Night Time Temp Drop

[Carl]

Ok, for the past few months I did not know it was essential to have a night time temp drops for boas. I keep the ambient air temps in all my balls and boa enclosures from 82-84 degrees. How low can I drop the temps at night in my boa and ball room? I also have a couple ball hatchlings and im not sure if a night time temp drop is good for the balls if they are young.

[Willie76]

I know there are many schools of thought on temp drops. I've never had to consciously produce a night time drop for any of my boas and all are healthy, happy, eat, and shed well. There's always a room-wide temp drop in our snake room and home (maybe a couple degrees) as it IS night time and outside temps do drop. I just keep my gradient the same 24/7 and have never had an issue nor have I had to use the temp drop feature in any of my Herpstats...

[hypnotixdmp]

Indeed, I keep my room at 80-82 at all times and all are healthy and eat and shed properly. They all seem to be happy and enjoy their homes quite a bit!!!

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[Gio]

I don't think it's essential, but I have played with my Herpstat and used a night drop of 2-3 degrees. Rio Bravo Reptiles web page has a good article on using a seasonal gradient for temps.

A lot of it is a natural event in our homes so you may not have to do anything other than let the season or time of day do the work.

If you have no issues and everybody is eating, shedding and feeling good you are doing fine.

I love the Herpstats though. I like to let mine drop a degree or 2 at night, but that's a personal choice I guess.

[Evenstar]

It's not necessary to implement a night-drop unless you're getting mature adults ready to breed.

More often than not, the normal fluxuation of temps in your home will be enough. The t-stat for my house goes down by 3-4 degrees over night and that works. I keep the snakes' t-stats on their hot zones the same all the time. So the ambient temps in their enclosures, while at 78-ish during the day, fall to 75-76 over night. But they always have an 88 hotspot.

Btw, 82-84 sounds a little high for boas. Might be alright for the balls, but boas tend to like things a bit cooler. I've found my boas are more active, alert, and seem more relaxed at about 78 with a hotspot of 88. I let the ambient temp fall to 76 for my Argentines who like the temps even cooler. But 78 seems ideal for most boas.