Another question from an newbie

[sue1]

Hiya everyone

i`m considering life afloat,but i have pet geckos, is relistic to have vivs on board as well, does anyone else have any exotic pets and what does it cost you?

 

Thanks for your input

susan

[cheshire~rose]

Hiya everyone

i`m considering life afloat,but i have pet geckos, is relistic to have vivs on board as well, does anyone else have any exotic pets and what does it cost you?

 

Thanks for your input

susan

 

 

I would imagine the drain on the batteries would be immense - the heat and light required for a vivarium uses a lot of power and the heat is required 24/7 for them. I think many a boater has woken up one morning or arrived home to find that the batteries have got very low and if you are lot plugged into a landline in a marina and it is too late in the evening or early in the morning to run engines without being inconsiderate to others then the poor gecko's will suffer - humans can put on an extra jumper!

 

It will be interesting to hear if anyone else has lizards on board - personally I would not consider it - I have experience of living with an iguana so I do have an idea of what is involved although admitted gecko's are much smaller

[grannykins]

We are planning to live aboard in about 5 years, so 4 years from now I will have to sell all my 8 lizards and 32 snakes. I will look into the possibility of perhaps using solar panels to power one small viv, but not holding out a lot of hope. My daughter is going to have the snakes I have had for years, but all the most recent ones (that I've had for the last 5 yrs or so) will have to go .

 

I suppose a crestie would be possible, as long as the ambient temp on the boat was reasonable.

Edited January 25, 2012 by grannykins

[blackrose]

I think the temperature fluctuations on (most people's) boats wouldn't be suitable for reptiles. If the boat was on shore power then perhaps it would be ok, but you might struggle with power if you wanted to cruise. I know a guy with tropical fish (not sure what type?). He's mainly moored in a marina and he manages to take the boat out, but making sure they stay warm sounds like a hassle to me. Then there are other things to consider such as whether geckos are really going to like the movement of the boat?

[WJM]

I agree. When you live on a boat you must expect more 'variety' in circumstance. Stoves, diesel or solid fuel, can go out and shore power can trip. No matter how well insulated your boat is, there is no escaping the fact that it is a metal box sitting in water. When the heat goes off they do get cold. Humans can put on a pullover. I think there is a very real risk that you could come home one day to some dead reptiles.

Edited January 26, 2012 by WJM

[sue1]

Thanks you your input everyone, will have to think long and hard on this subject

[Athy]

You need to get a gecko blaster to warm them up.

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

One boater lost their parrot when it got wet and cold going up Wigan flight. One boater has a rabbit on a lead on top of his boat. Out terrier went cross eyed when we went through a lock with them.

[Chickadee]

Other than the power issues I'd also be worried about banging into something or someone banging into me with enough force to break the viv. Sounds like a brave man that has tropical fish on his boat!

[sue1]

You need to get a gecko blaster to warm them up.

That such a bad joke, nice try though

[Lady Muck]

One boater lost their parrot when it got wet and cold going up Wigan flight. One boater has a rabbit on a lead on top of his boat. Out terrier went cross eyed when we went through a lock with them.

I remember a very flash nb for sale on abnb which had a 'parrot room' onboard. I did wonder whether it hadnt worked out for the parrots as the boat was only about a year old.

[PiRSqwared]

Buy a cat...or 2

[cazzercoo]

Hi There,

 

We live aboard with an african tortoise, we built the boat ourselves and factored him into the equation, he has his own pen which is heated by a finrad which keeps him lovely and toastie and he is definetly more active now than when we were in a house!

[Nightwatch]

Hi There,

 

We live aboard with an african tortoise, we built the boat ourselves and factored him into the equation, he has his own pen which is heated by a finrad which keeps him lovely and toastie and he is definetly more active now than when we were in a house!

Do you walk him on the tow path> If you do, does he wait for you at the next lock?

 

Martyn

[sue1]

Hi There,

 

We live aboard with an african tortoise, we built the boat ourselves and factored him into the equation, he has his own pen which is heated by a finrad which keeps him lovely and toastie and he is definetly more active now than when we were in a house!

Thanks for that bit of information, ill look into that

[ditchcrawler]

Hi There,

 

We live aboard with an african tortoise, we built the boat ourselves and factored him into the equation, he has his own pen which is heated by a finrad which keeps him lovely and toastie and he is definetly more active now than when we were in a house!

Met one on a boat some years back at the AWCC 40 anniversary, the boat came from the club at Glascote.

[lesrollins]

What size inverter is considered to be ample. I viewed a 70ft boat with a victron 12/1600/70 yet elsewhere you see boats with 3000w inverters.And would bowthrusters need there own batteries. Same boat fitted with 1 90a/h start and 3 220a/h domestic

Edited February 1, 2012 by lesrollins

[bottle]

Les

 

The inverter needs to big as big as your needs but the size of the battery bank has to be considered.

 

If the bow thruster is electrically driven and not hydraulic, it is usual to have 'its' own battery bank.

[mrsmelly]

What size inverter is considered to be ample. I viewed a 70ft boat with a victron 12/1600/70 yet elsewhere you see boats with 3000w inverters.And would bowthrusters need there own batteries. Same boat fitted with 1 90a/h start and 3 220a/h domestic

 

Point one the size of the boat is irrelevant to the size of inverter needed.

Point two, they dont build narrowboats long enough to need a bow thruster

[lesrollins]

So a 1600w inverter would easily cope with led lights,tv,pumps etc and then use the generator or the 3.5kva travelpack to power the larger stuff washing machine, microwave.

So are 3 220 domestic batteries okay

Edited February 1, 2012 by lesrollins

[jonny]

Thanks you your input everyone, will have to think long and hard on this subject

 

I personally don't see what you've got to think about the answer to me seems obvious!

[ditchcrawler]

So a 1600w inverter would easily cope with led lights,tv,pumps etc and then use the generator or the 3.5kva travelpack to power the larger stuff washing machine, microwave.

So are 3 220 domestic batteries okay

I wouldn't feed the lights and pumps with 240 volts AC but straight on 12 volts DC.

[lesrollins]

Just can,t seem to get my head around boat electrics. When you need the gennie when you don,t, is a 12/1600/70 inverter going to be enough. I can,t get to grips trying to understand.

[ditchcrawler]

Just can,t seem to get my head around boat electrics. When you need the gennie when you don,t, is a 12/1600/70 inverter going to be enough. I can,t get to grips trying to understand.

It all down to what you want to use every day and how long you intend to run your engine every day to replace it.

 

The inverter will give you just over 1Kw all day long provided you have sufficient battery capacity to feed it.

The next question is how you recharge them.

[jelunga]

My considered opinion, is to have as much running off 12v as possible. Fridge, lights, heating, water pumps, tv, radio, DVD etc. only thing that is crap off 12 v is a microwave and vacuum cleaner. Of course if you have a woman she will need converting to gas hair rollers, towel or natural hair drying. When on mains hook up we do have an electric blanket and convector heater. But basically forget using your batteries via invertors for heating anything. It will suck dry most normal battery banks sooner rhan look at you!