It is great food for thought Marc.Originally Posted by MrShultzy
Great post Dan
Here's some food for thought about the temperature/gradient issue. You hear much thrown around like, 92 hot side, 82 cool side, etc. Does anyone know the average temperatures for the area in Africa that balls come from?(Togo, Benin, Ghana). Here's a link to average temps for that region over the entire year:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/trave...omnav_business
As you can see temperatures vary quite a bit. The AVG daytime is upper 80's - meaning it could be warmer or cooler. The AVG nightime is mid 70's or so - meaning it could be warmer or cooler. And during the winter there it only gets to the low 80's and at night can get below low 70's - yet the seem to survive and thrive quite well under these conditions.
Not taking any sides here, just throwing out some different ideas.
Using that temp information can be helpful....IF you understand nature.
With an average daytime temperature in the upper 80's.....I can find basking areas in excess of 100 degrees......I can also find cool areas in the 70s......On a 70 deg night, I can find places with temps in the high 80s...
When I go field herping, I bring my temp gun. Why? It is interesting to see how much temperatures vary in nature. On an average day this time of year, I can find temps ranging from 75 deg. to 115 deg....I can also find various moisture (humidity) levels....
...the thing is.....the reptiles can find their niche in the spectrum of environmental conditions alot better than most people know.
In captivity, some provide a set humidity....some a narrow temperature range....what would happen if you provide something outside of those commonly used conditions and give the animal a choise?
Reptiles are alot better at knowing what they need than their keepers. I say give them the options and let the animals make their own choices.
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