Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I achieve cooling by turning off the racks via a timer at a specified hour each day. The racks turn back on each morning at a specified hour. The daylight tape temp on the racks are set at 95 degrees F.

The question I have is with respect to ambient temperature and cooling. The ambient temperature in the room is roughly 78 degrees F during the day and 75 degrees F at night. I was told that the ambient temp should be changed in order to properly cycle ball pythons (85 during day/75 during night). I've also read (on Ralph D's site) that he simply shuts off the heat to the racks at a certain time in the evening and disregards managing ambient temperature increases/decreases. The Sutherland's say (based on their video) the ambient temp needs to change.

Who's right and who's wrong? Also, is my method an OK method for cycling?

Several big females are still slamming rats although they've been cooled using my method for over a month. I've only witnessed two (maybe three) copulations during this time as well with one male to the girls.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

Ron

They're both right. I personally completely disregard the ambients ala Ralphie D, and I have had great success using this method. The ambient temps will drop whether you like it or not at night, because there's no supplementary heat to keep the air temps up. I'm sure you'll hear it from the other perspective also. Bottom line is whichever you prefer. They both work.
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www.strictlyballs.ca

On Ralph's recipe, he does not shut off the heat to his racks at night. He drops the night time heat to the racks to 82 degrees F.

Eric

nt

The question is not weather you should add/subtract, increase/ decrease, or otherwise give attention to the ambient temps vs substrate heat. The question you should be asking, or the condition that matters most in my experience is what temps the snakes themselves experience. If the snakes get down to the low-mid 70's or even high 60's for a period of time, regardless of wheather you have influenced ambient or substrate heat, that is the key your looking for, not the type. And that can be only at night or a more lengthy period of time, whichever you prefer. I think how you achieve this doesn't matter as much as long as the snakes get the effect. I have done this with all kinds of boids & it works great - but only as long as the animals themselves are in perfect physical condition. Some people prefer to keep heat on the substrate though & just turn it down a bit and that's OK too, whatever works for you. That's an important point, because what works for me might not work for you & what works for you might not work for me. Tropical fish keepers experience the same thing. Cold blooded animals tend to react differently in different parts of the country, and for different people and their particular set ups. That's why cold blooded animals are more of a challenge sometimes, and a lot more fun I think, because they are less likely to follow a recipe that works for everyone in any part of the country like most mammals for example.
Paul Edwards
Paul Edwards Reptiles