Snakes that choose to bask above and below the recommended temperatures

[Mikoh4792]

I just read my JCP's body with a infrared heat gun and it read 99F. Below you can see he has multiple places to bask. The ledge he is on absorbs heat very well and is at 99F right now. The wooden perch to the right gets 88F. The vine you see going across the middle being held by the PVC half pipe gets about 86F and the ledge below that vine gets about 84F. The digital thermometer reads 83F because I just misted the enclosure so it's readings will be off for a few minutes.

Is it okay for my carpet to choose the hottest basking spot? Why is he choosing a basking spot of 99F when most caresheets recommend around 90F for a basking spot?

http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a594/mikoh4792/20130615_130717_zpse3b8aa6c.jpg

[smy_749]

Because he wants to, who cares? As long as the options are available, hes not going to kill himself.

Anyways, nice setup.

[Mikoh4792]

Because he wants to, who cares? As long as the options are available, hes not going to kill himself.

Anyways, nice setup.

I guess, I just don't know if 99F is too hot even for a hotter option. If anything I could always change thermostat placement and settings, but if someone else who's been housing snakes with a thermal gradient that is over the recommended hotspot with success can chime in, it would reassure me that everything's okay. This setup is only a week old, since I rearranged a few things here and there. Just don't want my snakes cooking if 99f is too hot.

[smy_749]

I guess, I just don't know if 99F is too hot even for a hotter option. If anything I could always change thermostat placement and settings, but if someone else who's been housing snakes with a thermal gradient that is over the recommended hotspot with success can chime in, it would reassure me that everything's okay. This setup is only a week old, since I rearranged a few things here and there. Just don't want my snakes cooking if 99f is too hot.

One of the members here, I think its piracucu, provides his retic with a hotspot around 120 or something. And he uses it.

It doesn't hurt to provide too many options, they know how to choose. And it only hurts to provide too little hotspots, when the available ones aren't usable.

[Terranaut]

I provide all of my snakes with an extra hot spot. In the wild they will bask at temps over 100º. They may need help with digestion or an imune boost to fight off some bug. You can't see when they need it but I have noticed an overall more active and healthy collection since I started this.

[Mikoh4792]

I provide all of my snakes with an extra hot spot. In the wild they will bask at temps over 100º. They may need help with digestion or an imune boost to fight off some bug. You can't see when they need it but I have noticed an overall more active and healthy collection since I started this.

That's what I was beginning to think. I've seen videos of wild carpet pythons basking on rocks in direct sunlight. There was one where a carpet python was on a rock in the middle of a small stream out in the sun, which is definitely hotter than 90F.

I know humans and snakes are different but sometimes we want a hot bath or a cool shower for a few minutes, both of which would be out of our comfort zones to be in for long.

[Mikoh4792]

One of the members here, I think its piracucu, provides his retic with a hotspot around 120 or something. And he uses it.

It doesn't hurt to provide too many options, they know how to choose. And it only hurts to provide too little hotspots, when the available ones aren't usable.

I agree, I guess with smaller enclosures you can only give a few options, and you have to be more careful about the only options you give. In this case since he has many options throughout the cage I'll feel less worried about him having to choose between too hot and too cold.

[franks]

I provide all of my snakes with an extra hot spot. In the wild they will bask at temps over 100º. They may need help with digestion or an imune boost to fight off some bug. You can't see when they need it but I have noticed an overall more active and healthy collection since I started this.

i upped my temps because of terranaut's advice and have also noticed a more active snake.

[Aaron_S]

Let's put it this way.

It's pretty common to use what we would consider extreme heat for the likes of monitors. It's a natural thing to happen considering they can't spend an hour or more heating up due to predators or whatever. They need to be ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

[Mikoh4792]

Let's put it this way.

It's pretty common to use what we would consider extreme heat for the likes of monitors. It's a natural thing to happen considering they can't spend an hour or more heating up due to predators or whatever. They need to be ready to bolt at a moment's notice.

Right, so instead of basking for hours at 90F why not spend a few minutes at 99f

[Dave Kelley]

Remember...caresheets are just a guide, not an absolute. Your animal is utilizing that heat because it is trying to reach it's preferred core body temperature, maybe aiding in digestion...in general trying to function regularly. So long as the snake has a place to retreat which maintains a cooler temperature, it shouldn't be a problem.

Just remember...the snake is trying to meet it's functions...there is no right or wrong temperature for them (ok...don't stick them in a freezer. :p ), they just need to able to properly regulate temps in their given environment.

[smy_749]

Remember...caresheets are just a guide, not an absolute. Your animal is utilizing that heat because it is trying to reach it's preferred core body temperature, maybe aiding in digestion...in general trying to function regularly. So long as the snake has a place to retreat which maintains a cooler temperature, it shouldn't be a problem.

Just remember...the snake is trying to meet it's functions...there is no right or wrong temperature for them (ok...don't stick them in a freezer. :p ), they just need to able to properly regulate temps in their given environment.

I was just reading the other day about a diamond python breeder who puts his pythons in coolers and leaves them in the garage all winter at very cold temps...lol The other people posting didn't seem to like that technique

[Mikoh4792]

I was just reading the other day about a diamond python breeder who puts his pythons in coolers and leaves them in the garage all winter at very cold temps...lol The other people posting didn't seem to like that technique

LOL. Coolers, in the garage, in the Winter. Was he putting them in hibernation or something?

[smy_749]

LOL. Coolers, in the garage, in the Winter. Was he putting them in hibernation or something?

Diamonds need pretty low temps (I'm not the diamond expert, nor have I ever kept them so don't kill me if I say something wrong) in the winter months. Something like 50's or 60's I think, and are the most cold tolerant amongst the Morelia....or one of them. (I think the boelens and wamena/highlands Gtp's have night temps in the high 50's)

But yea, they need it colder than most need it in the cold months

[Dave Kelley]

Diamonds need pretty low temps (I'm not the diamond expert, nor have I ever kept them so don't kill me if I say something wrong) in the winter months. Something like 50's or 60's I think, and are the most cold tolerant amongst the Morelia....or one of them. (I think the boelens and wamena/highlands Gtp's have night temps in the high 50's)

But yea, they need it colder than most need it in the cold months

I talk to a very successful pure diamond breeder, and from what he has expressed to me, that old technique of brumating them is absurd. The ambient temp is what he allows to drop to the 50's/60's, but he allows them a warm basking site during the day.

Here's an online radio interview that he's done.
Josh Easter talks Diamonds 03/17 by Moreliapythonradio | Blog Talk Radio (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/moreliapythonradio/2012/03/18/josh-easter-talks-diamonds)

[smy_749]

I talk to a very successful pure diamond breeder, and from what he has expressed to me, that old technique of brumating them is absurd. The ambient temp is what he allows to drop to the 50's/60's, but he allows them a warm basking site during the day.

Here's an online radio interview that he's done.
Josh Easter talks Diamonds 03/17 by Moreliapythonradio | Blog Talk Radio (http://www.blogtalkradio.com/moreliapythonradio/2012/03/18/josh-easter-talks-diamonds)

Yea I was going to write more, but I didn't want to screw it up further. I read a long article the other day on it, and how they basking temp doesn't get lowered, stays around 35c all year. Ambient temps drop, and number of hours the basking spot is available drops down until it reaches only an hour or 2. Since in the wild they don't technically 'brumate' and are active and basking on occasion.

[Mikoh4792]

Diamonds need pretty low temps (I'm not the diamond expert, nor have I ever kept them so don't kill me if I say something wrong) in the winter months. Something like 50's or 60's I think, and are the most cold tolerant amongst the Morelia....or one of them. (I think the boelens and wamena/highlands Gtp's have night temps in the high 50's)

But yea, they need it colder than most need it in the cold months

Yeah I've heard something like that. I don't know much about Australia but I always thought the whole continent was hot all year round.

[smy_749]

Yeah I've heard something like that. I don't know much about Australia but I always thought the whole continent was hot all year round.

Nope :P

Pretty sure it gets into the 50's or 60's in some areas in the winter, someone from oz can confirm that.