Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been reading a lot about this in relation to other pituophis and I am thinking of adding some heat tape to my neonatal deppei cages. My question is this: why bother if they are thriving at their current temps (72 78)? How beneficial is a thermal gradient to these guys. I am reading Mader's reptile medicine and surgery book and he recommends a thermal gradient for all reptiles. How many of you guys use a thermal gradient for your young deppei or jani? Do you think it's necessary?

Thanks for the input.

here are my two cents worth..........

always use a thermal gradient for all species......

it is my experience that snakes will do "ok" or seem "fine" without a gradient but will not thrive! The immune system of these guys is tied to their body temp. and they will use temp. to fine tune any specific needs such as digesting a big meal, fighting a bloom of some intestinal bug, etc.

A thermal gradient allows the animals to select their own temps according to their specific needs at any given time. In nature we see reptiles typically spending a significant portion of their time thermoregulating, why not give them the opportunity to have those same options in the captive setting.

I can honestly say that offering thermal gradients to my collect has been the single most positive husbandry factor I have done in the past 8 years! I don't get regurges especially in groups like deppei!

Thanks John,

I am aware that providing a gradient is very important. What is your opinion on sticking heat pads (petsmart stick-ons) to sterilite tubs? Will they melt them? Thanks for the input. What about walmart human heat pads?

I would not affix anything to a plastic tub however I have and do use theraputic "heating pads"... (the kind with a high, med, low setting switch) under certain circumstances. Make sure to read and follow all safety instructions if you do this!

Becareful on some of the newer heating pads as they will time out (turn off) after 8 hours.

Dan

I'd still go with the old reliable heat tape. Wait, then again, I've been out of this for a while, it's still reliable, right?

Heat tape is what I use in the main snake house and it does fine. In my rack systems the heat tape is controled by a thermastats, but in the large cages they are not, as they are designed to stay 20 deg. above the nominal temperatures, so that lets th snakes regulate to there choice. But, I also heat the entire snake house too. Now if I get a snake that starts acting strange or sick, I will move it out of the snakehouse into the shed where I have the heating pads, like Ginter said, with low, med, and high settings. The shed is not heated, so I used the heating pads because they have a more constant temperature and do not fluctuate as much regardless of room temp. I had a couple of sick boas that I moved out to the shed, and not knowing that the heating pads automatically shut off after 8 hours, the boas sat out in the shed several days in 30 deg temp. several days...and as you probably know...not good!!!