Which is believe is a problem for you. You think you know, but actually do not get it. Or so it appears.



If you offer a range of temps, LIKE in nature, it can pick what it needs. Thats why you offer a range, you do not have to change the cage temps for every little thing.



Consider, NO reptile lives naturally where the conditions are consistantly one temp. They all live in an enviornment that is both colder and hotter then what people think they should be kept at. This is where FR/GOANNAMAN came in and sparked the hot basking trend which as allowed the success rate to jump dramatically. But in doing so, you must also offer cooler temps. As they use a RANGE.



Its what makes cold blooded/ectotherms, what they are, its because they mostly create their temps externally, and do not require a consistant temp. But use a range of temps in the case of reptiles. Cool to conserve, hot to excell, Or in some bodily needs to function.



In our field studies, we rarely record two snakes with the exact same temps, but we always record the snakes in a similar range of temps. The snakes on our study site are commonly from 16 to 28 degrees C. Nearly a 50% common variation. Of course we have recorded them well above and below that. The extremes are from barely above freezing. to slighly hotter, but consider, extreme heat quickly kills. Cold must be well below freezing to kill.



After you work with natural animals for a while, you can tell what they are doing behaviorally, by the body and head temps(which are normally different)



This variation is common amoung snakes, and lizards, but legged reptiles often use a much wider range for the simple reason they have a better ability to chance their temps. They have legs. And can simply and easily move from one temp range to another, and heres the key word, SAFELY. Legs give them the ability to reach and exit extreme temps safely.



So it appears a major function of well developed legs is to efficently move to more suitable temps. And monitors have well developed legs.



So keeping a reptile in a narrow temp range is limiting its natural, normal ability to self regulate its body temps(for the greatest efficency).



In captivity It becomes a game of averages. Yes I can keep a snake at 84.2, that in nature would use temps in the 60's to low 70's the majority of the time and use higher temps up into the 90's F for particular tasks. But doing so limits the snakes abilities.



Most notibly the immune system, why captives get sick and die so easily. Or reproduction. Or even shedding. All those require some degree of higher temps to accomplish correctly. Or even growth is limited by not reaching optimal temps for growth. An average temp reveals average results. Are you getting this. It was taught to you in bio 1. why a reptile is a reptile. Or should have been. Cheers

[ Show Entire Thread ]