Hog Island Heating Question

[SuddenEclipse]

Hey guys!

My hog's tank temp is 90 degrees on the warm spot, but it is as low as 65 degrees on the cool side. I know they are okay in a wide range of temps, but is 65 too low? Should I go ahead and buy a bigger UTH? He is hanging out on his warm side & now that he's settled in he's not cold when I pick him up.

What do you think? Leave it alone, he's fine, or step up the heat with a larger UTH? I can't put a heat lamp on top because it's an acryllic tank. No screen.

[TheWinWizard]

What's the temp like in the room he's in? I usually go as low as 72 for them.

[SuddenEclipse]

That's the thing. We live in a newly built house. The builder people (who apparently suck) messed up the duct work so even though we set the thermostat in the house to 73, it gets 73 in the living room and stuff but apparently in my bedroom (where my snakes are) it's like mid 60s.

My Kenyan is fine because she's under like 5 inches of aspen and is always toasty toasty warm when I pick her up. LOL, I just worry about my Hog since he's not into the whole burrowing thing. He knows where the warm part is an is hanging out there so it's not like he's cold but I didn't know if 65 was really not good.

[Vypyrz]

That's the thing. We live in a newly built house. The builder people (who apparently suck) messed up the duct work so even though we set the thermostat in the house to 73, it gets 73 in the living room and stuff but apparently in my bedroom (where my snakes are) it's like mid 60s.

My Kenyan is fine because she's under like 5 inches of aspen and is always toasty toasty warm when I pick her up. LOL, I just worry about my Hog since he's not into the whole burrowing thing. He knows where the warm part is an is hanging out there so it's not like he's cold but I didn't know if 65 was really not good.

Since you can't really use a heat lamp, another option would be using a space heater to keep the ambient temp in the room at about 75-77F.

[SuddenEclipse]

That'd be sooooo hot for ME in my room. LOL I'd never sleep! I think I'd rather just buy a bigger UTH and cover more floor space for him.

[KatStoverReptiles]

That'd be sooooo hot for ME in my room. LOL I'd never sleep! I think I'd rather just buy a bigger UTH and cover more floor space for him.

The thing is...UTH's don't affect the ambient air temp which is important as well.

[SuddenEclipse]

Ok last night I put a space heater right near his tank. I set it to 75. The tank is now 69 (instead of 65) in the coldest spot. He was out and about last night, and this morning he was looking at me then showing off his burrowing skills before going back into his warm hide, which is about 89/90.

Last night I offered him his first meal since I got him (Wednesday). I offered him a thawed out fuzzy and wasn't sure he'd take it since I believe he had been on live. OMG he took it at the speed of lightning!! He ate it so fast. I'm used to my Kenyan who takes her food all gentle, doesn't bother to constrict it unless I move it and get her all fired up. This guy was like RAAAR! I probably could have given him another one but I didn't want to push it and over-feed him his first time.

He hasn't thrown anything up and seems good! :-D

[TheWinWizard]

Just rst remember, they are dwarf boas and aren't used to a surplus of food. Don't be tempted to over feed. i feed mine every 3 to 4 weeks.

[SuddenEclipse]

WOW Really?! 3-4 weeks?! I'm totally floored LOL

Vicious, my KSB, eats 2xs a week and is doing great. I want her to get big though. She has had no health problems, never regurgitates, and otherwise seems happy okay. KSBs are fat bodied snakes anyway so she's probably happy with her liberal feeding schedule.

I guess I'll keep Cinder (the hog) only on a once a week feed schedule. He is 4 months old so I don't think 1 fuzzy a week would be over kill. His papers indicated he had been on a once a week feeding schedule so I won't deviate from that.

Thanks for letting me know. I'll stick to 1 mouse at a time with him and no more even if he pretends he wants more!

[TheWinWizard]

At that age once a week is fine. Mine are 3 years old.