The Eastern Diamondback is not supposed to grow much more than 8’, but at St. Augustine of St. Johns County, Florida, United States November 1^st 2009 a 15 foot monster as caught at the Outlet Mall. The Eastern Diamondback (crotalus adamanteus) is the largest and heaviest of the Rattlesnakes and is a member of the venomous pit vipers. The pits relate to the heat sensor pits that enable them to pick up the infra Red heat signature of their prey. The world’s longest venomous snake is the Black Mamba growing to 14 feet. The books may have to be re written now. Unfortunately the snake was killed and a trapper took it away, no real measurements were taken and no one thought to get the trappers name, so all there is left as proof are the pictures. Later reports say it was just over 7 foot long but looking at those pictures I think otherwise especially if the size of its head and fangs are anything to go by.

Pictures

PICTURE ONE
PICTURE TWO
PICTURE THREE

John
www.ValueAquatics.co.uk

We all know that if something is going to happen it will be outside the vet’s hours and at weekends. So I thought I would let you know what I keep in my Reptiles First Aid Box. Firstly these are only first aid treatments to stabilise the animal until you can get it to a visionary’s surgery ASAP. First get a good plastic box that is large enough to take everything; I like those sandwich boxes with the flaps that lock down the lid. Some Ziploc plastic bags and a marker pen. Keep a list of important telephone numbers like.

• Vet’s surgery number.
• Any Emergency Clinic numbers
• Directions to the Emergency Clinic
• If you have any venomous animals your local Hospital phone number.

What to keep in the box.

• Scissors not too large and rounded
• Tweezers small and medium
• Magnifying glass
• KY Jelly make sure it is the NON SPERMICIDE one
• Nail Clippers and a nail file
• A small Penlight torch
• Eye dropper
• Syringes 0.5ml, 1.0ml, 5ml, 10ml, 20 or 25ml
• Cotton buds (Q-Tips)
• Cotton swabs
• Dry Sterile pad packs various sizes (non stick).
• Pack paper towels
• Disposable gloves
• Tic Hook

Medicines

• New Skin A liquid that seals cuts and abrasions
• Wound disinfectant such as Betadine, Tamodine or Nolvasan
• Sterile saline solution for washing wounds
• Zoo Med Mite off or similar Mite treatment
• Zoo Med Repti shedding aid for stubborn shedding skin
• Zoo med Repti Wound Aid Mild antiseptic
• Aloe Vera Gel (make sure it is the pure type with no added perfume etc.) Skin problems and burns
• Vetarc Critical care formula for wasting problems
• Vetarc Avipro For dehydration problems
• VetArc Oxbow Critical Care for Herbivores e.g. tortoises
• Vetarc Reptoboost dehydration problems and a tonic boost.
• Small bottle 25ml) of gin or vodka If a snake or lizard bites simply place a few drops into the side of the mouth to get it to release.
• Panacure is an all round wormer and can be used for snakes and lizards use the 10% solution type. Ask your vet for the correct dosage ml per grams of animal.

John
www.Valueaquatics.co.uk

Q. I am getting a bearded dragon as soon as she is old enough (he/she is 5 days old now ), I am very interested in your Black Viviariums, can you tell me what size you would recommend and can I have it directly on the floor or should it be up off the ground

A. Some people like to keep baby dragons in a 24×12x12″ vivarium then go onto  a full sized one after 12-18 months. From personal experience I do not believe there is any need to do this, remember it can take them up to a week to settle into the new Vivarium and  surroundings. Do not over handle them for the first week, and make sure they are feeding well first.

I’ll give you two options one using the solar glo basking and UV lamp (preferred). These are mercury vapour lamps so they will not work with a thermostat, you raise or lower them till you get the correct basking temperature underneath (90-110f).Option  two is with ceramic heater and UV separate, If you want to go with the 24″ Vivarium change the vivarium for the 24″ one and the UV to fit.

Option 1.
Vivarium Viv-Exotic EX48×24 inch Black Limited Special Edition
Komodo Black Dome Ceramic Lamp Holder 21cm
PT-2192 Exo Terra Solar Glo Sun Lamp 125W
PT-2852 Reptile Hide Out Cave – Medium
PT-2802 Exo Terra Water Dish Medium
PT- 2472 Digital Thermometer
PT-2812 Exo Terra Feeding Dish Large

Option 2
PT-2852 Reptile Hide Out Cave – Medium
PT-2802 Exo Terra Water Dish Medium
PT- 2472 Digital Thermometer
Vivarium Viv-Exotic 48 inch Black Special Edition VX48
PT-2047 Ceramic Heat Emitter Heat Wave Lamp 150W
PT-2062 Porcelain Wire Clamp Lamp 250W
PT-2174 Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0 (42\”) 40 Watt
ACR38 Arcadia IP64 Dry Vivarium Controller 36/38W
PT-2812 Exo Terra Feeding Dish Large
Habistat Pulse Proportional Thermostat

Hope this Helps

John………

Heating a vivarium or Terrarium with bulbs at first sounds strange but bulbs are a good source of heating both the animal and Air by radiant heat. The first bulb I’ll mention are the Infra Red bulbs, ValueAquatics offer the Exo Terra Heat Glo Lamps which come in four sizes 50w, 75w, 100w and 150w. These bulbs work by emitting infra red heat waves, they also have a built in reflector to send the heat where it is needed. The red light that is emitted is not seen by the reptiles so can be used 24:7 as a heater.

Incandescent bulbs also radiate heat and light so can only be used for daylight hours. They only give out a small amount of UVA (Ultraviolet A) but no UVB (Ultraviolet B) which most reptiles require. So should not be used as the sole source of lighting except for most snakes and a few lizards. Therefore these tend to be used to create a basking spot in the vivarium At ValueAquatics we offer the Exo Terra Sun glo tight beam heating spot lamp. The tight beam on these means that the heat can be directed exactly onto a rock giving a basking area. They can be combined with a heatmat, ceramic heat emitter or Infra red bulb to give 24 hour heating.

The Neodymium day basking lights give out a white light that simulates the full spectrum of daylight and can be used as the incandescent bulbs. At valueaquatics we offer the Komodo range of bulbs (50w,75w & 100w), Also the Exo Terra Sun Glo Neodymium daylight lamps, these are available in different bulb types the long torpedo shape 15w, 25w, 40w & 100w and the ordinary bulb type 60w, 100w & 150w. They also come as a spotlight type as in the Exo Terra Neodymium Daylight Basking Spot Lamp available as 50w, 75w, 100w and 150w. These give;

A broad spectrum of daylight light
They create hot spots for thermoregulation
Increase the ambient air temperature
Can be combined with other heat sources to give a 24 hour cycle

These bulbs do not give out any light in the UVB range

Fitting these is easy with the ADCH Arcadia ceramic fitting and bracket or the Komodo Ceramic lamp fixture. These bulbs also need a bulb cage to stop the animal from climbing onto them and getting burnt. All these bulbs should be used with a Dimming thermostat similar to the Habistat Dimming or the Habistat Dimming day night model.

Lastly the Mercury Vapour Lamps more and more people are starting to use these as they give out UVA and UVB light and also heat so there is no need to supplement them with UVA/B bulbs or tubes. Most tortoise owners now use these and Bearded Dragons, Monitors and other large lizards. ValueAquatics offer the Exo Terra Solar Glo available in 125w & 160w.  The Solar Glo is a full spectrum light with carefully tuned peaks to ensure appetite, activity, brilliant colours, and calcium absorption through Vitamin D3 production, and above all to prevent metabolic bone disease. These give

Optimal levels of UVA and UVB, visible light and heat in one bulb.
They are self ballasted
Help prevent metabolic bone disease
Increased UVB penetration distance (+30 cm)

As these are self ballasted bulbs they do not work with a thermostat so you have to raise or lower the bulb in order to obtain the required basking temperatures. These are best used with a reflector with a fitting cage. Ceramic fittings like the Arcadia ADCH and Komodo ceramic lamp fitting should be used.

John

www.valueaquatics.co.uk

Ceramic Heat Emitters are probably the second most common type of heating in the vivarium. They work by giving out invisible long wave Infra red, so heating not only the reptile and furniture but the ambient air unlike Heat Mats. ValueAquatics sell the Exo Terra Heat Wave heat Emitter lamps that come in five Wattages making them suitable for most vivariums and set-ups from dry desert to moist (not wet) forest set ups. Ceramic Heat Emitters are excellent at creating a hot or basking spot. As in nature giving heat from above making the reptile feel more at home as it would in the wild. This is why ValueAquatics also recommends the use of a UV light source such as the Exo Terra Repti Glo Compact Fluorescent bulbs so creating a more natural light with heat from above.

There is no real rule as to which Ceramic Heater to use as it all depends on vivarium size and what temperature range you require and basking spot temperature. So as a rule of thumb for general use of heating the vivarium to 85°F at the basking spot (heater end) and approximately 70-75°F at the cool end I would suggest the following.

PT2044 40watt Ceramic Heater for a 24”x12”x12” Vivarium.
PT2045 60watt Ceramic Heater for a 30” to 36”x12”x12” Vivarium
PT2046 100watt Ceramic Heater for a 48”x12X12 Vivarium
PT2047 150watt Ceramic Heater for a 60”x24”x24” Vivarium
PT2048 250watt Ceramic Heater for a 60” to 72”x24”x24” Vivarium

Always use with a Pulse Proportional thermostat otherwise they will be heating to their maximum output. This is dangerous as Ceramic heat emitters get very hot and require a thermostat. It will also greatly shorten the life of the ceramic heater if it is just left running not to mention the cost.

Some reptiles like Uromastyx will require a higher basking spot so I would then recommend that you go for the 150w or 250w ceramic.

When fitting the ceramic heat emitters into the vivarium a few rules need to be adhered to.

1. Only use ceramic fittings like the Arcadia or the Komodo ceramic lamp fixture
2. Make sure that the cable is heat resistant cable as in the Arcadia and Komodo fixtures.
3. All ceramic heat emitters are Edison screw fitting as in the Arcadia and Komodo. NOT bayonet fitting.
4. Use a guard specifically designed for the purpose. These heaters get extremely hot
5. We recommend that a minimum distance of 40cm from the reptile
6. Always use a pulse Proportional Thermostat similar to the Habistat Pulse Proportional or the day night model.
7. Not to be used where there is a lot of Moisture as in Turtle or Amphibian set-ups

John
www.valueaquatics.co.uk

Offer lasts only till the end on January

VivExotic – LX24 Vivarium
ONLY £45
VivExotic – LX36 Vivarium
ONLY £59.99
VivExotic – LX48 Vivarium
ONLY £72.50

You can stack these 3 of 4 high, you can buy the feet if required separately;
Vivarium Feet

Available from
ValueAquatics

All colours available, Plus Next Working Day Delivery!
PLUS All the equipment you need at rock bottom prices!

Cheers
Mark…….

GOING GOING GONE!

We are selling off the last of our VX and EX Black Vivariums, we have less than 30 VX48’s, less then20 VX36’s and less than 15 EX48’s.

These are fantastic Viv Exotic Vivariums from Aquapac with solid backs, not only that if you get your order in by the end of today you will have your new Vivarium Delivered by Tuesday 26^th!

Check out these deals
Vivarium Viv-Exotic 36 inch Black Special Edition VX36   
ONLY £59.99
Vivarium Viv-Exotic 48 inch Black Special Edition VX48   
ONLY £79.99
Vivarium Viv-Exotic 48×24 inch Black Limited Special Edition  
ONLY £99.99

You can find these on our website;
www.Valueaquatics.co.uk

And the manufacturers website

http://www.vivexotic.co.uk

Don’t miss out get yours today!

Kind Regards
Mark………

Q. I have a tiny baby tortoise, and at the moment I am housing it in the plastic bottom of a hamster cage. What do I need to house the tortoise correctly?

John
www.valueaquatics

What is the best method of heating my vivarium?

Wish I had a pound for every time I have been asked this.

The most commonly used method of heating a Vivarium or Terrarium is with Heat Mats, they come in different sizes and wattages. The bigger the Heat Mat the higher the wattage.

Heat Mats come in two types the square or oblong types for vivariums and Terrariums and the long Heat Strips that are used for heating a row of smaller containers and small plastic tanks usually holding hatchling snakes or tarantulas.

Heat mats work by emitting invisible ultra long wavelength infra red heat which heats the animal and furnishings, rather than the air which can remain quite cold if the room it is in is cold.

Though saying this heat mats do get warm and the animal can lie under or on top of the mat. I find it best to tape the mats down or onto the vivarium floor or back wall with masking tape. Do not use any other type of tape as they are difficult to remove from the animal if it gets entangled in it. Or place a piece of slate on top of it if on the floor of the vivarium.

Do not place too much substrate on top of heat mats, no more than 37mm (1.5”), or cork bark as they will reflect a lot of the Infra Red back into the heat mat causing hot spots in the heat mat.

Under normal usage heat mats are perfectly safe giving off a gentle heat, though accidents happen and I have seen a couple of heat mats where the plastic outer envelope has melted and in one case actually caught fire. So ValueAquatics recommend the use of a thermostat with heat mats.

For all glass Vivariums and Terrariums like the popular Exo Terra range of Terrariums the heat mats should be placed under or on the outer wall or walls. Exo Terra make two types of heat mats for these the Rainforest Heat Mat and the Desert Heatmat both come in three sizes available from ValueAquatics. The Rainforest Heat Mat gives out a very gentle heat simulating the rainforest and the desert Heatmat give out a more heat simulating the heat of the desert. Both types are Self-adhesive making them easy to install to the outside glass base or wall of the Terrariums.

Do not use them where there is excessive moisture, they are not waterproof.

• Safe to use
• Gentle heat
• Not intrusive
• Easy to clean
• Low maintenance
• Inexpensive

ValuAquatics Recommended Thermostats for heat mats, Habistat mat stat Komodo habitat stat

 John

www.ValueAquatics.co.uk