What are Your Thoughts on This

quote from Bob Clark in Reptiles Magazine
1998 - Annual
08 - 14
The Burmese Python - Making It At Home In Your Home
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"the heater may need to be much warmer than the average temperature of the enclosure itself. This is cause for alarm for many novices. It is perfectly acceptable to have a temperature of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more directly over (or under) the heat source if this is necessary to maintain the desired ambient temperature. Always be certain, however, that the snake can retreat to a cooler area as it sees fit."
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Even though the article is on Burms. I figured the principle could aply to any species, so what do you think of having such a "Hot Spot"?

Hummmm....that sounds like he's using his basking-heat to heat his entire enclosure...which seems risky to me. Of course, Bob Clark has TONS of experience...and I have about .003% experience compared to him. But that doesn't seem right to me, so I guess I would fall under the "alarmed novice" status.

If you're using your basking heat-source to heat your entire enclosure to the proper ambient temps...then it would need to be really hot for a burm because they need such large homes. I guess it wouldn't have to be quite as hot for your typical bp cage...but I'm quite sure I would find a safer way to heat my cages, rather than risk burning my snakes.

Was that article written in 1998? If so...I wonder if his techniques have changed since then? One thing I've noticed when reading lots of forum posts from serious "old timers" is that their husbandry techniques have changed and evolved a lot over the years, especially since the Internet became such a large part of our culture and they could learn from others with similar experiences.

Thanks for your thoughts Judy. I hear what your saying, but I guess Bobs reasoning is that as long as the snake has choices he wont choose to stay right on top of the heat source, but will skoot over to a more comfortable area.

Doesnt anyone else find this quote interesting?

I find it interesting, but it's old enough that I'd rather hear whether Clark still feels that way and what other reptiles he feels it applies to.

if its written on burms you should only apply it to burms. if you read something about one species, you shouldnt apply it to another. he did say that thats only the hot spot and that her should be a cool place to reatreat to. this couldnt be applied to ball pythons. they just dont work the same way. a burm is alot more snake to heat up. a ball python would get overheated with such high temps because theres not as make snake to warm up.