Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I live in inland Southern California, and during some of the fall/spring and most of summer, the in-home temperatures are around 80-82°F, sometimes going up to 85-90 or so before we notice and turn on the AC (or if we're not home and it's not summer). We can't really turn the AC down lower, since the bills skyrocket by hundreds of $$$ (outside temps are frequently 90-100 or even over 100, and we're on the top floor apartment).

My question is: is this dangerous for my 9mo black rat, and do I have to remove the heating bulb? I noticed that even when the coolest temp in the cage is 80°, she still goes up and basks at the bulb for a few minutes, which is only 25-40W (for a 20 gal) - and she seemed to miss it when I turned it off for a few days because of the heat. I have a repti-hammock 3-4" under the bulb which she uses to bask (and to help shade the rest of the cage from the heat).

But I also noticed that sometimes she is trying to escape the cage, which I assume is because she's too hot (if I'm home, then I take her out and turn off the bulb). Is this dangerous to the point where I need to put an icepack under the substrate every day? Would a mini-fan even have any effect? She never soaks in her water bowl for some reason (and I tried several different sizes with no success). She is not having any problems with eating or regurgitation - yet - although she did regurgitate once 6 months ago presumably because of stress. I know in this forum there is frequent complaints about Black Rats not eating or regurgitating or something because the temps are too high. Any ideas? Thanks!

My snake room is about 72-75 and I keep no heat on my blackrats.
They feed and breed just fine.
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"Upon Thy Belly Thou Shalt Go"

I live in the Bay Area of California, now, but I was born and raised in Southeast Tennessee. Occasionally, it gets over 95 over there, but hardly over a 100 for any length of time. Even if it does, there are places to cool off. If it hit around 95 over here in California, it's unbearable.

I keep around 18 Black rat snakes, at last count. My snake room is a basement room and I keep it around 80 degrees with a heater. Nevertheless, the heat outside can get away sometimes. If it gets close to 85, then all my snakes, corns, black rats, asians, bairds, and trans-pecos go crazy and dive into their waterbowls to take refuse. They obviously look hot and uncomfortable. Over the years, I have found they prefer to be on the cool side just a bit between 78 and 81.
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Gregg
The Corn Snake Pit

"If it gets close to 85, then all my snakes, corns, black rats, asians, bairds, and trans-pecos go crazy and dive into their waterbowls to take refuse."

That's a hilarious image... I can picture the thermometer hitting 85, all of the snakes suddenly look up, their eyes bulge, and they frantically jump in their water bowls.... But I get your point... I guess my snake is very strange or brain damaged.

What size/ depth bowls do you use? Neither my black rat nor my corn think the water bowls are worth going into no matter how hot it is or even if they are shedding (nor does my ball python, but those are supposed to be hot). I've tried just about every combination of water depth/ bowl size save actually having a small hide full of water (I wouldn't want them to over-soak just because they like the hide) - although I have taken a "trough" barely big enough for them and used it as a water bowl. They like it as a shelter upside-down, but won't soak in it. I've also tried covering the bowls. The black rat uses the moist hide I gave her, but I'd still like for my snakes to be "normal" and soak sometimes!

That is a bit warm but so far no reason for concern. If he is ocasionally going under the heat bulb then there should be no reason to worry. If you are worried about it then mist the cage every so often. It will evaporate away some of the heat. Or you could keep a well ventilated moist hide on the cool side at all times.
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.1 Snow Corn "Hope"
1. Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Chunk" (Goonies)
.1 Orange Albino Black Ratsnake "Peaches"
.1 MO Locale Black Ratsnake "Molly" (Flogging Molly)

"Have you ever tried simply turning off the T.V., sitting down with your kids... and hitting them?"

OK, thanks. I just hope the snake isn't messed up in the head in terms of what's good for her (like brain damaged from the hot days she's had ). Yesterday, I came home to find her sitting under the bulb (where I had seen her before I left) and her eyes had turned blue. The temperature in the room was definitely at least 80°. Maybe she just couldn't see to get down (I took her down), but somehow that just seems strange. Do snakes seek more heat when they are in shed?

I came home last night to find two of my Black Rats (Eastern ones at that) soaking in their water dishes. One had very blue eyes, so he should shed this week, and the other was my large female who was doing this because she felt like it.

What I nothice is my snakes from the eastern coastal states seem to like to soak while my snakes from the western states (Emoryi and Bairdi) almost never do this. The one exception to this rule is that I do find my Texans from time to time soaking.

What part of the country are your Black Rats from? I have them from Va, NC, PA, and NY. All of them are great snakes.

Well, I only have this 9-month old one, it's a white-sided BR that I got from Rick Cunningham at a show. I'm pretty sure he said he was from Illinois, but I have no idea where his line came from. Thats an interesting thought, though.