Accurite and Smart Snakes?

[littleindiangirl]

Anyway I just thought I would share that with everyone. Thanks for looking, and any knowledge on the accurite would be much appreciated.

I find a lot of what you say on this forum amusing as well. I'll only address a few things concerning my experience and advice. Putting aside all anthropomorphism and going back to basics and my motivations for what I recommend to new keepers.

I don't understand the craze behind something that doesn't work that well. Is it because they are cheap?

Accurites are recommended because they have a very good rate of reliability when compared to analog dial hygrometers. They are inexpensive and while sometimes a few of them don't work, I have found out of my 6 accurites, only 1 is off when compared to the group and other different brands of accurite. I also know that most of my accurites have gone for a swim in the water bowl at some time or another. I've given in to the fact that equipment gets broken and needs to be replaced periodically. (You should also check the batteries, sometimes they give weird readings if the batteries are close to dying, or there is substrate stuck in the back grid)

The other thing is that I was told by a lot of people when I first got on this forum that snakes weren't smart enough to go to the warm side of their tub, hence why we have to keep an ambient temp of at least 80 degree's through out the tub.

I would love to see this post made by any relatively experienced member here. If you don't understand the motivation behind the idea of this recommendation, I'll go ahead and explain it again.
Ball pythons are shy snakes and will often choose security over thermoregulation or hunting. The risk of illness is multiplied when the improper temperature gradient is in the cage and the snake again chooses security over thermoregulation.

It's a keepers responsibility to minimize the risks to the animal(s) they are keeping, and by providing a temperature gradient that is neither too cool nor too hot will allow the snake the best chance to keep their immune system running a top speed. It IS possible to keep a snake with a temperature gradient as low as 75 degrees. Would I or others here ever recommend the new keeper that 75 is fine? No, I hope not. Most often the new keeper is not experienced enough to see he subtle cues of oncoming sickness or stress.

Ball pythons will also refuse to feed if the husbandry or temps in the cage are not at optimal levels. Often why we recommend the ambient temps to be at or above 80. A 5 degree difference does make a world of difference to a cold blooded animal.

Another idea is the night time temp. If the day time temps are at 75, what are the night time temps at? 70? That is very cool for a tropical species and prolonged exposure to cool temps can take a toll on the immune system.

I know your argument is that the snake will seek out heat if too cool. That is fundamentally true.

A snake given a hot spot of 95, and cool end of 75 will be seen thermoregulating very regularly. Trying to keep itself at the optimal temperature. They expend energy going back and forth in this manner, revealing themselves from their secure hides to transition back and forth from cool to hot. With neither end being at the most comfortable state, do you expect anything different?

This constant moving back and forth can also impact their first need of security. Feeling insecure can again lead to problems of stress related illness or non feeding.


By offering our ball pythons an optimal temp, they can spend time in their hides without the need to thermoregulate too often and improve our chances of successful keeping.

It isn't about if they are smart enough, it's about fulfilling their most instinctual needs. Security appears by all means to be the most important need to ball pythons.

I find this highly amusing considering some people think that their snake knows what day of the week it feeds, however the snake isn't smart enough to find the warm side of its tub.

Do snakes know it's saturday? Of course not. But my snakes do know that feeding day is a very regular set time apart. This is evidenced in their mannerisms with and without stimulation.

My snakes are fed saturday night.

On sunday through monday, they are satiated and hiding while they digest their meal. Tuesday through thursday they are curious, brought out to be held and admired. They are not being stimulated by any rat scents and are just doing what snakes do.

Friday, we clean out their water cups. They aren't held so much, but neither are they all awaiting feed. Some of my more enthusiastic feeders like the Sumatrans will be expecting a rat, but a simple touch on the head lets them know it is still not feeding day. BUT, they know it is close. That is still all without stimulation of scent.

Saturday morning... walk into the room and most if not all of their heads pop out of the hides. They are tense and on a hair trigger. Opening of the tub and they will immediately tongue flick, are twitchy, watching all heat sources. Some will strike. These animals are all locked and loaded and are not being stimulated by any scent whatsoever. They KNOW it's been a period of time, and it is feeding day. I do not handle on feeding day.

Saturday night, rats are brought in, pre-scent, then feeding. Awesome feeding responses, brought on by prescenting, regular amount of time. I have no doubt that most if not all of my snakes have learned the amount of time that passes between feeding days.