How do I heat in the winter?

[Reptilegal]

Well iv bought a lovely outdoor aviary for my diamond python and I am planning to put him out there in a week or 2, question is,It is the 3rd day of winter now, how do I heat a hot spot for him? The only spot where he will get a lot of sun is quite away from the house so we can't connect any heat lights ect. Are there any battery power heat things I could use? Or should I just put a black metal tray on the ground and he can just lay on that??

[infernalis]

Why not just bring your python inside for the winter?

[Reptilegal]

Why not just bring your python inside for the winter?

Hmm, I suppose I could do that, maybe I should wait till spring to move him out and th enclosure he is in now can stay his winter home! :bouncy:

[Gungirl]

How cold does it get in the winter? Also is there any way you could post a picture of the enclosure? I am very interested in seeing how you did it.

[marvelfreak]

How cold does it get were you live in the winter?
Diamonds are called the Cold Blooded Carpet Python for a reason. In their natural habituated the temperatures drop down as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. They will hide in caves at night, then bask on rocks in the sun during the day. They can with stand cooler temp than most pythons. As a matter of fact to high of temps for very long can be deadly. Temperatures over 85 F. could kill them.

[Reptilegal]

How cold does it get were you live in the winter?
Diamonds are called the Cold Blooded Carpet Python for a reason. In their natural habituated the temperatures drop down as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. They will hide in caves at night, then bask on rocks in the sun during the day. They can with stand cooler temp than most pythons. As a matter of fact to high of temps for very long can be deadly. Temperatures over 85 F. could kill them.

Well last nyt it was 6 deg Celsius, were in TH fifth day of winter and I'm in the are where they live wild, so im supposing it wouldnt need extra heating?

[Reptilegal]

How cold does it get in the winter? Also is there any way you could post a picture of the enclosure? I am very interested in seeing how you did it.

It hasn't arrived yet but it shoularrive in about a week and I wl put pics up :)

[marvelfreak]

Well last nyt it was 6 deg Celsius, were in TH fifth day of winter and I'm in the are where they live wild, so im supposing it wouldnt need extra heating?
I wouldn't chances it and just would keep him inside for the winter. Better safe than sorry. I just check and 6 deg Celsius is about 45 degrees Fahrenheit which is too cold. The last thing you want is for him to get sick or die. Also if your going to feed though the winter you would want to get it's temp at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit to help it digest it's food. In the wild they don't it during the winter so the lower temps don't hurt them.

[Reptilegal]

I wouldn't chances it and just would keep him inside for the winter. Better safe than sorry. I just check and 6 deg Celsius is about 45 degrees Fahrenheit which is too cold. The last thing you want is for him to get sick or die. Also if your going to feed though the winter you would want to get it's temp at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit to help it digest it's food. In the wild they don't it during the winter so the lower temps don't hurt them.

Hmm, that's a pity, but it IS better to be safe than sorry. I will wait till spring to put him outside then :)

[SnakeyJay]

You may find that during winter they will seek out a burrow or something where it's a little warmer.. Just a guess tbh, but it's something you'll struggle to provide in an outdoor cage setup. Never had Morelia so it's just a guess. Goodluck :D

[Reptilegal]

You may find that during winter they will seek out a burrow or something where it's a little warmer.. Just a guess tbh, but it's something you'll struggle to provide in an outdoor cage setup. Never had Morelia so it's just a guess. Goodluck :D

I was gonna dig him a burrow for the summertime and put a styrofoam box in it, and it's gonna be a metro long burrow, could I do that now for him or would it really be best to keep him inside for winter? This is the exact model iv bought and don't worry, when he gets bigger the outside area roof will be taken of and we are adding more height to the outdoor bit, and the inside bit will have safe insulating bedding on the floor and a bird nest box which he uses now, AND it's gonna have nice climbing branches and a big boulder for him to bask on,so it's not gonna be plain and boring like it looks now :)

http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/reptilegal1/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_0284.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/reptilegal1/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_9096.jpg
http://i1164.photobucket.com/albums/q566/reptilegal1/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_6293.jpg

[Lankyrob]

I would be concerned with all that wire that he will rub against it and tear his scales. Why have you bought a rabbit hutch to house a snake?

[Reptilegal]

I would be concerned with all that wire that he will rub against it and tear his scales. Why have you bought a rabbit hutch to house a snake?

Well, it's a chicken coop, but what other material would be used other than the wire? I chose it because: 1 it was cheaper that a proper bird aviary
2 it has an outdoor and indoor area.
3 He was kept by his breeder in a large outdoor aviary that used the exact same wire....

[Lankyrob]

To be honest i dont what i would use outside, glass or plexiglass would cause the cage to overheat and as i mentioned previously the snake may well rub against the wire and injure itself. Hopefully someone that has outdoor enclosures will join in the discussion and let us know what they do :)

[Reptilegal]

To be honest i dont what i would use outside, glass or plexiglass would cause the cage to overheat and as i mentioned previously the snake may well rub against the wire and injure itself. Hopefully someone that has outdoor enclosures will join in the discussion and let us know what they do :)

Yea, CRIKEY u got me confused! Cos I looked at python outdoor enclosures and all of them had that wire! I was also thinking 'well I can't use glass,I can't use plastic cos the sun UVB or UVA can't penetrate, I can't use an invisible electric border!:O_o: Lol::cool:

[Gungirl]

I would use a pet safe screening product. It looks like normal window screening but it's plastic with a nylon center in each strand. It is made for storm doors so that when dogs jump it won't tear or break. I think that this product would make nose rub less of a chance while still allowing good air flow. Pet-D-Fence Screening, 48" x 84" # 70588 by New York Wire (http://hardware.hardwarestore.com/72-156-window-screen-pet-proof/pet-d-fence-screening-292052.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=292052&utm_campaign=googlebase)
Here is a link to the type of product I am thinking of.. i am not sure if you can get this where you are though.

[Reptilegal]

I would use a pet safe screening product. It looks like normal window screening but it's plastic with a nylon center in each strand. It is made for storm doors so that when dogs jump it won't tear or break. I think that this product would make nose rub less of a chance while still allowing good air flow. Pet-D-Fence Screening, 48" x 84" # 70588 by New York Wire (http://hardware.hardwarestore.com/72-156-window-screen-pet-proof/pet-d-fence-screening-292052.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=292052&utm_campaign=googlebase)
Here is a link to the type of product I am thinking of.. i am not sure if you can get this where you are though.

Ok I will see if I can get that, so would I be able to put my python out when it's done? I will make the indoor area HIGHLY insulated so nightime lows don't go below 16 deg celciuss in the winter (which it is now)

[Gungirl]

I have no Idea if you should put your snake outside in the winter.. I only suggested this as a solution to nose rub.