Reptile & Amphibian Forums

You don’t typically see green anacondas resting for hours on a 95 degree substrate. This gravid female has been cycling on and off the hot spot for weeks now. She will usually spend several hours at a time on the hot side before moving off for 6 to 8 hours. Even though gravid, it’s still amazing to see a green handle that much heat. Anacondas definitely seek out temps cooler than most other boids would, and normally avoid substrate temps over 85 degrees. I would be tempted to question the 95 degree measurement, but I know it is correct because I use NIST traceable thermometers for all temperature measurements. She is also still maintaining her darker coloration to aid heat absorption. My question is how high of basking temperatures have you all seen gravid boa constrictors utilize? Thanks,

Kelly

what is a NIST traceable therm. ?

This stands for the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Among other things, they are responsible for the development of national performance standards for scientific measurement methods and technologies. An NIST traceable thermometer is one which has been checked at various temperatures alongside an NIST certified thermometer that is known to be reading the exact true temperature. The traceable thermometer is then sold with a certification stating the date and temperature readings shown by it when compared to the NIST thermometer. Typically, an NIST traceable is accurate to within 0.1 degrees C of the true temperature.

Kelly

I've ben looking for a therm. that I could be be sure is accurate, where do you get them?

The following are two good sources:

VWR International 1-800-932-5000 or www.vwr.com

Cole-Parmer 1-800-323-4340 or www.coleparmer.com

The both have everything you could ever want in the way of temp. and humidity monitoring equipment.

Kelly

Carry pepper spray and wear little bells on your clothes. also learn to tell Grizzly poop from black bear poop. Black bear poop has lots of berries in it, Grizzly poop is bigger, has little bells in it and smells like pepper spray!

Sorry couldn't resist!

don't know how this got here, was supposed to post under the Jeff corwin thread, the joke makes much more sense when people are talking about grizzly bears. My bad.