# Reptile auto thermostat



## SmokeyJoe (1/9/17)

Howzit boyz and girls

Not sure if there are any snake enthusiast here. But im urgently looking for a regulated thermostat or regulated auto spot dimmer for my snake cage. 
Ive called about 20 petshops in the West rand area and no one stocks them

Its a bit urgent as Summer is on its way and my current baking lamp will go through the roof RE temp


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## Silver (1/9/17)

Hi @SmokeyJoe 

Check with @Viper_SA


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## Warlock (1/9/17)

Hi @SmokeyJoe If you haven't found anything yet, in Midrand as the same premises as Indigo Nursery there is a shop that sells stuff for reptiles. We have bought heating pads there. 

http://reptilians.co.za/contact.html

Hope this helps.


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## SmokeyJoe (1/9/17)

Warlock said:


> Hi @SmokeyJoe If you haven't found anything yet, in Midrand as the same premises as Indigo Nursery there is a shop that sells stuff for reptiles. We have bought heating pads there.
> 
> http://reptilians.co.za/contact.html
> 
> Hope this helps.


Thanks bud. I have a heating pad and basking light. Want to go high tech and fully automated. Ill give them a call


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## SmokeyJoe (1/9/17)

My baby. Silver corn with a little bit of ghost in him


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## GregF (1/9/17)

As @Silver said, check with @Viper_SA. I know he has a few snakes.


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## Viper_SA (1/9/17)

I use normal hardware store dimmers on my racks. Went through two thermostats and got tired of spending money on them. So if you buy one, buy decent from the onset. Maybe try timsreptiles.co.za


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## SmokeyJoe (1/9/17)

Viper_SA said:


> I use normal hardware store dimmers on my racks. Went through two thermostats and got tired of spending money on them. So if you buy one, buy decent from the onset. Maybe try timsreptiles.co.za


Can u send me a pic of the dimmer from the hardware shop. Decent one i managed to get from guys in durbs are 1500 excl shipping


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## SmokeyJoe (1/9/17)

@Viper_SA while i got u here. Do u give your snakes any calcium supplements?


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## TheOracle (1/9/17)

As an alternative option, you can try builders warehouse. they sell a digital underfloor heating thermostat with external sensor or Animal kingdom in Pretoria has the real deal. Around R700 upwards.
Depends on how valuable your reptile friend is.
My brother had 150 snakes before he passed away.
As far as Calcium goes, it all depends on whether live fed and how close it is to their natural diet.


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## Viper_SA (2/9/17)

SmokeyJoe said:


> Can u send me a pic of the dimmer from the hardware shop. Decent one i managed to get from guys in durbs are 1500 excl shipping






I haven't used calcium at all, except for lizards. I feed live when the prey's eyes are still closed, and freshly pre-killed once the eyes open. I breed my own feeders, so it's not an issue to source life food. I do supplement my garter snake with calcium and vitamins though, as he eats fish. The rest just get mice. Females e ery week and males every two weeks. Babies every 7-10 days.


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## Blu_Marlin (2/9/17)

SmokeyJoe said:


> Can u send me a pic of the dimmer from the hardware shop. Decent one i managed to get from guys in durbs are 1500 excl shipping



Builders has a rotary dimmer switch here . Just check to make sure it can handle the load you are using (afaik the dimmers have a max wattage rating) and the load has to be resistive (incandescent light bulbs and heating elements).


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## TheOracle (2/9/17)

Blu_Marlin said:


> Builders has a rotary dimmer switch here . Just check to make sure it can handle the load you are using (afaik the dimmers have a max wattage rating) and the load has to be resistive (incandescent light bulbs and heating elements).


The dimmer will not switch on and off automatically. It will lower the current to the lamp and thus you need to measure and mark the temperature to keep it constant.
The thermostat with probe will act like the sun. Max output till temp reaches set balue then switch off till it drops below temp then on again.
In nature temp varies and does not stay the same all year

Sent from my SM-N920C using Tapatalk


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## CeeJay (3/9/17)

To be honest, with our climate in summer there's no real need for a heater at all. As long as ambient room temperature is above 22 for corn snakes. I only use a small 30W heating pad during winter months. Also your corn snake doesn't need a heat lamp at all. 

As for calcium, I've never supplemented calcium. But I will add that as soon as she's big enough to eat rat pinkies you'll see big improvement in growth over mice alternatives.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Tevin (20/10/17)

SmokeyJoe said:


> Howzit boyz and girls
> 
> Not sure if there are any snake enthusiast here. But im urgently looking for a regulated thermostat or regulated auto spot dimmer for my snake cage.
> Ive called about 20 petshops in the West rand area and no one stocks them
> ...



Hi if you still looking for a thermostat try clickapet, just Google them for details or alternatively just pm me and I'll give you the guys number. 

Agreed with @CeeJay, Your corn snake doesn't require a basking light. Head pad will do just fine as long as you have a thermostat. No need for calcium supplements, as long as you feeding "whole" feeders, your snake will get all it requires from them. Rat pinks are nutritionally better than mice, better growth rate but alot more fat content.

Reactions: Like 1


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