Temp may be too high - help!

I live down in Orlando, Florida. I have my snakes (2 adult balls, 2 corns) out in the garage. During the winter and spring, I had no concern but now the garage is getting real hot. 96 in the day and 84 at night. I am starting to get concerned because this may be to much for them. I know the balls are originally from Africa and of course, that is some serious heat. I keep the water dishes filled with fresh water daily and they are (I guess) always cooling off in them. I am not using any lamps right now on any of the tanks. Temperment and shedding is fine. Everyone is eating well. Humidity is at about 60%. I was thinking of moving them inside but I thought I would get some insight first.

Am I killing my snakes? Please help.

If the snakes arn't able to cool off they'll eventually die. What it seems like to me is that your temps stay around 96 degrees no matter what. I suggest moving the snakes to a location where you can better control the temperature for a while. At least until it cools down. Where My ball pythons are I have an ambient heat of 80 degrees and hot spot of 92-95. Do you have a digital thermometer so you know the exact temps in your enclosures?

So you have no control over the temperature's in your enclosure's? I would move the snakes inside, put heat tape on thermostats ion the enclosures. So that way you are in control of the temp gradients in your enclosures.

96 degrees...is that the ambient temperature, or the hot spot?

If its the ambient temperature, that can be dangerous. If it is 96 on the hot spot, I wouldn't be overly concerned so long as the tubs are large enough that the snake can easily get away from it if they need to. Again, thats higher than what I'd be comfortable with, but I don't think a 96 degree hot spot would be all that harmful in the short-term.

If there's a window in the garage, a window A/C unit would be an easy fix. You could even hook the unit up to a Ranco, set it for cooling mode, and set the temp at 82 to keep the room temp down on hot days.

I would move them inside and setup up an ideal habitat for them. Use some flexwatt or an undertank heater coupled with a good thermostat to control the temps in their cages. The 96 degree temps they are experiencing in your garage are an ambient temp, they need a hot spot of 90-94 degrees F and a cool side of about 80 degrees F.

Just to point out that Africa might be hot in areas, but ball pythons also tend to live underground, so are not out in heat without being able to get away from it by going into underground burrows.
I think that moving them inside or doing something to lower the temps would be best.
Are they sitting up high? Is it lower in temp nearer the floor? Would a fan lower the temps? Is there any sort of AC that can be used in the garage?
Me personally, I'd move them inside. But I tried to think of any possibilities for you.
Wolfy

Where about in Orlando are you Dave? You can send me a PM if you don't feel comfortable making that info public. I'll see how I can help you out :)

i just want to mention that your corn snakes will probably be the first to die in that kind of heat. they need a max temp in the high 80's not 90's. i would move them inside right away. or find them new home...

Thank you so much everyone for all your advise.

Yes, 96 is the ambient temp. I have three car garage and putting an AC unit in the window would be quite costly (plus the x-wife has me kind of strapped right now). Running a fan all day in a humid garage makes me nervous for a fire hazard.

I think the consesis is I should move them inside ASAP.

Thanks again everyone!!

How about a strange idea (if moving them inside - the preferred fix won't work).

Since the ambient temp is 96 you really don't need a hot spot...so you could always float their tanks in water.

Take a large tub and place your snakes tank in the middle of it. Fill the larger tub with water so it comes up about 1/3 -1/2 the way up the smaller tank.

The water will act as an insulator and pull some of the warmth from the bottom of the smaller tank. Then add some levels (up) in the snakes tank and you will effectively create a temp gradient but this one will be vertical so it is warmer at the top and cooler down below.

Put a small aquarium bubbler in the water to keep it moving and the evaporation will keep the water cooler then the ambient air.

Sounds strange but I had to do this when I lived in Arizona years ago for my lizards when my mother wouldn't allow animals in the house. This how a crude radiator works.

Wow Lord Jackel, you sound like a mad scientist. That is the most interesting setup I have ever heard of and it sounds fascinating. This is worth some thought.

Thanks for the original idea.

I would definately get them in the house! I am guessing that you have air conditioning in your house? If so, the snakes deserve to be in there.

Yes, I have AC in the house but then I get concerned about low humidity. I could keep them sprayed down.

Could someone just tell Mother Nature to calm down a little? Give me (them) a break.

Thanks

Don't worry about low humidity, you are in Florida. I live in a desert and a tub and water bowl works fine. Temps are much more important than humidity not that you should forget humidity but temps can kill. When humidity here is 15% I can keep my tubs at 50% with a wider water bowl and less holes in the tubs. When they are in shed just give them a mist everyday to kick it up a notch(bam) and you will be fine. Humidity problems will mess up their shed, temp problems will cook their brains!

I too live in Orlando. I keep my snake in the house, we keep the A/C about 74. I use a medium sized bowl for water, and have a 2"x3" ventalation hole in the the screening top. That pretty much keeps the ambient at 80ish and humidity at 70ish. Bring em in, I had the same problem when I kept my cage out in the garage...