Posted by:
Kelly_Haller
at Thu Apr 9 17:43:26 2009 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Kelly_Haller ]
Randy,
It appears that most python species attempt to maintain the egg mass temps between 86 and 90 degrees, with the physiologically thermoregulating species in the 88 to 90 degree range. The molurus complex has the highest maternal incubating temp of any python species with bivittatus apparently having the highest at the 92 average. The Sri Lankan molurus that I had hatch a couple of years ago were maternally incubated at an average temp of 91. I would really be interested to see maternal incubation temp data on mainland molurus from northwestern India and Pakistan. Due to the higher latitude range of this subspecies, I would expect these females to have the greatest temp control of any python species. I agree with you that for the majority of python species, the 88 to 90 range is about the best.
For my maternally incubating females, I shoot for an ambient temp around 85 or 86 with a 90% humidity. As you know, the balancing act is to not go too high, as the female cannot cool the egg mass if temps go above the critical high, and not too low, as this will cause her to expend an inordinate amount of energy keeping the egg mass temp at the correct level. I have seen reports where incubating female burmese were able to maintain the egg mass at 92 with an ambient temp in the mid 70’s. This makes sense, as the night temps in the tropical range of this species would definitely fall into the 70’s.
Kelly
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Maternal incubation temps..... - Kelly_Haller, Thu Apr 9 17:43:26 2009