Does anybody not use a hot spot?

Well long story short I was talking to my government professor today turns out he's a big ball python breeder in our area. We started talking and he told me he never used heat tape to provide a hot spot for all of his snakes, (he has about 80+). He just keeps the room at a constant 82 degrees. He's bred snakes for 8 years and he says he never had any issues. What do you think of this?

I don't doubt it...

I know plenty of breeders that have rooms that are just temp to a certain temp all day everyday


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I only use a hot spot a few month of the year, most of the year I only use ambient temp.

It can be done however I would not recommend it to a first time snake owner that has no experience.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

I only use a hot spot a few month of the year, most of the year I only use ambient temp.

It can be done however I would not recommend it to a first time snake owner that has no experience.

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Same here

I'm certainly no expert, but from what I've gathered, being ectothermic snakes need to be able to vary their body temperature to suit their needs, so to speak. If a room is kept at a steady ambient temperature, I'm curious how the snake is supposed to regulate it's body temp as needed if it's only able to be in one constant ambient temperature no matter where it goes...??

Maybe this is a ridiculously, naive question, maybe not, but my snakes, all of them, use both sides of their gradient heated enclosure. My room stays 70+, because I keep my door shut which holds in most of the heat from their heating elements. Then they all have UTH's, one an infared bulb to help with the ambient temp, and another a similar heat emitter bulb for his ambient temp also. I do know many people use the heating of the room in which they keep their snakes heated to a steady temp as their means of a heat source. But for example, what if you have different species requiring different temps? And again perhaps another silly question, but where would the snake go if it wanted to escape that warm of temp??? I've wondered these things for awhile, would love to be more knowledgeable on the subject=p Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Deborah

It can be done however I would not recommend it to a first time snake owner that has no experience.

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Why so? Is there any different care for when you only keep a constant ambient temperature?

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

Why so? Is there any different care for when you only keep a constant ambient temperature?

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Why? Because I can and it is the most efficient way to do it in the current snake room.

During the winter I maintain an ambient temps of 76/78 in the room with a oil filled heater and provide a hot spot, when temps start warming up the snake room naturally gets to 84/86 degrees (the room is located right under the roof), I could use the AC get the ambient temps to 76/78 and provide a hot spot but I found it counter productive and energy inefficient when all I have to do is simply take advantage of the room temp as it is. The care is the same their core temps is about 85 which is warm enough to facilitate digestion.

Now for someone who gets started I highly recommend to start of with optimal temps and gradient of 78/80 and 88/90, once they become experienced, feel comfortable enough and know their animals I would encourage them to find what works for them and their animals. (There are many successful way to keep those animals)

I too know a number whom do this that said I don't know any that use 82º most I know of use a warmer temp than this. I too would second Deborahs comments and add that a know accurate thermometer should be included and given the price of accurate (slippery term I mean less than one degree error) and traceable to insure it is within that range. Sadly this is often a higher cost than most are willing/able to spend. The breeders I know of whom just use ambient temps have very good regulation and thermometers to insure the temps they use are constant and accurate.

I question the hot spot myself sometimes cause my temps are pretty spot on and the only time my snake goes in his hot side hide is when he is in shed. He actually doesn't use the 2 identical hides I got from reptile basics. He uses a flat piece of cork bark 98% of the time which is at the coolest part of his cage. If fact, He digesting 2 rats he ate last night and is at the coolest part of the cage.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Why? Because I can and it is the most efficient way to do it in the current snake room.

During the winter I maintain an ambient temps of 76/78 in the room with a oil filled heater and provide a hot spot, when temps start warming up the snake room naturally gets to 84/86 degrees (the room is located right under the roof), I could use the AC get the ambient temps to 76/78 and provide a hot spot but I found it counter productive and energy inefficient when all I have to do is simply take advantage of the room temp as it is. The care is the same their core temps is about 85 which is warm enough to facilitate digestion.

Now for someone who gets started I highly recommend to start of with optimal temps and gradient of 78/80 and 88/90, once they become experienced, feel comfortable enough and know their animals I would encourage them to find what works for them and their animals. (There are many successful way to keep those animals)

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Ah I see now. :gj:

Would the same constant ambient temp work for different breeds of snakes? For example I have a Dumeril's boa and a normal ball python, both around a year and a half old. Their care isn't much different but I have noticed that my Dumeril's is never on her hot spot and I always find her curled up under her water bowl, (I'm not sure if she is doing this to cool down, or just using it as a hide :rolleyes:). So would an ambient temp be okay for different types of snakes? I'm probably going to stick with my flexwatt since I already have it, but I'm just curious.

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

Ah I see now. :gj:

Would the same constant ambient temp work for different breeds of snakes? For example I have a Dumeril's boa and a normal ball python, both around a year and a half old. Their care isn't much different but I have noticed that my Dumeril's is never on her hot spot and I always find her curled up under her water bowl, (I'm not sure if she is doing this to cool down, or just using it as a hide :rolleyes:). So would an ambient temp be okay for different types of snakes? I'm probably going to stick with my flexwatt since I already have it, but I'm just curious.

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Well I don't keep boas so I could not answer that question but I do not see why it could not be done.

I would not doubt if some boa breeders do the same thing.

I mainly breed and keep BP and all of them are kept this way as well as 2 carpet pythons and a Blood Python. I have also kept colubrids like this in the past (Kings, Milks and Bulls)

Husbandry it's all about knowing your animal and see what work for them and you won't know until you try.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Well I don't keep boas so I could not answer that question but I do not see why it could not be done.

I would not doubt if some boa breeders do the same thing.

I mainly breed and keep BP and all of them are kept this way as well as 2 carpet pythons and a Blood Python. I have also kept colubrids like this in the past (Kings, Milks and Bulls)

Husbandry it's all about knowing your animal and see what work for them and you won't know until you try.

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Okay awesome. I might give it a try, so how will I know if it "doesn't work" so to speak? Both my snakes are eating MACHINES, so should I just watch their behavior and feeding?

I took a tour of NERD and didn't notice any heat tape in the whole place. They kept the area around 83 I would say.

I do not provide a hot spot keep the room at a constant 84 degrees for my snakes and tropical birds. Most of them eat well and all are doing great, this technique works perfect for me.

Do y'all drop the temp at night at all? Or just a constant temp?

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Originally Posted by Trackstrong83

Do y'all drop the temp at night at all? Or just a constant temp?

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Constant temps unless it is breeding season :gj:

I have my GTP, BRB and Bloods in the same room(all similar needs). I heat it with a oil filled heater set to 80. I do also have rhp's in the cage for a warm spot but the spots are rarely used. I live by"one is none" and try to have a redundant system whenever possible. This is easier for me though since I'm not a big breeder. Heating the room alone is good but like many have mentioned have another heat source available just in case you need it. Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

Also on a side note:
Before I got my pvc cages I kept my blood in a tub with just the room heater and she was doing great.

During the summer months when it gets warmer, I'm going to try this tactic. I'll probably unplug my flexwatt and hook my space heater up to my herpstat and keep the room at a constant 84, and see how it works for me.
I'm kinda excited to try it out!

This means I could build my own rack, and add a couple more bp morphs, without raising my power bill by not having to add extra feet of heat tape. JACKPOT! Lol :)

Anybody else have an opinion on this?

My buddy does this, I've been thinking about doing it with my bps. My snake room is 79 right now with heat tape in tank in there and in living room that rack has flex but my carpet I just use a light I give her a nice basking spot she's doing good like that so I may try it with balls this summer not sure. Btw I live in northern Minnesota kinda makes me sketched bout doing that in winter

I don't exactly use a hot spot. The whole bottom of the tub has the heat mat on it, but the walls are cool.

Bump :)

trackstrong83, what herpstat are you using?

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Originally Posted by boyer.michael.s

trackstrong83, what herpstat are you using?

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I'm using a herpstat 1 for my current rack.

Just remember that the herpstat 1 cannot exceed 700 watts. If you decide to plug a heating source into it to regulate room temperatures, be sure to check the watts. In general, most oil filled heaters use at a minimum of 600 watts and that is on the low setting. Oil filled heaters with multiple settings usually pull 600 watts on low 900 watts on medium and 1500 watts on high. Keep this in mind or it will easily become a fire hazard. I know you didn't say you were using an oil heater but this is important to take into consideration with any heat source you plan to use. I'm sure this may be information you already know and understand but I wanted to be sure to point it out just in case.

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Originally Posted by boyer.michael.s

Just remember that the herpstat 1 cannot exceed 700 watts. If you decide to plug a heating source into it to regulate room temperatures, be sure to check the watts. In general, most oil filled heaters use at a minimum of 600 watts and that is on the low setting. Oil filled heaters with multiple settings usually pull 600 watts on low 900 watts on medium and 1500 watts on high. Keep this in mind or it will easily become a fire hazard. I know you didn't say you were using an oil heater but this is important to take into consideration with any heat source you plan to use. I'm sure this may be information you already know and understand but I wanted to be sure to point it out just in case.

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Oh yeah I'm going to get a Ranco/Johnson control for the space heater I would be using :gj:

This has been hands down one of the most usefull threads i've seen!! I feel dumb about it but it never occurred to me that no heat was "ok"! Being in Puerto Rico, where the temps are mid-80s all year round, this is a big help!! And everyone's input is GREAT!