How hot is too hot

Im monkeying with trying to get a consistent temp in my tank

How hot of a surface temp (on the glass) on the hot side is too hot? Basically what would harm a snake?

Im using susbtrate (coconut husk) that is about an inch thick. Im worried that although the temp at the surface of the substrate is good (87), the temp on the glass should he burrow down would be way too hot.

My theory is that anything over 100 ON THE GLASS is too hot.

I have mine in CB 70 plastic tubs, with Ultra Therm pads underneath. Before I got a T.Stat for them, I used to check the temps on the floor of the tubs with an infrared RZilla thermometer ($10 on Ebay). Now, those pads rarely overheat, but if my BPs had moved their hides directly over it & were in there, it would get to 95-97 in there. I would immediately move things around until it was back to 95 in the hot spot.

It's probably too hot if you can't stand to leave your hand on that warmest spot for a while.

My theory is anything over 95F on the glass is too hot.
I also feel that 87F on the substrate is too cool and the snake will likely burrow down to get warmer during digestion.

I placed my thermostat probe on the inside glass surface where the BP would possibly touch and set that to 96-97F.

So is it reasonably safe to say, if the temp stays under 100F, wherever the snake might touch, he will be safe?

I would definitely agree with Starmom on both points. Over 95 is probably too hot. I don't know if between 95-100 could be dangerous, but I wouldn't risk it. And 87 is not enough heat for digestion. What brand of UTH do you have?

I try to keep mine around 95. Before I had my thermostat I was adding another layer of newspaper to drop the surface heat and checking temps all the time.

Most cheapo digital thermometers, including accurites, have a tolerance of +/- 2 degrees.

My belly temp could say 94F and someone elses could say 90F and the temp could really be 92F on both. Same goes for budget priced IR thermometers, which are generally +/- 2F or +/- 2%.

This makes it hard to give an exact cut off point because most people only know the temperature within a 4 degree range. Most people don't realize how big a range the tolerances allow.

you said 'Too hot" right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryRgOU76VP8















:D

Something interesting to me atleast after reading Barker's book is that they believe low 90-some degrees is "too hot".

They have found that the snake's internal temp will raise up to 2 degrees during digestion. Meaning if you are at say 88 degrees surface temp then internally the snake could be 90 degrees during digestion.

Also something to think about is in the wild the animals don't get 90 degree temps all the time (think winter in Ghana or night time temps) and still digest prey during these times.

After doing some reading of Barker's book and talking with tracy a bit I decided to turn my temps down. I don't go higher than 92 on the tape which puts me at around 88 surface temp. I'd say if you are in the high 80s you are just fine.

Hope that helps :)

Hi John~

I think that when considering an ingredient that works for the Barker's, you must also consider the entire recipe.

I don't have a temp controlled snake room and so if I were to turn down the temps to 88F in all of my tubs and cages, the ambients would plummet and I would undoubtedly end up with sick snakes :O

I just think it's important to remind the OP that it is the mixture of environmental variables that need to be looked at in unison and not just one variable here or there :)

Thanks Guys(and gals)

I think I have finally found the recipe for keeping the temps. I have a UTH (actually 2, but only one in use until I get my thermostat in). I also have a 100W CHE. Three sides of the tank are enclosed in 2" rigid styrofoam insulation with reflective coating.

With this combo, Im keeping ambient temp in the tank right at 80 (+/- 1F) and the hot hide (measured inside the hide) is running 88 (+/- 1F). So far Ive been keeping humidity in the 50% range, but Im working on getting that up a little higher.

In my opinion....the mid 90's to 100 degrees for a hot spot for bp's is too hot.

Currently I use a few different heat sources on a few different rack styles, but the hot spot on each tops off at 90 degrees at most.....a few t-stats are set lower. Animals that have thicker substrate (I use cypress on my adults but switch to newspaper at times) on top of the heat source are exposed to slightly lower belly temps. Depending on the style of rack, the heat from the bin above the snake can act as a radiant heat panel which can lead to slightly elevated temps. Basically each system/enclosure may neat tweaking.....but 95 to 100 degrees is too hot.

For what it is worth, I keep the hot spot for hatchlings at an even lower setting (85 to 88 degrees).


If you don't have one already, buy a decent non contact temp gun. They are worth the money you pay for them, they are worth the piece of mind and often they tell you things that a probe doesn't.

Just my opinion...but know what they say about opinions....

Good luck with your set up.

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Originally Posted by MuzeBallPythons

..87 is not enough heat for digestion.

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Where did you get this information? I don't know of any such threshold for anything for a snake. There ideal temps, of course, but no hard and fast rules.

[QUOTE=Joe_Compel;890407]


If you don't have one already, buy a decent non contact temp gun. They are worth the money you pay for them, they are worth the piece of mind and often they tell you things that a probe doesn't.
QUOTE]

IR heat gun is in route at this point.
Thanks
I appreciate the adive and knowdelge that everyone is sharing

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IR heat gun is in route at this point.
Thanks
I appreciate the adive and knowdelge that everyone is sharing

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As soon as you get that thing, you'll be zapping everything in sight!

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Originally Posted by Joe_Compel

As soon as you get that thing, you'll be zapping everything in sight!

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I totally agree!! Everything in sight: snake body, snake enclosure, 'catch the spot' with the dog, 'attack the dot' with the kitty..... Lol!! :D

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Originally Posted by starmom

I totally agree!! Everything in sight: snake body, snake enclosure, 'catch the spot' with the dog, 'attack the dot' with the kitty..... Lol!! :D

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It's the truth!!! :imslow:

We keep our tape at 90-95 but surface temps on the aspen end up being 88 degrees.

I wonder how hot the ground is in Africa?

Yes I know that they escape the heat (thermoregulate), so isnt this why, we as hobbyists, offer a gradient?

i dont understand how someone could say that 87 is not enough heat for digestion. after i feed my balls i dont see them all rushing to the warm side to digest their meal. actually most of the time they hit up the cool end after a meal. i wouldnt say that the snake's ability to raise body temperature while digesting a meal is someone's own recipe, isnt it a fact? im not disagreeing with how warm or cool people keep their sides because we all know that different methods work but how you get those temps to work out is your own recipe. i feel that that mid 90s and up is too hot for a hot side. especially in the summer because a heat wave can raise a mid 90 hot spot to dangerous temperatures. i try to keep my warm end anywhere from 86-92 depending on the day or the season.