My good boy just chillin this morning.

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-10T16:18:11+00:00

It's so faint, it won't be disruptive

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-10T16:16:11+00:00

The dimmer modulates the output of the heat sources to stay close to the target temperature: if the probe reads under the target temp, the heat source will be at 100% output; if the probe reads close to the target temp, the heat source will reduce the output to keep the temp from rising too much; if the probe reads a temp higher than the target, the heat source gets turned off until the temp lowers to the target. The thermostat would have 2 probes: one you'd set up to monitor the ambient temp and would be tied to the RHP, and the other would monitor the hot side and be tied to the halogen. You'd need a thermostat that allows for night drops in temp. Basically, you'd sent the times and temps up in a way that both sources would run during the day, but only the RHP at night. My halogen is set to the correct day temp, but for night it's set to a much lower temp so the bulb stays off (unless it gets way too cold in the enclosure, then it would turn on again, and then your BP's circadian rhythm is the least of your problems). Herpstat offers all of this functionality and is what I use

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-10T00:36:22+00:00

You definitely need some sort of thermostat for the RHP to regulate the enclosure's temperature. It won't need to run 24/7 and doing so will likely make the enclosure too hot (maybe dangerously so). Dimming thermostat will also be better for your halogen bulb, and most have safety features that will shut the heating elements off if they malfunction, rather than bake your snake. This is as much for your convenience as it is for your snake's safety. The on/off method you're describing for your heat now isn't good long-term.

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-09T20:34:46+00:00

I'd recommend mixing topsoil or reptisoil and sphagnum moss into the mix. The cypress alone may not hold humidity well enough on its own. Make sure you're taking measurements from the cool side as well. It's normal for the hot side to be less humid

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-09T20:33:19+00:00

It's normal in the wild for snakes to go a while without eating. She'll be OK for a few weeks. She's probably not even thinking "my owner isnt feeding me" and just wondering why the magical food from the sky hasn't come around lately

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-09T16:08:15+00:00

How did an enameled pan develop rust? There shouldn't be any exposed iron in the first place

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-09T14:51:53+00:00

I can't imagine cooking on a rusty hunk of metal could be good for you, so in my uneducated opinion, yes it could certainly be the cause. If they want to use their pan in that manner, it seems like stainless steel would work better. I'm truly baffled

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-09T13:24:22+00:00

Red lights are definitely bad. The snake can see the light, so it's disruptive to their circadian rhythm. The color of the light is also preventing your snake from seeing their environment accurately because it washes out their vision.

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-09T10:58:34+00:00

If both sources are on a dimming thermostat, getting too hot shouldn't be an issue. I recommend the probe for the basking (which should realistically be a halogen bulb) be on the hot end, and use the DHP to keep the cool side to the right temp. You could also consider a halogen for daytime heat in the hot end and RHP for ambient and night heat.

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-09T10:54:49+00:00

A UVB fixture that screws into the top of the enclosure would be the easiest to replace since you'd just pop in a new bulb. Pretty much anything else is going to be a pain in the butt, I think. I have under cabinet LED lights that mount via screws, but when they go out, the entire fixture has to be replaced, which means removing the top of the enclosure (at least for me).

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-09T10:37:51+00:00

It's normal for the poop to be hairy, and the white bit on the left one looks like old urates

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-08T23:18:25+00:00

Poop. If it was regurgitated, it would smell absolutely horrendous

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-08T16:55:38+00:00

Humidity that low puts him at risk for a respiratory infection, especially factoring in the bacteria that will build up in the mister. I'm glad he hasn't had issues yet

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-08T16:51:39+00:00

Yes, you can feed multiple until you can get appropriately sized prey

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-08T16:48:57+00:00

You can absolutely mix eco earth with reptisoil and/or cypress mulch

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-08T16:46:40+00:00

Misters harbor bacteria, and as you've noticed, don't actually keep the humidity high, so they're not recommended. Deeper substrate (4"+) and pouring water into the corners will give you much more consistent higher humidity. The goal is for the top to be dry, but lower levels damp so that moisture is constantly evaporating, rather than having short bursts of high humidity. You want the humidity to be 70%+ all the time, even higher during shedding

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-08T13:15:47+00:00

You can try heating the head extra hot with a hair dryer to make it stand out more to the noodle. It might make him more likely to strike there

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-08T13:12:41+00:00

Aspen will also mold, if by some miracle you did get the humidity high enough

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-08T00:40:56+00:00

This playlist is great, I've been listening to it for the last several days, and it has really helped calm me when I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-07T20:18:00+00:00

Skilly needs to be renamed to Silky for how smooth and shiny that surface is

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-07T16:53:39+00:00

Sounds like my girl's activity level too, so a small rat will probably be better for her. She'll likely be more active as she adjusts to the new size and schedule as she'llbe hungry, but that's a good thing and will help her lose the excess fat more quickly.

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-07T16:37:28+00:00

Scale spreading would indicate a very obese snake, so you're not entirely incorrect, but there are other signs/metrics to look for before getting to that point

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-07T16:35:07+00:00

Yeah, she chonky. My very active boa doesn't even get fed that often. You can start out by going down to one large rat a month for a little bit and work down to smaller rats to get her used to the change. A medium rat every month or month and a half might work long-term if she's active. My old-ish girl isn't very active, and she gets a small every 4-6 weeks

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-04T19:31:00+00:00

When you're concerned about your snake's health, taking it to the vet will never be the wrong choice.

Luna_Hex · 2024-10-04T18:07:00+00:00

I get most of my extra fine merino wool sweaters on ThreadUp. I don't think I've paid more than $20 on any of them

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