulbs in Brazilian setups, as they require extra safety gear (so the snake can't touch them), lower humidity (dry the air), and cast light (even red ones, apparently: I used red bulbs myself for night viewing the first few months I had BRBs, on the theory I could see them but they could not see me, and they saw me *every* time). You might consider either an undertank heating element or a radiant heat panel. If the bulb is at the hot end, this might also explain things: he's not avoiding the heat, but the light. (Or, maybe I just had low-quality red bulbs, lol.)
For hides, four is a lot. Especially if only one is moist. You might try dropping it to only two: a moist one at the warm end, and an identical moist one at the cool end. That removes moisture from his decision, which means he'll choose just on temps. Make sure they are the same size/moss amount, too, as that can make a difference.
Are there any other differences between the two ends? External light? Room traffic? Noise?
I hope this helps! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
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oakleyman18
Hatchling
United Kingdom
269 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2010 : 21:08:56
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I'd like to jump in on the action here too! Cliff, how on earth do you manage to keep temps up with only an underside mounted heat mat? Before I got Jade, i was running tests for a week, and with the mat on full the ambient wouldnt go above 24C... Any way I can save humidity would be awesome, so if you can suggest something I'd be listening with MASSIVE bunny like ears to whatever you have to say!
Back to the topic on hand- Good advice there. Eliminate things outta the equations. I've found that sometimes my BRB will go for the closest hide around, and then wait until night to go and explore and see which one she likes.
Infra-red bulbs - I'm trialling one at the moment and Jade can't see me at all! I watch her from bed sometimes (yes i know that sounds a tad creepy...) and she has no idea I'm there. I'm using an Exo-terra 150W, so I dont know which one you tried Cliff! There's only just enough light to clearly see her and the surroundings, so it's not like a sun going all "end-of-the-world" on my ass!
Oscar |
Oscar Morrell
0.1.0. Brazilian Rainbow Boa CB'10 "Jade"
1.0.0. Normal Cornsnake CB'00 "Camo" _RIP_
0.1.0. Normal Stripe, het Hypo, Amel, Lavender Cornsnake CB'11 "Amber"
0.0.1. Spider in the bathroom |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2010 : 21:33:50
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Temps: my apartment is supernaturally warm. Like, Seventh Level of Hell warm. Even at high 30s outside (degrees F), it rarely gets below 70 inside. So cooling is much more of a concern to me than heating. That said, heat mats come in various strengths, usually 1x, 1.5x, and 2x. You can up the mat strength to up the heat, as opposed to raising the temp on a lower-power unit.
Humidity: your best options are a large flat water bowl (to maximize evaporation) and a substrate that can retain humidity. For the mat, place it on the warm end to boost evaporation. For the substratem, there are many options, from paper towel on up. Use a moist, moss-packed hide as a backup solution; if cage humidity temporarily gets too low, the animal always has this to fall back on. You can supplement these with occasional misting via spray bottle. Some people use ultrasonic misters, but as a keeper of multiple animals I'm not a huge fan: you have to be there and watching to use them (as they can scare and maybe hurt the snake), so my feeling is that you might as well save the $30 per cage and use a mist bottle.
Bulbs: try an experiment, if you would be so kind. Wait until she's out moving about in the dark, being watched via red lighting, and then noticably move within her field of vision. Does she freeze? |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
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oakleyman18
Hatchling
United Kingdom
269 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2010 : 21:47:29
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I shall test it tonight!! She definitely freezes when she sees me come into her field of vision usually, is their standard response to movement? She's VERY wary of sudden movement in her peripheral vision - she gets all bitey. TOUCH WOOD i haven't been tagged yet! :)
Will get back to you tomorrow morning when i find out! |
Oscar Morrell
0.1.0. Brazilian Rainbow Boa CB'10 "Jade"
1.0.0. Normal Cornsnake CB'00 "Camo" _RIP_
0.1.0. Normal Stripe, het Hypo, Amel, Lavender Cornsnake CB'11 "Amber"
0.0.1. Spider in the bathroom |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2010 : 23:12:08
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| Mine always freeze. Unless they've already seen me, in which case they may start to move again after they decide I'm not about to eat them. I've found they are nippiest when out of their cage "exploring," are currently frozen, and do not feel like being "recaptured." ;-) |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
Premium Brazilian Rainbow Boas from a disease-tested facility
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Bob
Snake mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 14:38:46
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| Thanks for the advice I'll try moving things about a bit and see how that goes. As for the light that doesn't bother him at all. He will come out and explore with it on or off and if I'm in the room or not. |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 16:46:41
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| Really? You have a very brave young Brazilian then! |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
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Bob
Snake mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 19:20:41
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| Ye must admit I thought it was a bit strange but he's just not bothered. Especially early in the morning 5 or 6 ish |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 03/12/2010 : 22:05:27
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| That's a pretty normal time for Brazilians to be up and about exploring. Kind of like a last stretch before bed. ;-) |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
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hiper2009
Banned
United Kingdom
845 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 13:42:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Snakesitter
That's a pretty normal time for Brazilians to be up and about exploring. Kind of like a last stretch before bed. ;-)
 lol |
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Bob
Snake mite
United Kingdom
34 Posts |
Posted - 05/12/2010 : 18:43:25
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| In time with my first strech before work :( |
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Snakesitter
Rainbow Master
USA
2718 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2010 : 18:16:48
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| I feel you.... :( |
Cliff Earle
Living Gems Reptiles
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Topic |
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The cold end
