Changing Enclosure

[khaleesi]

So basically I have a few days before I get their new vivs. There dimensions are 60 inches long x 24 inches deep x 20 inches high. They are completely enclosed, the lights will be attached to the roof. I am quite relieved to be changing them over but I have a few thoughts I'm a little worried about. I tried the baton I had spare and it's broke so I only have the light fittings they have in their enclosures now, they will need to be transferred from the old to the new setups, basically I have no idea when the best time to do this is, should I complete their day as normal, remove the lights clean the viv and allow them to sleep over night then move them in the morning or just do it mid day so they have some time to play in their new vivs before bedtime? Also if I run into problems maintaining basking spot temps what do I do? The lights will be as high as they can be just as they are now and since I decorated I'm having trouble getting the temps right, it's almost always too warm for them to bask directly they have begun rimming the basking area, I don't know how to cool the area, should I get extra vents put in in the area? I'm getting readings of 46 oC plus. I just can't get it right the room is warmer than it was before. I have a probe attached to the basking point so my readings are accurate. The cooler end is around 32 oC, they are currently in a 60 inch enclosure. The last couple of days I've changed the timer for the basking bulbs to an hour earlier than the UVB as it's getting so warm in their basking points. The funny thing is as soon as the heat light goes out they both find their basking points and sit until bedtime. They just spend most of their time central in their vivs. Should this concern me? They've basically always been the same even when their temps were good, They bask early in the morning for about 2 hours and then not at all throughout the day except for when I've cleaned and they've been out for a while. My bulb is 40 watt I can get a 26 watt but I don't want to really go any lower than 40 if I can help it. Any advise on this would be much appreciated. They do have hides provided they have their teepee's and they have a large set of stones setup so they can go through it like a tunnel, identically they have a wooden bridge that I use for their basking points they both go under them almost exclusively they do get warmth through the gaps of the bridge but I haven't had a reading of the temps under them. I'm confused as to my next step with the lights and temps I will go out and get a temp regulator thingy each if I need to.

 

[Aleena]

Hi Khaleesi, would it be possible to lower your basking area a smidge? 46C plus would be cause for concern. Temperature regulators tend to confuse bd's on daylight schedules, I would lower the basking area or raise the light if at all possible. I can see moving to a 26 watt would probably be too cool, but you never know.

 

[khaleesi]

I've removed the bridge's and put them more central so if they do want to bask they will be sitting on the floor. I will update with temps soon as I've just moved them now.

 

[khaleesi]

44 oC ... still too high

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

I'm a little late to the party I realize but what kind of ventilation does the viv have? Reason I am asking is because if it doesn't have enough that could cause the excess heat build up. Possibly adding some vents or increasing the size of whatever ones you have. If you do this it would mean having to do some experimentation with a few bulbs but the increased air exchange may help you to more easily find a bulb to warm up to the right temps. I've had to do that before.

Just a suggestion

 

[khaleesi]

It's been a few days since I last commented on this topic but I'm still having problems, I got an extra vent cut in right at the bases of the vivs in the top corners so they now have 4 along the top on the back wall and a fifth on the outside wall of the basking side. I still have a 40watt Prorep basking bulb in them and the temperatures have dropped considerably, now I'm having trouble maintaining minimum temperatures. They drop to 24 oC over night, then take anywhere from 3-5 hours to reach 38 oC so I went to get bulbs however I could only get 100w Prorep bulbs I wanted to try a 60 or 80 before I went to such extremes but I haven't been able to get a hold of either sooo now I'm torn should I just put in the 100w and see what happens or simply wait until I can get a 60w or 80w? The fittings and bulb (from the very bottom of the bulb) are exactly 20 inches from the floor in both setups and I have a large basking log each that I got the a few days before the bulbs so my exact measurements from the bottom of the bulb to the basking spot is 10 inches approx. (this is where I'm getting the readings) Any advice would be greatly received I can lower the basking log. I should also mention that the cool end is averaging 29 oC daytime and 18 oC night time, I run a 13 hour light cycle for day time and cover all the viv's over night. Neither baby seem really that cold they feed perfectly and appear to enjoy the ambient temp's as they are but I would love to get a rapid temperature of 39 oC within an hour so they are warm and happy I'm just not sure that I can achieve this with a 100w bulb I think it might get too hot too quickly and continue to rise throughout the day Thanks again for all your help it's much appreciated.

 

[khaleesi]

Ok so they've changed enclosures setup is identical however I changed the bulb from the 40w to the 100w and now I'm getting readings of 60 oC floor to base of bulb (20 inches) I am having a break down I can't get hold of a 60w bulb like today or tomorrow so I'm gonna go bulb hunting tomorrow and not stop until I get one I think 60w is my best choice for a next move as the 40w is only slightly too weak and the 100w is way too strong

 

[Aleena]

It's frustrating sometimes, I know. I hope the 60 works out for you.