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Climate Control in my Snake Room
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by Viperidaefan on June 14, 2002
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I just got news of the best fathers day present a dad could get...my wife gave me a 12x14 addition onto our house to be my new venomous room.(although her golden Bothrops schlegelii will be moved into there as well) Construction starts next week. My question is what is the best way to control the climate in the room, we live in PA so the tempertures fluctuate a great deal. I'd love to hear all your ideas as to what would make the perfect snake room. Until now our herps have been crammed into a small utility room and I didn't need to control the climate for the most part. The side of our house that the new addition is going on is cold in the mornings and hot in the afternoons so I need some way to keep it stable and how about humidity? Would sky lights offer a better light cycle or should I continue to use my timmers? If you could build the perfect room what would you include? And anyone who already has a room ,please give me some tips and pointers. When i lived in Florida I also had my own hot room(required by law there for the most part, there is a way around it but its just easier to have one there)and the climate was pretty much self regulating there. This is gonna be great!!!!!
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RE: Climate Control in my Snake Room
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by biff on June 14, 2002
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I live in PA also and had a hot room built. I had it put in my basement to minimize the temp. fluctuation, I use a 2kwatt electric baseboard heater to heat the room. We have time of day electric so my days are nights and my nights are days for the snakes.
If you can't put the room in the cellar I would recommend at least 2x8" exterior walls with good insulation...the winters will kill your heating bill.
I wouldn't use skylights or windows, they will drain the heat. My animals are thriving and they haven't seen natural light since I've had them.
good luck,
Steve
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RE: Climate Control in my Snake Room
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by Viperidaefan on June 15, 2002
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I was told that there is a small single unit with a digital thermostat that can regulate a single room...
but its pretty expensive...between 400 and $600. Maintaining the temp in the individual cages will be easy as long as I can get the room to be stable enough. Yesterday the temp outside here was around 88 degrees but today its 55 degrees. I think your right good insulation will help a great deal. Thanks for the ideas and keep them comming..
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RE: Climate Control in my Snake Room
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by biff on June 15, 2002
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I actually did a descent amount of research on the helix units, of which I think you speak. I opted to go with a $10 wall thermostat, & the baseboard (220vac) heater cost me $45. I added a fan to even out the heat and there is hardly any temp fluctuation at all...nothing that the snakes would notice anyway...
just me .025 cents
Steve
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RE: Climate Control in my Snake Room
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by Viperidaefan on June 15, 2002
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Hey steve, thanks for all the input, I really appreciate it. Sounds like a plan to me. What if the room gets too warm in the summer? I wasn't planing on any windows...any suggestions? Are there secure enough vents that I could have installed? Maybe some kind of exhaust fan. Who knows maybe I just worry too much and the temp will stay just fine but I guess I'd like to be prepared, My animals are very important to me as I'm sure yours are too. Thanks Again
Shawn
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RE: Climate Control in my Snake Room
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by biff on June 15, 2002
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If you're in northern pa you shouldn't have to worry about it. If it gets over 90 degrees consistently and for several days it may be a problem. This may be countered if your house has a/c, esp good a/c. The house walls that are cooled by a/c and touch the snake room walls will provide enough cooling as they are probably 6 " walls. On a day that was forecasted to be really hot (well above 90) I would cut the heat off an hour or 2 before daybreak, this should cool the room enough so that it will not reach dangerous temps with 8" exterior walls, by the time the room begins to heat from the outside it will be cooling off due to night, then run them normally thru the night. An exhaust fan won't help if external heat is the problem.
good luck,
Steve
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RE: Climate Control in my Snake Room
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by Viperidaefan on June 15, 2002
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Hey, thanks alot. All good info...I'll let you know how it turns out. If you think of anything else I should know drop me a line...
Thanks
Shawn
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