temps

bill12345 · 08-09-12, 10:45 PM

Hey i just set up my tank for BRB ill be getting soon...All my temps/humidity are perfect, except for one thing. I have a zoomed thermometer and placed the probe on the glass right above the UTH, under the substrate. This can read as high as 95 degrees. On top of the substrate over the UTH is about 87 degrees. I know 95 is very hot for a rainbow boa and could be deadly, but was wondering if it will be a problem, or will the snake move if it burrows and it is too hot.

Toronto1977 · 08-10-12, 04:30 AM

Neonate Brbs will prefer temps between 75 - 80. Your current temps are too high and you should REALLY look into a thermostat. What is your humidity? What kind of substrate are you using? How old is the snake you are getting? There are many excellent Epicrates keepers here and Snakesitter is one of them. He's a nice guy and a great source for information.

bill12345 · 08-10-12, 09:42 AM

The snake is a few months old but I'm not exactly sure. I am using forest floor as bedding and am having no problem keeping the humidity at 90 percent and could probably get it higher without much difficulty. Right now I am just using an exo terra UTH with a towel over the top of the enclosure

Toronto1977 · 08-10-12, 12:17 PM

The rest sound good to me. I would just REALLY recommend a thermostat as these snakes do not thrive well under hotter conditions. Keep us posted when you get the little one

bill12345 · 08-10-12, 12:38 PM

I will be buying a thermostat soon....Do I need to worry about the snake being burned if it burrows over the UTH?

Edit: actually I bought a 50 watt bulb and it is keeping the hot side around 83 and the cool side around 75. I will most likely use this unless I need more heat in the winter. Is a UTH necessary or should this work alright on its own?

Toronto1977 · 08-10-12, 12:58 PM

I'm not exactly sure what the burning point is for a snake's scales, but 95 would be dangerously high for your Brb neonate and not worth the risk.

Toronto1977 · 08-10-12, 01:11 PM

Bulbs tend to dry-out enclosures. I would recommend either the UTH or heat tape WITH a thermostat.

CK SandBoas · 08-10-12, 02:25 PM

95 is definitely way too hot for a BRB. Like others have said, a thermostat is a definite must when keeping any reptile. I keep my adult male BRB at 82-84 degrees for his hot spot. And I always use belly heat for my snakes,instead of relying on overhead lighting=)

Snakesitter · 08-10-12, 07:39 PM

Hi Bill! As the others have accurately indicated, 95F is waaay too hit for a Brazilian, baby or not. You ideally want a range of 82F (warm end) to 72F (cool end). Measure temps at the floor of the cage, which is where the snake will spend its time. I'd even measure right above the heat/below the substrate, as the snake may burrow. You really do want to ditch the bulb (which can dry the air and throws light, which Brazilians do not like) in favor of undercage heat..but you absolutely need a thermostat to regulate it safely. Best of luck, and feel free to ask any more questions you might have!!!

Tekpc007 · 08-11-12, 04:22 AM

please get a thermostat ! i have one of these and they are less than 30$ , it works great for my juvi BRB and will last for years .

Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden

**millertime89** · 08-14-12, 09:52 PM

Everyone beat me to it, even to posting a solid t-stat for beginners. How about we see some pics of your little friend?

Rainbowsrus · 08-15-12, 08:55 AM

If you can' t afford a good T-stat or even during the short time it takes to ship one, you can use a dimmer switch to lower the heat output. There are extension cods for lights with built in dimmers (for those not electrically inclined) or you can put one together with parts from your hardware store (if you are a do-it-yourself kind of person).

Disadvantage of a dimmer is it will NOT adjust itself as your house heats/cools. A T-stat is best.