i have been keeping my bps at the same standard bp temps just like everyone else(c80-82, h90-94) and they are doing great!

heres the thing: i have been reading VPI's "Pythons of the World, Vol 2", (which the the "real complete ball python manual" in my opinion) and the Barkers say that these temps are not necessary and that their ball pythons are successfully kept and bred at an ambient temperature of 78-80 with a basking spot of 84-86.

to me this makes sense because since bps are nocturnal they are most likely hiding all day in burrows from the intense african heat and when they come out at night it must be much cooler than the day time temperatures. not to say that bps would never experience high temperatures but i would think that they would be sheltered from the heat and sleeping during the day rather than openly chilling in direct sunlight so these proposed lower temperatures do make sense.

i am in no way questioning the validity of these temperature values because they were proposed by VPI and who the heck am i to question them! i just want to start a discussion and see what you guys think! so...

what do you guys think about maintaining these temperatures for the care of your bps? has anyone here read the book and switched to the lower temperatures? anybody been using these temps with or without success for a while now?

feel free to add anything else!