Squirt’s upgrade

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I think it's fine to go on

Yay exciting🥳
got all the probes and cables in place one side earlier, just got her night thermo probe and second combo to pin in place now, she’s using that equipment atm so we’ll get them in on moving day😊everything is looking great so far!! Buzzing😁

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Still no wiff in the viv haha😂so it’s looking like we may be able to get her in tonight😁stay tuned🥰

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Photos!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Photos!

Will definitely upload once everything is in😁

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Will definitely upload once everything is in😁

That's cruel to make us wait

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

That's cruel to make us wait

lol after labelling all the cables and getting another probe in place we’ve left it too late for it to be this evening, her lights will be off here soon😂we’ll definitely be getting her in there tomorrow afternoon😁

Tell you what though, I’ll post a sneak peak shortly😉

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Here’s a little peak at the background!😁I’m obsessed with the bendy branches I’ve made for the sensors! going to do it with all the probes😊
excuse the poorly placed liner, we’ll be putting it in properly tomorrow lol

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Also the dandelions are coming in on the hide lids!😊

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I may seal the vents from the back, we’ll see, temps have been fine with them open so might be ok, there’s only two and I sealed the others up with the background🙂

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Looks promising!
Main trouble with vents is humidity. But we'll have to see if it will be the issue.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Looks promising!
Main trouble with vents is humidity. But we'll have to see if it will be the issue.

Yeah that’s true, I might cover them with some vinyl at the back, even if just a little is left on each for a little bit of air flow🙂

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

We’ve managed to get her in earlier today! Unfortunately it’s set so the lights were already off but I’ll try and get some pics tomorrow.
One thing I’m noting, for the night time temps, most the viv is reading 80-82 but the side nearest the glass is ranging 70-75 which isn’t ideal🫤problem is, I think if I turn up the thermostats anymore for night, I could create two more hots spots and effect the day temp, I’m going to be closely monitoring tonight, she’s currently tucked up in a spot that’s near one of the bulbs so I think she’s in a 80 spot, will those night temps be ok as long as she’s got the constant access to a temp of 80-82 in like 85% of the viv?
The day brings the entire viv to about 82/83, about 86/87 in the ‘warmer end’, the hot spot under the directly under the 150 still worries me, but he wasn’t too keen on how the hide looked under it and said she’ll move from directly underneath if she gets too warm, it read about 96/97 under there, is that safe? It won’t be on of the night so I at least know there’s no risk of her falling asleep underneath it.. but I’m still paranoid about it during the day😣

I know everything would’ve been so much simpler if her temp was just a constant ambient without the night/day bulb business, but I’ve had to take her owners wishes into consideration

If it’s any consolation, she’s been exposed to lower temps within her old viv of the night because it’s been going to wrack n ruin, she’s pretty much always made sure to sleep under the bulb that kept it 82 all night one end, so I’m thinking she’ll just do the same in this set up?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I’m confident she’s safe because no spot is reading any lower than the levels the old viv would maintain at times. It’s more that I was hoping to improve the levels in this one, eliminating any spots in the 70’s overnight🫤

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

**update**
the combometers are actually slowly creeping up now, we made sure it was reading no cooler that what the old viv could do before putting her in and decided we’ll do some tweaks tomorrow if needed(With work shifts and having to move all the vivs, we had no choice to get her in later in the evening than we wanted, so just had to make sure it’s safe for tonight, then make it optimal tomorrow)
The night heat had only been running about 3 hours before they were a safe level, and they now appear to be doing a bit better, so maybe it’ll just take a few more hours to heat entire space, I’ll keep checking😊

Sorry for all the posts!! It’s finally happening and I’m running on adrenaline😂

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Wow! Squirt is on the move!
82 is a nice nigthtime low in my opinion. Also I expect temperature to be lower a bit inside the hide.
A narrow zone of 70-75 is not a concern. It will warm up a bit. And you can get white domes for CHEs to make heat projected over the larger areas. Now I remember the reason, why I put heat panels closer to the vivarium front doors

Instead of 150W CHE with 96F hot spot you can put a small wattage flood basking lamp. This will give her a hint "here is the sun, it's hot here".

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Wow! Squirt is on the move!
82 is a nice nigthtime low in my opinion. Also I expect temperature to be lower a bit inside the hide.
A narrow zone of 70-75 is not a concern. It will warm up a bit. And you can get white domes for CHEs to make heat projected over the larger areas. Now I remember the reason, why I put heat panels closer to the vivarium front doors

Instead of 150W CHE with 96F hot spot you can put a small wattage flood basking lamp. This will give her a hint "here is the sun, it's hot here".

Yeah I’d be happier if the entire viv was staying 80-82, but on my last temp gun check(about an hour ago) it’s like the entire run of side by the glass just isn’t maintaining how I envisioned of the night, it’s all reading 70 along the side, further got in I was happier with them, the spot shes sleeping in(not too far from one of the bulbs) is about 78, so not too concerned where she’s settled, but I am worried about that glass side during winter nights here, luckily we’re heading into warmer months, but not too sure what to do, if I were to move the one 100 nearer the glass I think I’d have the same problem heating up the side I’d move it from🥲the 150 is much nearer the glass though so it’s not been an issue during the day.

We were wanting to scrap the floodlight altogether and just stick to the CHEs ideally🫤saw most people recommend that for red foots now, the 150w bracket is linked up to a pulse thermostat, so wouldn’t work for the floodlight, and the 100 is linked up to is an on/off 600w thermostat, so that wouldn’t work well either😣
We do have a dimmer thermo but when I tell you it would be the biggest pain to install now they’re in place🙃we could do it.. I just don’t think it could get done asap cause of her owners work shifts, I might try to convince him to let me put the hide back underneath cause that 150 is doing a really good job otherwise, I’m not sure a low watt floodlight would do as well heat wise

But ugh I was so convinced these night temps would be better, there was no way of testing them the whole night like we wanted till moving day cause she had the bulb and thermostat.. after seeing how the 100 did on the one side during the day, I really thought I’d nailed it😣

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Maybe I should think about a dome for one of them

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Struggling to find a dome that isn’t fixed to a fitting already😣

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Struggling to find a dome that isn’t fixed to a fitting already😣

Farm supplies stores may have chicken brooder lampshades, which are wide and not very tall.

What's the distance from the glass, where you get temps in 70ties? A narrow strip of 3-4 inches doesn't really matter. Moving CHEs closer to the front wall makes sense - back wall doesn't lose heat that much and temperature fade will be less.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Farm supplies stores may have chicken brooder lampshades, which are wide and not very tall.

What's the distance from the glass, where you get temps in 70ties? A narrow strip of 3-4 inches doesn't really matter. Moving CHEs closer to the front wall makes sense - back wall doesn't lose heat that much and temperature fade will be less.

Oh ok thanks for the tip, I’ll have a look, I’d say it’s about half a ft in the 70’s along the glass, with the 150 on I’d say the strip is less and the whole viv seems to be a nice level so far during the day(150 been on about 3 and a half hrs now) and there isn’t currently a hot spot under the 150 anymore, it reads 87 directly underneath now so that’s good, I’m thinking maybe during colder spells he may need to keep that 150 over night as well, I’ll watch her again tonight when that 150 is off, if she settles in an 80 spot again, I’ll know she’s doing what she needs to do and seeking out the best place to sleep I guess. The levels aren’t super dangerous, I just really hoped to reach 80’s all round 24/7🫤

Another thing of slight concern is some of the condensate from the glass is somehow dripping out of both sides on the bottom at the front, it couldn’t be sealed any better from inside, I think what’s happening is the water is gather in the runner that the glass sits in and is dripping down out the front.. idk what to suggest to combat that issue, even sealing the outside could cause that moisture to get trapped😣