Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have always kept my snakes tanks on an "inside" wall, meaning there is another room on the other side of the wall, due to some space limitations i am having i might be forced to have the tanks against an outside wall. I live in CT so it does get cold in the wintertime but the house usually stays warm. is there a problem haveing a tank on an outside wall?? if i keep up on the temps will i have a problem?? thanks

I'm not experienced with keeping snakes, but I'd think that if the temperature just outside the cage where the same in both places, then the cages should control the same way. Are the temperatures next to the outside wall the same as those next to the inside wall? If you have an extra cage, you might try setting it up in the new location and trying to control the temperatures. For a week before I bought my snakes, I set up their cages and ran the lights and heating pads to establish my temperature profiles.

Bill

i have heard that too of the temp change. i have a couple of my tanks on an outside wall and they have been fine for almost 4 years. of course i don't live where it gets to cold. i'm in arizona. we do get cold here but not cold enough to snow. i've never had a problem. i keep their heat on all the time. meaning i don't breed them so don't hybernate them.

Hello--
What kind of wall? Is this a room that is well-insulated, or cement block at the core? Also, is it a herp room with independent heating, or a room heated by the same thermostat/heat as the rest of the house? My advice would be to buy a temp gun--ProExotics has a line that are reasonably priced. That way you can check the temps in different parts of the enclosures as the temps outside fluctuate. I am originally from CT, and I found that temps do vary when it gets cold.

Just a couple of suggestions--don't put the enclosures flush against the wall--allow 6 inches of space between wall and enclosure. Also, check the room for drafts--a cold draft can wreak as much havoc as a cold wall.

I now live in a place that is warmer than CT, but still gets cold. My herp room is a well-insulated converted garage with it's own thermostat/electric wall heater. I cover the windows with heavy fabric to avoid drafts, and put my heat-loving tropical/desert species on the "warm" end (end with the heater, 82 degrees). I also check weatherstripping on the doors and windows. My more temperate species get the "cool" end near the covered windows/outside wall(75-80). I use supplemental heat lamps/UTH as needed. Hope this helps.

rgds,
althea

LOL. There are a lot of previous posts about it if you scroll down. Must be good stuff for them to reccomend it so often. Think they ususally tell folks you can get it at places like Home Depot.
Good luck,
Bob