Is It Necessary to Keep Your Snakes Warm During The Winter?

[Bellabob]

Its 66 degrees in my house. But my snakes have a basking temp of about 92-93 degrees. Will they be fine as long as they have a basking spot?

Thanks.

[JLC]

I guess that would depend on what species of snakes you're talking about. Most colubrids don't mind the colder temps so much if they have a place to warm up. But ball pythons would NOT do well if the temps in their enclosure are dropping into the 60's....even if they do still have a warm spot. Snakes aren't real bright and they will let themselves get too cold. They don't have interior thermometers that tell them "Oops, this spot is too cool (or too hot), might not be smart to lay here."

Our responsibility as keepers is to make sure their enclosures are set at optimum temps at all times.

[Bellabob]

Well crap. Shes in a plastic tub and I can't put a lamp on top or anything, would it be ok if I put her in a smaller enclosure for the winter so the heat pad can heat it better? Because I see no other way to keep her warm. The temps just won't raise even though she has the heat pad.

[JLC]

Well crap. Shes in a plastic tub and I can't put a lamp on top or anything, would it be ok if I put her in a smaller enclosure for the winter so the heat pad can heat it better? Because I see no other way to keep her warm. The temps just won't raise even though she has the heat pad.

A smaller enclosure might be ok, so long as it's not TOO small. A small space heater in that part of the room might help too. Whatever you do, you want the ambient temps to be around 80 degrees.

[mpkeelee]

before all i had to do was hang a red bulb above the tub and it got me ambient temps nice and warm for them and it stayed around 80 all the time. or u could try a smaller room or a space heater

[steveboos]

I had Ball Pythons do fine if the temperature gets a little lower than 80, but not below 70. They will be fine if the the temperatures don't get below 72. If you have a larger plastic container, put the smaller container in it. Usually the temperature inside the first tub will be a few degrees higher than the room and long as the heat pads work well. Or just get some more identical heat pads to use on your tank on a different dimmer switch.

[j_h_smith]

You could get another heating pad and Rheostat for the cool side and regulate the temps to about 78-80 degrees.

HTH,
Jim Smith

[kalashnikov]

hang some red bulbs in the room it helps alot.

[bad-one]

From personal experience, anything under 70*F is dangerous for ball pythons.
At 66*F you're practically begging for a respiratory infection...

Here's what I did this year, I have a space heater in my closet with my snakes in there. I keep the door shut to my room as well to hold in the heat. It doesn't take much to get the closet nice and warm for the snakes and temps are in the upper 70s-82*F.

[shelliebear]

I use ceramic space heaters and heat the temp in my room up. Makes me feel cozy and the snakes, too.
(I hate being cold!)