Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently moved and my home is much warmer now...of course, I have not yet put the air on. But, I noticed his heat pad under his cave was causing too much heat. I am getting a rheostat to control the temp, but thought I should move the cave to the cool end. This would require basically making the entire set up opposite as it is now. He has been set up like this for 10 years, so I was wondergin if it would stress him out now if I move all the stuff around. Do they care?

Should their hide be on the warm or cool end?

Thanks!

YES THEY DO CARE THEY ARE COLD BLOODED AND CANNOT CONTROL THEIR OWN BODY TEMP THE ONLY WAY FOR THEM TO DO THIS IS MOVE , SINCE THEY ARE IN CAPTIVE CARE YOU HAVE TO FULLLFILL THESE REQUIRMENTS, PLEASE GO AND PURCHASE A THEROMSTAT IMMEDITALY TO PLUG YOUR HEAT PAD INTO AND SET A APPROIATE TEMP BEFORE YOU FRY YOUR BELOVED BALL!

I beleive he was reffering to if the snake cared that his setup would be reversed? Not if he would care that it was too hot. I think you might have misunderstood the post.
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This is courage.. to bear unflinching what heaven sends. -unknown

2.1 chocolate labs and bassett (Harley, Barker and Capone)
1.0 leopard gecko (Nacho)

I believe you're right shadow, calm down dougle. Not necessary ta scream at people in here.

Quig
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Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

Yes, thank you. That was exactly what I meant. I definitely know they care if it is too hot or cold.

I realized that the tank was too hot and unplugged the heat pad for now. It is still 85 in his tank without it on, until I turn on the air in my house that is. I will not turn my air on, or the heat pad back on until I have that rheostat (it was ordered online and on its way). I am just trying to figure out if the snake would get stressed if I rearranged his cage furnishings to different spots to get all the temps right. The temps were fine for the past 10 years until I moved and I just want to get it right for him again, but don't want to stress him out either.

There are some snakes that get a bit stressed when stuff changes on them - from just going from one cage to another or what have you - my albino freaked when I just moved his hide to the next bigger one (as he was wearing the old one like a hat) he also refused to eat when I switched his substrate to paper - and when I change out his bedding I only change out half at a time - cause he's just that way. Now others don't care - you can do whatever you want with them - ship them cross country to higher elevations and they go from a shoebox tub to a full blow 300 gallon aquarium with no problem. I guess in a round about way I am saying it really depends on the snake - what you can do is just move his hide a little off the heat pad and put another hide on the cool side - he should be just fine - if you have the room - put one on the hot, cold and middle that way he can pick and choose.

Good luck.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

He in a 40 gallon. On one end is his hide and the other is his log and water bowl in the middle. The cave basically takes up the entire one side of the tank, so the only way to move it off the heat pad is to move it to the other end. The heat is collecting in the hide and it is made of a nice stone so it is hard to drill holes out the top of it.

The heat pad is the one for 30-40 gallon tanks. I might move everything to opposite sides and see how it works out. If it doesn't, I will get the smaller heat pad, as that one would fit on the same side as the cave without the cave being on top of it in some way. He doesn't seem to mind much except water. He hates going in water and will hiss at me if I give him a bath. Other than that, he has a great temperment.

I know the difference between a rheostat and a thermostat, but do you think the rheostat will be okay? I know the thermostat is better, but I would like to try the rheostat first.

Thanks!

Personally I don't mind using a rheostat for indirect heat or secondary heat sources - but for direct heat especially belly heat I feel thermostats are just a better choice - the rheostat is in essence nothing more than a dimmer switch and will not adjust with fluctuating ambient temperatures nor will it shut down in the event that it gets too hot. I will say it is better than nothing - but a thermostat would be optimal.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

Thanks! I guess since I ordered the rheostat already, I will just keep my eye on the temps whenever they change in my house as well. If I see I still have problems, I will invest in the thermostat. Any recommendations on where to get a nice, but fairly inexpensive one? Thanks again.

Oh, and he does hide under his log on the cool side. That is why I am thinking of the switch. The log to the warm side (so the heat from the pad can still escape and not get trapped in the cave)and the cave to the cool side.

Well said Tosha !! David o DS Reptile Rescue

there should be 2 hides. One in the cool end and one in the warm end...however the one in the warm end shouldn't be right over the heat pad or under a heat light due to over heating

Well, I kind of screwed myself by the way I positioned the heat pad right in the center of the warm end Shame you can't remove those suckers and re-attach them.

in that case i'd take it off and replace it