Reptile & Amphibian Forums

75 is the lowest temps should be at night?
do they need a warm spot at night too or just 75 throughout the whole cage? thanks

Unless you're cycling. Why would you change them?

why give them hot temps all night?

Why NOT give them hot temps all night?

i'm not trying to be rude or anything
do they get an 88-92 temp basking spot all night in the wild?
what are the advantages to heating them all night?
again i'm not tryin to be rude, just ask questions i'd like to know the answers to

Balls are nocturnal. They are not snakes that come out and bask on rocks and logs, ala diurnal agamas and iguanas. They get their heat conductively, and the Earth, being the biggest heat sink in the....er....world, keeps them toasty warm right until morning. Air/surface temps during the day are like 120F . Believe you me when I say that Ball Pythons are long underground or wedged between something hiding by the time the sun comes up.

Have you never noticed your snake just sleeping all day, yet becoming active at night? If not, there might be something wrong health-wise with your snake. Or, you're cage might not be at all proper for keeping a Ball Python healthy and happy.

yes i know they're nocturnal, my snake sleeps over the warm side all day, then at night she comes out and moves all over. thanks

Warm side = 90-95
Cool side = 80-85

Day and night temps the same unless you're cycling. Night time drop not required, but if it does drop don't go below 75 on the cool side. Still maintain a temp gradient with a difference of 5-10 degrees between the two sides.

Temp gradient is important regardless of what time it is. It's just as important at night for the same reasons it's important during the day.

Hope that helps!

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It is not necessary to provide a heated area for ball python maintenance, although I believe that it's a good practice. Also, I agree that there is no problem whatever with keeping such a heated area available at all times for most of the year.

INTERESTING: I learned recently that the Barkers at vpi.com actually raise their ball pythons in unheated enclosures with temperatures varying from 78-82F (that is, no basking spot). Apparently these temps are maintained during the entire lives of the snakes (except during cycling), but a heated basking spot is provided to gravid females. They hold the belief that most keepers keep ball pythons too warm.

Personally, I keep mine in the very low 80's with a basking spot available at all times at 86-90F.