Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have the hot spot at 92(surface temp not the air temp), the ambient at 85-86(that seems a little warm should I bring it down?) and the cool end is at 82-83, also the humidity is at 65%-70% is that right?
thanks
tony butler

For a carpet I assume? I'd let the cool end drop a bit more...maybe 78, but other than that, ok.
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1.1 Blackheaded pythons
1.1 Woma (Juvie female)
2.1 Aussie Olives
1.1 Timors
1.0 Angolan Juvie
1.1 Savu
1.1 Juvie Bloods
1.1 Juvie Balls
1.1 IJ Carpets
1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.2 Macklotts
1.1 Papuan Olives
0.1 Jungle Carpet
2.2 Scrubs (on breeding loan)
1.0 Jungle/Diamond cross
0.1 child, CB
0.1 wife, WC

If the temps in my room are a constant 82-85 is there any need for supplemental heat, as with ball pythons? I am having trouble bringing the temps down that low any suggestions, I live in Mesa,AZ its still 88-92 degrees in the afternoon here.
thanks
tony butler

It is important to have a temperature gradient so that the snakes can seek temperatures both cooler and hotter than your room temperature. I have two jungle carpet pythons and two jungle X diamonds, in addition to basking in warmer areas (90 degrees, they often seek out the cooler parts of my habitats (70 degrees) I think having a range so they can thermoregulate is very important.

My carpets are often moving from one end of the enclosure to the other, pressumably in an effort to remain at their ideal temps. They sit on the heat source, then move off, only to return later.

Giving the snake a range and letting it choose seems to make more sense than if you decide on a temp for it.

Low 90's - high 70's is safe.

Monitor your snakes movements for a while, then adjust your conditions accordingly. If you see the animal always on the heat source, the cage may be a little cool. If it is always as far away from the heat as possible, you might bring the average temps down a bit.

Good luck!

Joe

Okay, I was able to bring the cool side down to 77-78 degrees, I had to move the Carpets cage into a cooler area in the house, and everything is good, I will post some picks of the carpet when I get him
thanks
tony butler

DAMN BUDDY, are you trying to tell me you’re inside temp is 88-92!?! YOU LIVE IN MESA WITHOUT AIR CONDITIONING! Sell a snake or two and get at least a swamp cooler or your going to die! I lived in Sacramento and didn’t know anyone with out air. It would get 100 for at least 20-40 days a year.
Putting all kidding aside, it’s a lot easier to heat a cage than to cool one and now that I live in a cooler climate and I DON’T have air, I worry about that rare day it gets 95 .
Good luck

Now the 88-92 is the hot spot(surface temp) but it still reaches that temp outside, and yes we have an air conditioner, but with my snake room, I have 3 racks with ball pythons, and 2 large cages(10X5X5) for my blackthroat monitor and water monitor it is a very large room we call it the "Arizona room", and their basking is at 130 for the surface temp, it ussually averages, 82-84 degrees in that room alone, and for my balls and monitors it is just right, so I moved the Carpets cage into a cooler area where the temps inside are a cool 74-76 degrees, and I should have thought to put it into a different room before, for quarantine reasons, but for the first time I almost broke a very important rule, But tomorrow I am going to pick up a window AC unit just to drop the temps to 74-76,
Thanks
tony butler

I don't use any heat source and my carpet is happy, healthy and growing like you wouldn't believe. All I use is a non heating lighting fixture. My daytime room temperature does not max 82 and at night my house drops down to about 70-75. I say that it's really not that important to have a heating source for a carpet if your house temps already range at about what mine is. All I know is that he's healthy so I don't fix what is not broken. Here's a pic of his encloser.

Is that what they told you at PETCO!?! They told me that Corn snakes should eat crickets when they are young

I hope your house doesn’t get to cold in the winter! I live in central CA and my habitats can get a little nippy in the winter, and that’s with bottom heat at night, and top and bottom during the day. Remember snakes need a minimum temp for (SAFE) digestion.

I think your light is putting off more heat than you realize. A plane 100w light bulb can heat a 20 gallon tank 10+ degrease over room temp.

Why not heat one side of your habitat and let your snake do the thinking!

OR

You can send me that very nice JCP and I’ll send you any fuzzy bunny/ hamster/ chinchilla creature of your choice

-Happy herping-

Wow those people at petco really know their stuff eh lol.

He likes to bask under the light fixture, and you're right the fixture does give off a little heat. When he doesn't want to bask then he'll be nestled nicely on the floor in his cave. As far as "SAFE" digestion is concerned I think he's digesting quite fine considering the amount of feces I clean out every week and a half.
I've had him when he was the size of a worm. He's a little over a year old and 3 1/2 feet. I haven't had any problems yet and he's never been sick so I'm doing something right

I really like the look of your cage...is that black background a picture behind glass, or actual landscape material? (nice snake, too).

It's a combination of two 40 gallon sized styrofoam rock wall. You can look for it online. But now that he's getting bigger he likes to tear it down and mess up his cage lol. So I have to fine a better means of suspending it against the back of the enclosure

You will have to keep the snake in another cage for a couple days but you can use small dabs of silicone to attach it to the glass. Should not take more than three or four days for the silicone to cure if it is kept fairly warm. A friend of mine has also used a hot glue gun to secure backgrounds.

Tom