Help with Viv lighting please

foster grant · 17 Sep 2018 at 15:23

OK my Son has a viv for hes two snakes and we are looking for a Safe easy to fit heat lamp solution, the viv is fibre glass , it's 3 feet long , I know nothing about vivs and snakes myself so I'm not sure what to look for in terms of heat lamps and the brackets for fitting to a fibre glass viv.

The Snakes are ( as far as I know ) Royal Pythons .

Any help would be good .
thanks

Jamesyboyjim · 19 Sep 2018 at 10:50

Do you specifically need a heat lamp for a royal? I know they like to bask but as long as there is an area of the viv at the correct temp, they will be fine. Personally with our snake we use a uv lamp on a timer to control times of the day and humidity, with a heater inside the viv. You could also install a heatmat which will just mean drilling a small hole for the wire.

If so the arcadia products have always been good and I found their support to be pretty decent too.
https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/arcadia-ceramic-reflector-clamp-lamp/

foster grant · 19 Sep 2018 at 14:07

Jamesyboyjim said:
Do you specifically need a heat lamp for a royal? I know they like to bask but as long as there is an area of the viv at the correct temp, they will be fine. Personally with our snake we use a uv lamp on a timer to control times of the day and humidity, with a heater inside the viv. You could also install a heatmat which will just mean drilling a small hole for the wire.

If so the arcadia products have always been good and I found their support to be pretty decent too.
https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/arcadia-ceramic-reflector-clamp-lamp/

Well he tells me he has a heatmat as well as the heatlamp which is on a timer control plug , now as far as I know what he has at the moment is basicaly the flex from a household lamp ( blue wire, brown wire , green and yellow wire , the 3 wires are connected inside the plug , but at the other end ( where the bulb fits into )only the blue and brown wire are connected , he has tape covering the end of the green and yellow wire , But the tape ( twice ) had fallen off and it throws all our sockets , which cant really continue .

robfosters · 19 Sep 2018 at 14:18

It’s really not advisable to keep Royals together in the first place.

My Royal has an AHS heater. http://www.microclimate.co.uk/ahs/ahs500/

They’re generally considered the best choice for boids. These snakes don’t need supplementary lighting and are more than happy with the ambient light getting into the viv.

Please tell me you’re not using a heatmat without a proper thermostat? Tbh, you sound like you haven’t done much research at all.

foster grant · 19 Sep 2018 at 14:44

Please read above as I had already said the snakes are my Son's not mine , I know nothing about Snakes or how to keep them , I just made this thread so as to get some proper recommendations that I will pass on to him.

robfosters · 19 Sep 2018 at 15:43

foster grant said:
Please read above as I had already said the snakes are my Son's not mine , I know nothing about Snakes or how to keep them , I just made this thread so as to get some proper recommendations that I will pass on to him.

Sorry if I came across as sharp, but I hate the thought of snakes being kept without thermostats to safeguard the temps. Ok, my recommendation is to ditch the heatmat straight away. Really not optimal for large bodied snakes, more suited to corn snakes etc.

Now it turns out that Microclimate have stopped making the AHS (such a shame). I have put together a shopping list for your son to look at from Swell reptiles. These items will work together well, and the thermostat is pulse proportional. This is much better because it raises and lowers temperatures by current rather than simply switching the heat source on and off as required. This stops wild temperature swings which can occur when the bulb is constantly switched off an on again. The reflector also comes with a guard to stop snakey burning itself on the bulb. Comes to under £70 with the 10% off code.

I would give serious consideration to splitting the snakes up as well.

Jamesyboyjim · 19 Sep 2018 at 15:56

Well if you're going to keep the heat lamp, the one I listed should do the trick.

Robfosters has listed the ahs500w heater, I also have one of these for my boa, they have a built in thermostat so are dead easy to setup.

Edit just seen Rob has mentioned the ahs isnt made anymore, this is a shame as i usually replace like for like when one fails.

robfosters · 19 Sep 2018 at 16:11

Jamesyboyjim said:
Well if you're going to keep the heat lamp, the one I listed should do the trick.

Robfosters has listed the ahs500w heater, I also have one of these for my boa, they have a built in thermostat so are dead easy to setup.

Edit just seen Rob has mentioned the ahs isnt made anymore, this is a shame as i usually replace like for like when one fails.

I spoke to them, they said they have had to stop making them as the cost for the ceramic they use went through the roof and they would have almost doubled in price. They are looking to bring out a replacement though, so watch this space.

They were so good though. My current ones been going strong for 12 years!

Jamesyboyjim · 19 Sep 2018 at 16:38

robfosters said:
I spoke to them, they said they have had to stop making them as the cost for the ceramic they use went through the roof and they would have almost doubled in price. They are looking to bring out a replacement though, so watch this space.

They were so good though. My current ones been going strong for 12 years!

What would you recommend as a good replacement? Thanks.

robfosters · 19 Sep 2018 at 16:52

Jamesyboyjim said:
What would you recommend as a good replacement? Thanks.

They were the only company making an all in one unit like that unfortunately. Until a replacement comes out, I don’t think there’s any alternative but to go the way of ceramic bulb, reflector and separate stat.

Really annoying as they were top notch performers, and I’ll be gutted when mine goes if there’s no replacement.

When it comes to bulbs and stuff, it’s all a much of a muchness. Just make sure you buy the correct wattage bulb, reflector and make sure the thermostat is pulse proportional. Habistat are cheap and cheerful and do the job, but when it comes to quality and features, Microclimate have overtaken them now. The Evo stats are fantastic.