Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Do you guys like to keep your heating pads on at night for your kings and milks? Or should I put my heating pad on a 12/12 hour cycle, like one would do with a basking lamp?

One one hand, in the wild there is rarely any source for heat at night, except right after the sun sets. But then again, my snake might be more active at night if it's warm enough.

So what should I do? I'm getting a king or milk in one week now.

In my opinion and experience
Snakes like to stay cool. The only time snakes like to warm up is to digest a meal or while gravid. Notice I said cool. I drop my king temps down to around 70F-65F at night. Actually that is about where the temp stays during the day other than I provide a hot spot with heat tape. I've never noticed any of my North American colubrids basking with an empty belly. Now you ask what about on nights when they have a full belly. Again, I've never had a problem. Remember, reptiles have been thriving in the wild for 100 million years or more. Like you said, it gets cold at night.

Thanks, that's what I thought but I wasn't too sure. I'm used to my bearded dragon, and his mentality is "hot hot HOT".

Anyone else care to throw in their two cents? I'd like as many opinions as possible.

er.. I mean 300 million years