Space heater instead

Most of them have one built in. I would highly suggest connecting it to another thermostat. The built in thermostats are notorious for failing. I know several people who lost parts of their collection due to failures.

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Originally Posted by speedycat222

Somewhat related question, is a thermostat necessary for a space heater, or do they have one built in ?

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The built in t-stat is very unreliable and an external t-stat with a probe should be used. (Ranco, Johnson etc)

I doubt using just ambient would hurt anything as has been said, provided it's a reasonable temp, but it just seems best for the snakes to offer them a temp gradient, and probably cheaper, too. My snakes make regular use of the gradient I give them.

I use a space heater with a thermostat to keep my ambient temps right but both our snakes also have a uth for their hot spot. I think it would be super difficult to maintain a good gradient with a space heater if you try to use that to create your hot spot!

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Originally Posted by owlbear

I use a space heater with a thermostat to keep my ambient temps right but both our snakes also have a uth for their hot spot. I think it would be super difficult to maintain a good gradient with a space heater if you try to use that to create your hot spot!

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Using a space heater set in the mid 80 eliminates the need for a hot spot entirely.

The Barkers have been using this methods for DECADES.


To those that think gradient and hot spot is BEST, it might be for YOUR animals, but it does not make it BEST as a general rule nor was it the original question in this case ;).

Is it something I would recommend to a new inexperienced owner? Not likely but to someone that wants to experience around, ABSOLUTELY

Thanks for the suggestions!

How do the snakes thermoregulate that way? For the record my intention was not to claim that my way was best - just to give my reasoning and tactics. I've no doubt that there are other ways to handle things. :)

The same way they do in the wild. If you use the temperatures they are accustomed to having in the wild they, in theory, should thrive. A theory in which the Barkers and others have proven. Mine eat every week, have regular bm's, and shed without issue. They all get handled often and are not fussy. Most of them I can head rub without them jerking away.

Ah! So it's just a matter of finding the same sort of ambient temps they're used to. Do you vary it at all or keep it a steady 84-85?

It also depends on where you live. The Bakers are in TX, Deb is in Ga. I however live in MN and would not consider using room heat as my only heat source. I've got heat tape on everything. I believe that Ball pythons DO need variable temps to stay healthy, whether that temp varies in the distance between the front of the cage to the back of the cage or over time from the middle of the night to the middle of the afternoon. Places down south it's likely to get hotter in the later part of the day then in the morning, up here especially in the winter when we have to rely on artificial heat 24X7 not so much.