Snake is attempting suicide

[MamaRhea]

I realize you misunderstood the heating element being used but you should absolutely never have the thermostat probe for a UTH/Heat Pad/Heat Tape inside the enclosure. It can be dislodged, peed on, pooped on, water bowl spilled on it, etc leading to dangerous spikes in temp.




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Actually I initially had it outside the cage in the slot that's built in for the t8. The material used in animal plastics enclosures is so thick that controlling the temp inside the enclosure from outside the enclosure is not possible. I had to set the thermostat to like 120 just to get the temp inside the enclosure to the proper temp on the warm side, and THAT I felt was much more dangerous than having the probe inside with the thermostat set to the proper temperature. It's under the substrate right up against the enclosure bottom, up against the corner, and has decor on top of it. There's almost zero chance of it getting peed or pooped on and absolutely zero chance of being dislodged. The water bowl is on the other side as well so no chance of that either.

With glass enclosures and tubs I 100% agree that the thermostat probe should go under the enclosure between the heat element and the bottom. But it's not possible to control the temp in an animal plastics enclosure that way.

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[bcr229]

The UTH is only meant to create a hot spot, not increase ambient temp of the air in the enclosure. I have a stack of T8's that run on heat tape and the probe is in the provided slot. If the ambient is too low then an RHP is needed.

[303_enfield]

If you can't find a clamp make one. Take a soda can an open it up. Cut a 1"x3-4" strip. Dull the edges an screw it over the cord. 1/4" or less screw will hold it an not penetrate the T8 top. Zip ties can be used also an a hot glue gun.

Good luck!

[ApepApocalypse]

MamaRhea, sadly, is right. There's no real way to keep things heated in an AP enclosure without the probe inside the tank. I have mine suspended under the RHP, like hilabeans's setup. No way for snake to pull it severely out of place, very little way for poop/pee/water to get on it. It's not the best but is better than the alternative. I do need it for ambient, or else I'd stick with heat tape. Someday I hope to have a designated snake room with a set ambient temp and humidity so I don't need the RHP, but that's a fair ways off.

Soda can tip is much appreciated! Now I don't need to wait for clamp shipping. Going to fix things up ASAP, and now I know for any future AP purchases.

On another, smaller note: I greatly appreciate how much help I've been been given (and how patient everyone's been with my stupidity). Thanks, all! I'll get Tapatalk and post a pic once I'm done so I can make sure everything is as good as it can be for my snake.

[jmcrook]

The material used in animal plastics enclosures is so thick that controlling the temp inside the enclosure from outside the enclosure is not possible. I had to set the thermostat to like 120 just to get the temp inside the enclosure to the proper temp on the warm side, and THAT I felt was much more dangerous than having the probe inside with the thermostat set to the proper temperature. It's under the substrate right up against the enclosure bottom, up against the corner, and has decor on top of it. There's almost zero chance of it getting peed or pooped on and absolutely zero chance of being dislodged. The water bowl is on the other side as well so no chance of that either.

With glass enclosures and tubs I 100% agree that the thermostat probe should go under the enclosure between the heat element and the bottom. But it's not possible to control the temp in an animal plastics enclosure that way.

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I’m gonna blow your mind real quick...

So sure, you’re having to set the thermostat to 120 to get a 90° hot spot when the probe is between the UTH and the bottom of the enclosure.

Guess what? When you have the probe inside the enclosure set to 90° can you make a guess as to how hot that heating element is getting? If you guessed 120° you’re correct.

Put the probe outside for belly heat. Period.


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[jmcrook]

Soda can tip is much appreciated! Now I don't need to wait for clamp shipping. Going to fix things up ASAP, and now I know for any future AP purchases.

Just go to Lowe’s/Home Depot. Cable clamps cost like 80cents for a bag of them and are in the fasteners aisle. Made of nylon, cannot cut or hurt your animal, will not rust, require no modification, and are designed to be used for the task being discussed here...


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[jmcrook]

I have mine suspended under the RHP, like hilabeans's setup. No way for snake to pull it severely out of place, very little way for poop/pee/water to get on it. It's not the best but is better than the alternative.

Probe placement for RHP is the exception to the outside the enclosure rule. It does still need to be firmly secured in such a way that it cannot be tampered with by the animal, peed on, etc though.

[Jakemh91]

Snakes do not commit suicide. But snake owners who don't set up enclosures correctly so that snakes cannot contact cords or any other dangers (such as hot lights) are guilty of negligent snake-icide, ok?

Snakes did not evolve living in cages: they want & need to move around, & when they do, it's your job to see they cannot get hurt, either directly or indirectly. Perhaps others who use RHPs here will chime in with suggestions for fixing this- I don't use them. But expecting a captive snake to never climb on a cord is a "fool's errand", & yes, she will be harmed sooner or later, and it's your fault! She cannot fix this, YOU can- you're the one with the hands, remember? Snakes need to grab onto things for traction...they don't avoid cords somehow knowing what they're for. If you had no hands or feet, you'd do the same thing.

Not seeing your precise set-up, my only suggestion is to drill a hole near the RHP so the cord runs completely outside the enclosure, & therefore, out of her reach. Obviously you cannot leave a hole in the top either, so you'll have to fix that as well. I suspect that many buy their enclosures with the RHPs already installed- too late, but now you know why.

My diagnosis: snake, normal. owner, questionable

The majority of this comment was unnecessary and unhelpful.

OP knew there was a problem, hence why they're her asking for help. There was no need to beat them over the head calling them negligent and talking down to them like they were a child.

Be an adult, give them helpful advice in a constructive manner if you have it to give, and move on.

Being condescending never helps anyone and will likely make this person, and other people, less likely to reach out in the future.

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[Bogertophis]

The majority of this comment was unnecessary and unhelpful.

OP knew there was a problem, hence why they're her asking for help. There was no need to beat them over the head calling them negligent and talking down to them like they were a child.

Be an adult, give them helpful advice in a constructive manner if you have it to give, and move on.

Being condescending never helps anyone and will likely make this person, and other people, less likely to reach out in the future.

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Which is obviously why 7 members thanked my post, and it was taken by the OP in the spirit it was intended.

See post #4, which I likewise thanked.

[Jakemh91]

Which is obviously why 7 members thanked my post, and it was taken by the OP in the spirit it was intended.

See post #4, which I likewise thanked.

I really don't care if other members thanked you or not, and good on OP for taking it in stride. But that still doesn't make it okay.

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