Ambient Temperature

[Mysnakeislong]

Ok so i'm a bit worried about my ball pythons lately. I live in Florida and it is starting to get cold and I keep my ball pythons in a snake rack in the garage (the garage is around same as outside temps, which can be as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night lately). My snake rack does have heat tape for heating the tubs, but i'm still worried that it might not be enough because of the ambient temperatures? Anyways idk whether to bring my heat tape up really hot or what to do. I'm just worried because i really don't want to end up killing my snakes because i was stupid and didn't know what i was doing (this is our first winter together). Anyways, any advice would be greatly appreciated regarding taking care of snakes in cold weather! Oh, and I also have a corn snake and was wondering if he would could fare better than the ball pythons? I think I heard that colubrids can brumate which is why I ask. I'm pretty sure ball pythons would just die though in colder weather which is my main concern. Alrite, anyways thanks for reading and i'm looking forward to the replies!

[M.P.C]

Heat tape does nothing for ambient temps, they give you a hot spot only.. To raise ambient temps your gonna have to raise the temps of the room and since your using a rack your options are really only limited to heating the room it self with a personal heater of some kind

[PitOnTheProwl]

1st you want your heat tape regulated to no more than 95 degrees on the inside surface of the floor of the tub....... So raising that is out.
2nd heat tape is more for a hot spot and really does nothing for ambient temperatures at all.
3rd time to find a spot in the house for them. You still want your ambient over 70 degrees and I don't think you will be able to do this in your garage without some major work.

[JoshSloane]

Heat tape does nothing for ambient temps, they give you a hot spot only.. To raise ambient temps your gonna have to raise the temps of the room and since your using a rack your options are really only limited to heating the room it self with a personal heater of some kind

[AllThatInThemGenes]

how big is the garage? if you cant move them anywhere else in your house i would say the best option is to purchase an oil filled space heater. The nice ones have different temp and timer settings and still dont run you have much $$. Main reason to go will oil filled is beacuase it wont suck all the humidity out of the room. Good Luck

[Mysnakeislong]

@AllThatInThemGenes Thanks for the reply. I was thinking of getting a heater. Atm i have the snakes in tubs in the house with heat pads underneath each tub and a separate thermostat for each tub... Cost me around $80 and not really the best solution iyam but wutever....had to be done as they say... Anyways i will definitely have to check about the oil heater because i like that idea much more. Just one question, are heaters risky in terms of fire hazard? Reason I ask is because i live in florida and have never really needed to use one before but i've heard of fires from heaters up north. Just don't want my house burning down ya know...

[spikell75]

Oil heaters are fine.. I live in the north east and many people use them to survive in the winter up here.. If your in Florida I don't see you using it for long periods of time, like anything else take precautions not have anything laying on the heater etc. Most have safety switches in case they tip over and what have you
hope this help

[Polyangler]

+1 on the oil radiators. This one was less than $40 on sale at Lowes, and has a built in T-stat. Taking them inside would be best if that's an option, but otherwise running one of these should heat your garage nicely so long as it remains closed, and isn't too drafty.



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[Nathaniel1989]

also +1 on the oil heaters.

Had my first snake saturday, Ambient in my bedroom made his home have 69-70 ambient, bought a oil heater, he now has a constant 80 ambient. Heatmat is just for the hotspot at about 89-90f.