Summer

[scales.jp]

I live in Japan, and now that the rainy season has finally ended the sun has come out and it's going to be hot for the next couple of months. In fact, it's forecast to be over 40°C (104°F) in some parts of the country.

I've been monitoring the temperature in my room, and so far it's up to around 33°C (91.5°F) during the day with a nighttime low of 29°C (84°F). If I open all the windows, leave an electric fan on and spray my python's viv regularly with cold water, the ambient viv temp stays anywhere between 30-33°C (86-91.5°F).

Although his heating is regulated with a thermostat, I've turned everything off. Even the UV tube is off, as the ballast puts out enough warmth to raise the viv temp by an extra 2°C.

At these temperatures I haven't noticed any change in behaviour. My only concern is that I have to go away for a week in August and won't be around to keep an eye on things. What does everyone else do in this type of situation?

[ClockwerkBonnet]

I would get a pet sitter and tell him/her how to care for the snake before I leave.

[bigsnakegirl785]

Yup, I'd have a knowledgeable pet sitter, or someone I trust enough to follow directions, watch them.

Is ice, or ice packs, common where you live? Perhaps you could wrap the enclosure in ice to cool it down a little. I've seen where some people will wrap BRB's water dishes in an ice pack wrapped with paper towel to keep the snake from making direct contact, to give them a cold pool to chill out in on hot days. I'm sure it could suck away some of the heat during the hottest parts of the day, but you may need multiple ones so they can be switched out as they thaw.

[scales.jp]

I would get a pet sitter and tell him/her how to care for the snake before I leave.


Yup, I'd have a knowledgeable pet sitter, or someone I trust enough to follow directions, watch them.

Thanks for the advice, but I don't know anyone nearby who'd be willing (or who I trust!) that could do it. I've left him on his own before for almost a week and he was fine, I was just a bit unsure about how hot the room might get in summer.

The past couple of days have eased my concerns a little. It's been over 37°C (98.5°F) outside for two days straight, down to around 29°C (84°F) at night. Even at that temperature and with my windows closed, the viv is only getting up to a max of 33.5°C (92.5°F) during the day, cooling down naturally in the evening.

Under normal circumstances the warm side of the viv is set at around 33°C (91.5°F) anyway, and that's where my snake usually spends most of the day. At night he moves to the cooler side. As long as he keeps this pattern I'm guessing he won't even notice a difference.

I'm also thinking of buying a small marble slab to put at the cool end under the substrate. If he needs to cool down he'll be able to burrow down and curl up on it. I'll keep an eye on things over the next couple of weeks, and if that doesn't seem to help my last resort will be to put him in a tub in a room with air conditioning until I get back.