Thermostat and hide temps

[kiiarah]

Hi everyone,

I could use some input on the correct temps for the hot hide and specifically how to achieve this using a thermostat to regulate the heat pad. The problem I am having is that the thermostat does not keep the hide at a constant 90 degrees but instead varies within a range of about three degrees either direction. At first, Shesha had not been moving substrate to get to the glass, but I found this morning that he has in fact started pushing it out of the way so I need to be sure that the glass temp is not too hot. I am scared to set the thermostat to 90 because it can climb to 93 max or slightly higher when set that high, but if I set it low enough for it not to go over 92 it will sometimes drop to 86 in the hide on the glass before kicking on.

I am measuring the in hide temperature with the digital probe (which is stuck to the glass very securely with the adhesive pad it came with) and the thermometer reading agrees with the temperature on the thermostat itself, so I am inclined to trust it. I guess my question is how hot in the hide is too hot. Would it be safe to let the glass get as high as 94 or is it safer to let it drop to 86 to keep it from rising above 92 degrees? He has been spending all of his time either in the warm hide or on the plant midair above the warm hide. I have yet to see him use the cool hide even though the ambient temps are a steady 80 degrees and the cool hide is actually smaller and better fitting. So assuming he is flat on the glass for the majority of the day, what would be the max safe temperature. Is it normal for them to spend the entire daylight period in the hot hide or could this indicate that the temps are too low?

[Eric Alan]

93 is fine. 94 is fine. 95 is pushing it. 96 is too hot. Set your thermostat accordingly.

Let him spend his time where he wants to spend his time and don't worry about what is normal for him until you've had him for quite a bit longer. BPs are as different as people and have their own specific needs - normal for one can be abnormal for another. As long as you're providing him with the temperature gradient that he needs to be able to thermoregulate, he'll go where he needs to do just that.

[kiiarah]

I was just in the process of trying to change the post, since I realized I really had already asked the max temp question and had wanted to add some information, but apparently I can't edit beyond 10 minutes after posting, so please forgive the redundant information. I will set it then to make sure it doesn't ever exceed 94. What would you consider a temperature that is too low, would 86 be "cool" or is that still warm by ball python standards? I have noticed he isn't using his cool hide at all, despite it being a more appropriate size, so I am concerned that the hot hide might not be warm enough for him to heat sufficiently and then roam around. He does go into his plant, like I had mentioned but only at night, he is in his hot hide all day long. I have never seen it drop lower than an 86 degree floor temp the way I have it set now so I figured maybe that is way too low. Also, how cool should he feel to the touch. I read a post that made a good point that if our bodies are 98 degrees, even a 90 degree reptile will feel cool, but should he ever feel lukewarm when he has been resting out of his hide or is cool and clammy normal? He felt almost chilly when I was moving him to adjust the thermostat probe today but then again I really don't know what would be considered normal.

[Eric Alan]

Skin temperature actually varies quite a bit compared to core temperature (98.6 F) - from 83 F (at 49 F) to 98 F (at 95 F). This makes our ability to tell the actual temperature of things we're touching (that are close to this range) nearly impossible because it's all relative to our own temperature. Sometimes a 90 degree snake will feel warm - sometimes it will feel cool. This is why an accurate thermometer is a better tool for providing care for your BP than your hands in trying to figure out what temp they're at.

[kiiarah]

Alright that makes sense and I suppose that since he obviously knows where his hot hide is he would go back into it if he were uncomfortably cool. So not using the cool hide isn't cause for concern as long as he is out and about? He really seems to love that plant at night for some reason. I am starting to think he has decided that is where he wants to "hide" when he is not warming up.

[Eric Alan]

So not using the cool hide isn't cause for concern as long as he is out and about?

Nope. We provide multiple hides so they don't have to choose between security and warmth. It doesn't mean that they're going to use both hides an equal amount (or even at all in some cases) - it just means that they're there if they'd like to use them.

[CryHavoc17]

Anything in those temp ranges is fine. When its on the hotter end of that range it will take less time to get to his preferred body temp, on the cooler end it will take more time.

Using an on/off thermostat will always produce a temp swing like that

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