Cooler temps...what do you think?

[the bull]

My new python is in a glass tank, I want to go to a tub. I have a UTH without a temp control at this time. I am measuring temps with a Infrared heat gun. The hot side is 84˚ on top of the cypress chips. I have cardboard on the bottom of the tank to keep it from getting over 90˚. I have ordered a herpstat and am wanting to go to a tub setup. The cool side has a hide and a water container that is a divided rubbermaid container.i have the lid cut in half with a access hole going to some damp newspaper. The temps get low in there, Like 69˚. She goes in there at night and will stay. Is that too cold? The ambiant temps in the tank are in the low to mid 70's. She seems "Happy". She stays in her hides. If I take her out of the the cold hide and put her in the tank she will go to the warm side hide, I wonder if the cold hide is too cold and she gets lazy and just stays there. I think I need another cool hide like the closed up flower pot on the hot side.

These guys live in termite mounds in the wild, did you know that the temps in those things can get down to like 37˚!!!!! I heard that balls like these lower colder temps....What do you guys think?

http://www.snakehook.net/forum/viewt...6d38201690f974

[Freakie_frog]

Ok here my .

First I do think that you need to raise your temps up to the suggested levels. The temp ranges that we suggest are for your and a your snakes benefit they help keep you snake feeding and healthy. The is a difference between surviving and thriving when it comes to reptiles. A ball can survive way harsh conditions for a short period with few if any ill effects. But a prolonged exposure to less than ideal temps or environment increases the risks of problems later such as RI, regurge, not eating.

I'd say for your snake to thrive you raise the temps to a 90-95 hot and 80-85 cool side.

But thats just me.

[rabernet]

These guys live in termite mounds in the wild, did you know that the temps in those things can get down to like 37˚!!!!! I heard that balls like these lower colder temps....What do you guys think?

I've never heard that they drop that low, can you show where you've read or heard that?

[the bull]

Ok here my .

First I do think that you need to raise your temps up to the suggested levels. The temp ranges that we suggest are for your and a your snakes benefit they help keep you snake feeding and healthy. The is a difference between surviving and thriving when it comes to reptiles. A ball can survive way harsh conditions for a short period with few if any ill effects. But a prolonged exposure to less than ideal temps or environment increases the risks of problems later such as RI, regurge, not eating.

I'd say for your snake to thrive you raise the temps to a 90-95 hot and 80-85 cool side.

But thats just me.

If a snake was staying on the hot side all the time I would think that the temps were too low. If the hot side is 85 then it goes cooler than that it must have been hot enough. If it stays on the cool side all time then it is too hot......
Just makes me wonder.

[the bull]

I've never heard that they drop that low, can you show where you've read or heard that?

That was mighty dumb of me.....celsius celsius celsius!
The place I saw that must be using celsius. Looks like they can get down to 30˚C thats like 86˚F!!!!

I was thinking to myself too....Man thats cold.....

[Freakie_frog]

Some times we give them more credit than they are due for knowing what they need. If they truly knew what was best I'd never have a snake go off feed when its young or try and escape.

The truth is that yes they may thermo regulate when the temps are cooler but the fact remains that it might not be the best thing for them. I have some snakes that never leave the heat and some that never leave the cool side. Since I know that my temps are such that they can hang out on either side and not suffer any ill effect I don't worry. But if my temps were not with in the range of their optimal range to sustain a healthy active immune system then I would worry.

Just because I snake stays in an area that is cooler than what is normally offered doesn't mean its good for it. It just means that it is reacting to an environment that it has been given as it normally would with out thought of the possible out come. Thats where we as keeps come in it is out job to make sure these animals are given an environment that do not lend them selves to avoidable problems.

Again just my point of view from my limited experiance

[the bull]

Some times we give them more credit than they are due for knowing what they need. If they truly knew what was best I'd never have a snake go off feed when its young or try and escape.

The truth is that yes they may thermo regulate when the temps are cooler but the fact remains that it might not be the best thing for them. I have some snakes that never leave the heat and some that never leave the cool side. Since I know that my temps are such that they can hang out on either side and not suffer any ill effect I don't worry. But if my temps were not with in the range of their optimal range to sustain a healthy active immune system then I would worry.

Just because I snake stays in an area that is cooler than what is normally offered doesn't mean its good for it. It just means that it is reacting to an environment that it has been given as it normally would with out thought of the possible out come. Thats where we as keeps come in it is out job to make sure these animals are given an environment that do not lend them selves to avoidable problems.

Again just my point of view from my limited experiance

I understand...I am going to move my temps up!

[casperca]

It sounds to me like your snake could be favoring the type of hide that you have on the cool side and is compromising its thermoregulatory needs for security.
If it were me I would get another hide like you have on the cool side and bump your temps up to the levels freaky_frog suggested. The herpstat should help with that. Also, to keep the overall ambient temp up you may try covering three sides of the tank with that pink foam insulation. I had success with that when I had glass enclosures.
Hope this helps.

[the bull]

It sounds to me like your snake could be favoring the type of hide that you have on the cool side and is compromising its thermoregulatory needs for security.
If it were me I would get another hide like you have on the cool side and bump your temps up to the levels freaky_frog suggested. The herpstat should help with that. Also, to keep the overall ambient temp up you may try covering three sides of the tank with that pink foam insulation. I had success with that when I had glass enclosures.
Hope this helps.

I made a third hide on the cool side and bumped up the temps. It is in the high 90's on the highside and mid 70's on the cool side. She stayed on the high all day, as usual and right when it got dark she looked around the tank and made a dash into the new low side hide. So lets see how this goes. She is "happy"!!!!

[starmom]

Temps in the high 90's will burn your snake....too hot!!