# Constipation?!



## Stooch` (Aug 2, 2006)

Someone at Snakes N Adders told me that using heat mats with Royals can give them constipation.
Now i've done ALOT of research into Ball pythons, heating, vivs ect. I've read a ton of books, gone to about a million reptile forums, but i've never heard of anyones royal having constipation problems with heat mats.

Going up, I've got a layer of polystyrene, then the heat mat attached to a thermostat then the viv on top of that, then aspen bedding. I've also got a 40w reflector bulb with a guard to keep the ambient/humidity up.

The temp at the hot end reaches 93 and the cool end reaches 85.
All this I got as a starter kit but now i'm being told a shouldn't use a heat mat at all! 
W.T.F?!

Have you guys had these kind of heat mat problems?


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## Nat (Jan 26, 2005)

I have NEVER heard this before!! I have been keeping royals for nearly 3 yrs now and hav always used a heatmat :?


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## Stooch` (Aug 2, 2006)

THANKYOU Nat! 
Jesus christ, I thought those guys at Snaks N Adders knew what they were talking about.


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## NNY (Feb 2, 2006)

I use a heatmat with my royals too and no problems either.


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## Nat (Jan 26, 2005)

yea stooch i wouldnt panic babe, i think the majority of ppl use heatmats for their royals xxx


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## Stooch` (Aug 2, 2006)

Thanks nat. I'll phone em and give em a good telling off.
Weirdos


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## scarlettvegetable (Jan 4, 2006)

My royals are heated solely by a heatmat, and judging by the pressie I got left this morning......They aren't constipated......:S :lol:


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## Stooch` (Aug 2, 2006)

lol it's weird coz the guys over at SankesnAdders are supposed to be well known for their experience with reptiles. :?


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## mark67123 (Jun 11, 2006)

They probably meant that if you use a mat as the sole source of heat in a viv, then the ambient temp and the cool end temp isn't likely to be high enough, which could easily lead to a constipated royal.

If you use a mat to heat a plastic box set up (being generally smaller/lower the mat should be able to heat it sufficiently), or you have another source of heat to raise the ambient temp as you have with the bulb, you shouldn't have any problems.

Just make sure you have the mat on a reliable stat and that it's set correctly, with the probe directly on the mats surface if the mat is inside the viv. Royals, being heavy bodied, can be prone to burns from mats when used inside vivs.


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## Stooch` (Aug 2, 2006)

No need to worry, it's under the viv. I couldn't bear the thought of having it inside. I know how easily royals can get burnt that way.


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## scottiedog (Oct 26, 2006)

i also keep 2 royals and several snakes before and have never had a problem with constipation :lol: so heat mats should be fine :lol:


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## liam_rokocoko (Aug 25, 2006)

thats a load of crap, belly heat is very important for digestion.


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## charlesthompson (Feb 11, 2006)

well if i talk crap i talk crap. This in context was regarding un controlled heatpads, which noit only lead to constipation, but dehydration and burns. As a precaution wqhen kept in vivs i much prefer them to be under a ceramic. In racking systems heatpads are fine where the temperatures are maintained at a more constant average ambient temperature whilst being controled by a thermostat. People are to quick to shoot people down. There will always be factions of people who keep things differently i understand this. I was soley trying to reduce risk. Sorry for any confusion and please beleive me when i say i had your animals best interests at heart.

Regards charles thompson.


Sorry if this a very old subject but just came across it and thought seeing as everyone else had said their two-penneth i should too.


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