Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,

Previously I have always tried to use the outside temperature to cool my snakes, but I just moved into a new house and that is not practical for me. My garage stays much too warm in the winter due to the fact that my water heater and furnace unit are located there. So I'm thinking of just buying a AC unit to put in my snake room and just cool my entire collection. Has anyone had problems with using AC and health issues such as dehydration with your snakes? I figured if I'm going to buy one I should do it now when there are a lot available.

This next year I'll have 4 pairs of alterna at breeding age and I want to make sure everything goes right.

Thanks for the advise,
Nathan

If you are going to use an AC unit then you really want to make sure your cages are well ventilated to keep the snakes from getting moist. Also want to make sure they don't get too cold.

With an AC unit you should be able to control the environment so I think you will have good luck.

Best Wishes,

Steven

>>>> So I'm thinking of just buying a AC unit to put in my snake room and just cool my entire collection. Has anyone had problems with using AC and health issues such as dehydration with your snakes? >>>>>

Many breeders here in Florida use a small AC unit during the winter. Often you will need to fool the thermostat into running the unit longer and at a lower temperature than they are typically designed for. Whatever method you choose usually takes some finetuning. I seem to recall some very good discussions of details so perhaps a search of the archives would be time well spent.
The size of your collection and your climate will greatly influence your choice of method. No use wasting power cooling an entire room on an 80 degree day if you don't need to. People have converted produce or florist display cases to appropriate temps or just built an insulated space. I know several guys that use off-the-shelf winecoolers and are very pleased with the results. I believe they have the advantage of allowing for both temp and humidity control.
I'm not aware of any health problems cause by the cooling but it seems possible. Keep a clean bowl of water in the cage and clean up any spills immediately. I guess the dry substrate and drying effect of the AC seem to balance out well enough with the evaporation from the bowl to yield a tolerable humidity level. I've never even checked mine.
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Lindsay Pike
Urotopia Uromastyx

Sorry if that was misleading, the signature and logo attaches automatically if I don't uncheck the box. The above comments were regarding snakes not for my uros. I breed a lot more snakes than lizards including about a decade with alterna.

Speaking of AC units - I recall seeing a reptile health slide show years ago by a vet who hated hotrocks because of all the burns he'd seen caused by them. He showed a photo of "the only approved use in reptile husbandry of a hotrock". It was taped to the thermostat of an AC unit to fool the system into continuing to cool even when the room was already cooler than the lowest setting.

You just kinda pop up all over the place! Sorry to say we'll miss your booth at Daytona this year...
The likelihood of storms this year kinda forced us to make a decision on a home back-up generator system. A "had-to" for all our critters but, a forfeit for our favorite yearly gathering.
D&L.
Oh, selling our male McFad. E-mail us if interested.

I used an old refrigerated soda box from the Coca Cola Company. I also use a backup thermostat in addition to the one on the coke box in case of failure. I used this system for 6 years and never lost a snake. I kept the temp. at 55 degrees F. The snakes involved were primarily tricolors, thayeri,greeri, alterna, and pyros. Water was always available and I had a thermometer with a temperature alarm.