Questions about heating snake room

[CDCHerpetological]

Hi guys,
Johnny here. I have some questions for you professionals out there . I'm a bit confused on heating plastic tubs and snake rooms (ball pythons). I read and watched online (snakebytes tv) that some keepers do not provide a heat source (flexwatt, heat pad, etc) for some of their snake tubs but instead warm their whole snake room to the desired and acceptable temps for optimum breeding/feeding. I understand that all snakes need a temp gradient however it was just surprising. It seems as though Brian from BHB only has an ambient temp of 80-84 in his corn snake room/facility and no heat source. Maybe I'm interpreting this wrong and would love for someone to help clear it up. This may be a stupid question so please forgive me, but does anyone do something similar to this? That is, heat their snake room up to the optimum temps for their snake using absolutely no other heat source other than the ambient temps in the snake room? I ask this also because in the summer I plan on turning off the heat source (flexwatt) for my ball pythons and allow the natural heat from the room to help with digestion. In the summer time, it gets about 87-90F (day time temps) and about 75F-80F at night in my basement/snake room. I wanted to save a little money and hopefully not have to turn on the AC in the summer time . I tried using the search function but couldn't come up with anything Thanks to everyone in advance and any help is deeply appreciated.
-Johnny

[SpencerShanks]

I believe I saw a JKR episode on this topic. You are very close in what you wrote. They have their rack systems with a heat source, but that is only to raise the hot side a little bit. They keep the room at ~81*, and the flex watt raises the hot end a smidge. This only works with racks that have room at the top for air flow, I would assume.

[CDCHerpetological]

Thank you so much! That makes sense as I was thinking about just providing a little bit of a hot spot. That helped a lot!
-Johnny

[CDCHerpetological]

Anybody else? Any help would be appreciated!
-Johnny

[shorty54]

I'm not a expert but, I was discussing this with a couple of breeders in the Pacific Northwest. Since I'm moving back down south, Biloxi, Mississippi area. I'm going to have a snake room. I was going to do it with it's own heater as well to keep the room to proper temps. But, I was advised to keep a UTH as to have a HOT spot so to say and like you mentioned a warm and cool side! So, the snake can go where it feels comfy! Hope this helped a little!!!! Awsome topic!!!!!

[jfreels]

I'm no pro, but I use a heater to keep the room around 82 and still use a UTH. If you didn't have the ability to raise temps in your racks, then you'd need another rack with added heat to treat RI's and such.

[CDCHerpetological]

Cool,
Thanks guys! So I guess I still gotta use an AC in the summer time just in case temps spike to about 90F in my reptile room.

[dragonboy4578]

I have been to BHB enterprises many times. They keep the place very hot, usually in the low 80's, but all the tubs that I have looked at there have heat to them. I actually think that his colubrids have back heat on them.

[Mike10205]

Something I was thinking of was ambient only with no heat mat. Saves on electric and mat/stat costs. At the minute my room sits at 82 with mats at 90. What got me thinking this ways was the fact that a lot of people put flexi up the back of racks and not below the tub so all it can do is raise ambient. Hence use a rad to heat the room and no mats. Seems like it would work but wonder what others think. I know a lot like under belly heat to aid digestion.


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[JLC]

VPI doesn't have heat mats or "hot spots" in their enclosures. They rely on ambient temps alone. Their entire snake house is kept in the mid 80's and the temp is allowed to dip a bit in the winter months. Works well for them.

This is definitely one of those cases where we can see that there is no single right way to do things.