Burm still wont go into the heat.

[RandyRhoads]

My 8' Burm is still always in the cold, even though there is a heated end in the enclosure. What is going on? She was always soaking in her below 70 degree tub, but I got worried about RI so I took the tub out. The enclosure is 8'. One end is below 70 depending on outside temps, the other end has a UTH that is around 100 degrees. Does everything look alright in her enclosure? Any ideas why she is still freezing herself. She's always ice cold to the touch.

[TeaNinja]

could the UTH be too hot? i remember when i first got my big dumerils the guy had him in a 40G glass tank with a UTH on one side with no rheostat and the snake never went on the hot side. after a few nights of having him i took the UTH out and just used a ceramic or something and he was immediately on the other side of the tank loving it.

[RandyRhoads]

Maybe, but i've piled on more substrate so the surface was less and still nothing. After a meal she goes on it for maybe an hour and back to the cold. She's always at the complete other end freezing except for right after a meal.

[NennaMeerkat]

My hoggie spends all her time in the cold side as well except for right after eating. Does the lack of heat for her seem to be doing anything negative to her?

[Jenn_06]

It's too hot you need to lower the UTH down. I'll type more later it's too early to think and I'm on my phone.

[Gungirl]

I don't know about temps that they need but I would offer her a hide on both the hot and cold side for security.

[Jenn_06]

Ok got coffee, the temp of the whole cage needs to be about 80 to 85 and the basking side 90. I see a light on the basking side does that add heat too? Might want to turn off that and see what the temp will be then. Burm's really don't need hides when they are that big.

[Gungirl]

ohh ok Jenn my bad.. I figured all snakes liked to have the security of a hide.

[stephanbakir]

I wouldn't take away the water, your snake knows what it needs for the most part and if it wants to soak, let it.

[Will0W783]

Your snake needs to have fresh water available at all times- it's vital for the animal to regulate its hydration. I can tell you that your UTH is way too hot, and that your cool end is way too cold.

I am not a fan of UTHs for heating snake enclosures. Snakes have evolved to be baskers- they are used to heat coming down from above as it would from the sun. Excessive belly heat, as from a UTH, has been known to cause impaction, fecal stones, intestinal tumors, and belly scale burns. It is not natural for the snake, and it leads to more problems than it is worth, IMHO. I would get rid of the UTH immediately, and replace it with either ceramic heat emitting bulbs, or radiant heat panels. The radiant heat panels are the best option, as they provide even steady heat and won't burn the snake or the wood enclosure. They can be screwed right into the ceiling of the cage.

For a Burmese python, you want a basking area of 88-92, with a gradual decline to the cool end 83-85. DO NOT ever let it get below 78 degrees unless you are cooling the animal for breeding. Burms are very susceptible to RIs, and keeping it cool like you are doing will likely cause one. I think that once you correct your temperatures, you will find your snake will go into the warm area to bask, then into the cool area to cool off, and that it will be a much healthier, less stressed animal. Good luck! If you need any more advice, don't hesitate to ask.

[RandyRhoads]

The light doesn't provide much if any heat, can't remember exact wattage but it's 25 or under. I was putting the water in for short periods of time since it was under 70, but you're saying I should put it back in? Alright.... I just have trouble raising the cold end.

Thanks for the info everyone.

[Will0W783]

You need a MUCH higher wattage light than that. You need at least a 100W, better yet a 150W heat lamp bulb. I personally prefer the ceramic heat emitter bulbs, because they will fit into a regular heat lamp socket, but do not produce light. They only produce heat.

I am saying that you need to revamp your entire setup if you want your Burm to be healthy and to thrive. You might need two lamps- one at the end and one towards the middle of that end. Get rid of the UTH, and replace it with proper wattage heat lamps and bulbs. Then you need to leave water available at all times.

[RandyRhoads]

I know I need higher wattage to provide heat I purposly used a very low wattage bulb so i would only produce light not heat because I was using the UTH. But payday i'll go get another heat bulb. I was using a 100 watt bulb at first with no UTH but the area underneath was like 130 degrees...

As you can see the enclosure is only set up for one lamp at one end.

[reptile65]

Your snake needs to have fresh water available at all times- it's vital for the animal to regulate its hydration. I can tell you that your UTH is way too hot, and that your cool end is way too cold.

I am not a fan of UTHs for heating snake enclosures. Snakes have evolved to be baskers- they are used to heat coming down from above as it would from the sun. Excessive belly heat, as from a UTH, has been known to cause impaction, fecal stones, intestinal tumors, and belly scale burns. It is not natural for the snake, and it leads to more problems than it is worth, IMHO. I would get rid of the UTH immediately, and replace it with either ceramic heat emitting bulbs, or radiant heat panels. The radiant heat panels are the best option, as they provide even steady heat and won't burn the snake or the wood enclosure. They can be screwed right into the ceiling of the cage.




Very interesting... I've never heard of UTH's causing problems when used correctly.

[Jenn_06]

Same here all my snakes are on heat tape and never had a problem, i think they are better because it does not dry out the air like a heat lamp would if you use it right.

[RandyRhoads]

And I don't completely agree with the "adapted to bask from heat coming down. I rarely see any wild snakes "basking." Instead I see them come out and lie on anything that retains heat (such as a road) after the sun has gone down and isn't putting heat down. From what i've seen they like belly heat, but that's just my opinion...

[Jenn_06]

Randy what kind of UTH are you using and do you have a Thermostats for it? If you dont go to reptilebasics.com they have some really good ones and they ship really fast, most of my orders i get in about 3 days.

[RandyRhoads]

Zoomed and no I don't.

[TeaNinja]

And I don't completely agree with the "adapted to bask from heat coming down. I rarely see any wild snakes "basking." Instead I see them come out and lie on anything that retains heat (such as a road) after the sun has gone down and isn't putting heat down. From what i've seen they like belly heat, but that's just my opinion...

yea....but you gotta imagine if you have overhead heat all day the substrate will be nice and toasty for belly heat. you could even put a rock under the lamp to retain some nice heat like in the wild.

also if you aren't using a thermostat the UTH WILL eventually fail, overheat and crack the bottom of the tank if it's glass (unless it's an expensive one that is made to fail cold instead of hot). i had that happen once before i got everything lined up.

[Jenn_06]

Ok i would get heat tape and a thermostat ASAP, i dont like the zoomed pads i had too many brake on me and was with out heat for my snake for a few days until i got to a store and bought another one.

get a Johnson Controls Thermostat-Pre Wired i had one and it works great and for a burm i would get a 2 or 3 ft of the 11" Flexwatt Heat Tape they will wire it up for you if you want them too and all you have to do is plug it into the thermostat. And there is even cheaper thermostat out there you just have to look around, i just like the Johnson because a lot of breeders said it was really good.

[Jenn_06]

yea....but you gotta imagine if you have overhead heat all day the substrate will be nice and toasty for belly heat. you could even put a rock under the lamp to retain some nice heat like in the wild.

How is the substrate going to be warm for belly heat if the snakes is covering it up with its body? So all its going to get is the heat from up top no belly heat.

[TeaNinja]

it isn't going to be sitting there all day obviously. whenever it is on the cold side the substrate on the warm side would without a doubt be warming up.
if i put my hand on the substrate of the warm side vs the cold side, i can clearly feel a difference. it's not like HOT mind you, but there is a difference.

[Jenn_06]

Dont know about your snakes but after i feed my brum and most of my other snakes they set on the hot side for a few days.

[TeaNinja]

still doesn't change my point, but ok. i'm sure mine go to both sides.