Posted by:
willstill
at Wed May 12 08:11:54 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by willstill ]
Hi,
I just completed a 16'x 20' building to house part of my collection. This structure is well insulated and has a pellet stove that I run on really cold winter nights here in Buffalo. However, on most nights the air temp drops into the low 60s, sometimes the high 50s inside the structure when the stove is not on. This of course is just the air temps and all animals have access to evening basking temps in the 90s. I rarely see them sitting on heat at night though. Even the gravid pythons and those full fo food will go back and forth between heat and cool at night. During the day, without supplimental heat to warm the air, the building warms up to the high 70s because of the skylights and the animals have access to much higher basking temps (95-105) which they all travel back and forth to. But, my point is when allowed to sufficiently heat up during the day, cool nights (50s- low 60s) will not harm snakes, even gravid females and those stuffed with food. They have options to keep warm, but often choose not to use them. All of the different species in that room, from Morelia and ball pythons to kings make similar temp choices, choices that routinely surprise other keepers who visit. I keep hearing about how my gravid girls will die and my pythons will catch upper respiratory infections, but it doesn't happen. when they need to be warm, they seek warmth from the heat pads, but most of the time, they select much cooler temps than most folks would offer.
Will
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RE: Overnight Low Temps - Defy the Myth - willstill, Wed May 12 08:11:54 2010