This seems too close and to accessible to your snake. If they decide to climb it (hogs can and do climb sometimes!) and rest there they could get burned or shocked. Are you able to put it on top shining down?
I think you can manage it with careful setup: a lower wattage bulb may be just right; many meant for reptiles have a [temp]-at-[distance] chart that can help you get in the right ballpark, but you will still need to measure it to be sure.
You can either trial run it sans snake and measure temps throughout the day (with a laser gun or other thermometer/temp sensor), or you could shell for a thermostat dimmer (with the temp probe on the basking surface so it will dim/turn off the light when it hits peak temp). Not all bulbs are dimmable, though, so that might get hard to source.
A mix of organic topsoil, play sand and a bit of sphagnum moss, it's roughly 70/30 for the Topsoil and sand, and the moss is just for a bit of structure but not much as I didn't want it to hold too much humidity :)
My gut says it a bit too close. I’d be concerned that the slate would get to a burning temperature.
Okay would you recommend me taking it away and leave like an empty space or swap it for something else like a plastic/wooden hide?
Do you have a heat gun that can see how hot it gets? I have a cork hide under mine so she can bask on top or stay warm and hidden.
I do have a spare cork hide, I'll swap the slate for it and monitor the temps with the gun for the next 12 hours just to be safe
That sounds like a perfect plan!
Okay awesome, thank you for your help :)
Anytime!!
I could also lessen the substrate in the area
I wouldn’t reduce the substrate. They loooove the thick substrate!
This seems too close and to accessible to your snake. If they decide to climb it (hogs can and do climb sometimes!) and rest there they could get burned or shocked. Are you able to put it on top shining down?
I would like to but It doesn't have a screen top or one of those screen holes, so I'm not sure what else to do
Invest in heat lamp cages. You should NEVER have an exposed heating element like that
Don't worry I do have one I just took it off for the photo to show people
I think you can manage it with careful setup: a lower wattage bulb may be just right; many meant for reptiles have a [temp]-at-[distance] chart that can help you get in the right ballpark, but you will still need to measure it to be sure. You can either trial run it sans snake and measure temps throughout the day (with a laser gun or other thermometer/temp sensor), or you could shell for a thermostat dimmer (with the temp probe on the basking surface so it will dim/turn off the light when it hits peak temp). Not all bulbs are dimmable, though, so that might get hard to source.
Okay, I currently have a dimmer thermostat that I'll use tomorrow and I'll have a look at the chart you mentioned for my dhp, thanks
OP, what are you using for substrate? Trying to make a good bioactive setup but I don’t know what to use
A mix of organic topsoil, play sand and a bit of sphagnum moss, it's roughly 70/30 for the Topsoil and sand, and the moss is just for a bit of structure but not much as I didn't want it to hold too much humidity :)
Also you can add some sterilised leaf litter and bark on top and throughout for the cuc
Thank you!
No problem :)
Too low, put it above the cage if possible
Unfortunately I cant as it doesn't have a screen top, but I am looking to see if I can make any adjustments