Husbandry vent

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Originally Posted by bondo

YOU brought up the dogs. Wow. Ball pythons originate from Africa yet their natural temps don't matter. That makes sense.

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I have a good friend that was born in Ghana, Africa. He caught balls all the time for fun when he was younger. Used to pick them right out of the termite mounds while digging and they would be warm to the touch. The grounds stay warm and the soil is moist. Balls like semi-humid, warm habitats not a habitat in the 60's-low 70s. It rarely gets that cold so why subject the snake to something not natural? And we see too many snakes with RI's on here from being kept under 80 degrees. If it isn't broke don't fix it. Im not saying for you to change your ways.. If it works for you great. But do not preach this to inexperienced keepers who don't even know how to heat a ball pythons habitat. If they see 75 they will think 75 is ok for the whole enclosure.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

9 years at 75 on the cool side during the cooler months (breeders and hatchlings) and ZERO RI in 9 years. :gj:

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Thank you. 8 years here of high 60s to low 70s and no ri

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Originally Posted by 8_Ball

I have a good friend that was born in Ghana, Africa. He caught balls all the time for fun when he was younger. Used to pick them right out of the termite mounds while digging and they would be warm to the touch. The grounds stay warm and the soil is moist. Balls like semi-humid, warm habitats not a habitat in the 60's-low 70s. It rarely gets that cold so why subject the snake to something not natural? And we see too many snakes with RI's on here from being kept under 80 degrees. If it isn't broke don't fix it. Im not saying for you to change your ways.. If it works for you great. But do not preach this to inexperienced keepers who don't even know how to heat a ball pythons habitat. If they see 75 they will think 75 is ok for the whole enclosure.

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Balls don't live only in Ghana. So they heat the whole enclosure at 80 then? I never said the hot side should be 75.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

9 years at 75 on the cool side during the cooler months (breeders and hatchlings) and ZERO RI in 9 years. :gj:

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Cool side I agree is ok for experienced keepers with zero fluctuations. 75 for the whole enclosure minus belly heat is a RI waiting to happen. If the enclosure is 75/81/90 thats fine. I don't feel comfortable telling newbies 75 for the ambient is ok.

Bondo, the warmer the air the easier the humidity is simple physics warm air can carry more humidity that cool. Lamps don't dry the air they raise the saturation point, a fixed amount expressed as a % of a increased amount is a lower %. (example: 10$ is 100% of 10$ but 10$ is only 10% of $100.) Loosely the for every 2ºF lower than 80ºF you increase the necessary RH by 5%, For every 2ºF over 80ºF the necessary RH drops by 5%. If you are 4ºF below 80ºF (74ºF you need about 70%RH or if it is 84ºF you then only need 50% RH to keep the absolute humidity the same.)

"Relative humidity is the amount of moisture in the air compared to what the air can "hold" at a given temperature (saturation density). When the air can't "hold" all the moisture, then it condenses as dew. The warmer the air the higher the saturation density, the cooler the lower. The relative humidity is the percent of saturation humidity, generally calculated in relation to saturated vapor density."

It is not very hard, RH=a % of the saturation point and the saturation point is relative to temperature.

Royals have been re-classified as crepuscular-nocturnal. There is also a move to re-classify them as semi-arboreal, as the frequency they re found in trees after nesting birds, during prey studies, is quite high particularly in males (16/29)

I am not sure which part of the range you are getting weather data from but is it actually where Royals are found? Some of the more heavily populated areas see averages during the rain season of 73-82ºF and 75-88ºF for the dry season. The typical ambient temperature range of 74-85ºF aligns with the field data. Can they manage outside this , yes clearly. I actually believe that many choose to keep hot spots warmer than needed, myself I am never over 90ºF and usually below.

Information does change all the time, old beliefs should be replaced by new ones.

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Originally Posted by bondo

Balls don't live only in Ghana. So they heat the whole enclosure at 80 then? I never said the hot side should be 75.

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An ambient is the whole enclosure. A heat pad/tape does not heat up the air temperature at all. And like you originally stated keeping balls in the high 60's is a no-no to me. Im sorry but this is going to lead to problems with others if they read this. I stuck by 82/91 when I had a quite large collection a few years back and never had an issue ever.

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Originally Posted by bondo

Balls don't live only in Ghana.

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Correct. While their range spreads pretty much from Senegal to Uganda, a great majority of imports come from Ghana (EB Noah). I'm sure that's one of the reasons that caresheets tend to align with the temperature range of that region of Africa, rather than further east as you referenced.

Khartoum, Sudan

The warm season lasts from April 8 to July 2 with an average daily high temperature above 103°F. The hottest day of the year is May 29, with an average high of 107°F and low of 84°F.

The cold season lasts from December 14 to January 31 with an average daily high temperature below 89°F. The coldest day of the year is January 12, with an average low of 63°F and high of 85°F.

Yaoundé, Cameroon

The warm season lasts from January 23 to April 4 with an average daily high temperature above 85°F. The hottest day of the year is February 8, with an average high of 87°F and low of 69°F.

The cold season lasts from June 26 to August 31 with an average daily high temperature below 80°F. The coldest day of the year is January 2, with an average low of 67°F and high of 84°F.

Tambacounda, Senegal

The warm season lasts from March 11 to May 29 with an average daily high temperature above 102°F. The hottest day of the year is April 26, with an average high of 106°F and low of 80°F.

The cold season lasts from July 10 to September 25 with an average daily high temperature below 92°F. The coldest day of the year is January 10, with an average low of 65°F and high of 92°F.

Bangui, Central African Republic

The warm season lasts from January 23 to March 18 with an average daily high temperature above 93°F. The hottest day of the year is February 9, with an average high of 94°F and low of 69°F.

The cold season lasts from June 20 to August 27 with an average daily high temperature below 87°F. The coldest day of the year is January 3, with an average low of 65°F and high of 91°F.

I would like to add that if you move off the coast and go north in Ghana you will find lows close to most of these.

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Originally Posted by bondo

Khartoum, Sudan

The warm season lasts from April 8 to July 2 with an average daily high temperature above 103°F. The hottest day of the year is May 29, with an average high of 107°F and low of 84°F.

The cold season lasts from December 14 to January 31 with an average daily high temperature below 89°F. The coldest day of the year is January 12, with an average low of 63°F and high of 85°F.

Yaoundé, Cameroon

The warm season lasts from January 23 to April 4 with an average daily high temperature above 85°F. The hottest day of the year is February 8, with an average high of 87°F and low of 69°F.

The cold season lasts from June 26 to August 31 with an average daily high temperature below 80°F. The coldest day of the year is January 2, with an average low of 67°F and high of 84°F.

Tambacounda, Senegal

The warm season lasts from March 11 to May 29 with an average daily high temperature above 102°F. The hottest day of the year is April 26, with an average high of 106°F and low of 80°F.

The cold season lasts from July 10 to September 25 with an average daily high temperature below 92°F. The coldest day of the year is January 10, with an average low of 65°F and high of 92°F.

Bangui, Central African Republic

The warm season lasts from January 23 to March 18 with an average daily high temperature above 93°F. The hottest day of the year is February 9, with an average high of 94°F and low of 69°F.

The cold season lasts from June 20 to August 27 with an average daily high temperature below 87°F. The coldest day of the year is January 3, with an average low of 65°F and high of 91°F.

I would like to add that if you move off the coast and go north in Ghana you will find lows close to most of these.

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My last rant I swear.

1. The ground stays warmer at night, those termite mounds are deep.
2. Just because the lows can hit the low 70s during some seasons I don't see why the snakes have to be subjected to those temperatures year round. So corn snakes are found in Maryland. The lows there are 30-40 degrees in the winter. Am I going to keep a corn at 40 degrees ambient?
3. I'm content with my lows in the low 80's like most folks on here are [emoji16]

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Originally Posted by bondo

Khartoum, Sudan ... Yaoundé, Cameroon ... Tambacounda, Senegal ... Bangui, Central African Republic

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Yes, those are all cities in Africa. ;) Yes, BPs can tolerate a range of temperatures. :) Yes, there are temperatures within that range that serve as a good starting point for less experienced keepers (those folks that will be looking for a caresheet). :gj: Yes, that is the reason that those caresheets recommend those temperatures. :D No, I won't be changing my temperature recommendations to align with the full range of temperatures that they may be exposed to in every part of their natural range. :cool: