Ideal night temperatures

MouseKilla · 10-23-03, 01:34 PM

Just wondering if anyone knows the ideal range for BCIs night temperatures. I heat the enclosure with a regular light bulb that gives off enough heat through the day. It is on for about 12 hours a day, 9am - 9pm. It eventually cools to room temperature at night then gradually heats up through the day. I've heard that the temp drop at night is beneficial so I'm more or less wondering if room temperature might be too low.

JaredAren · 10-23-03, 11:15 PM

I don't do night time drops. I would trade your bulb in for a ceramic heat emitter or a bulb specifically for reptiles that you can run 24/7. Some breeders do drop night temps to as low as 68-70 during cycling. I personally don't want mine to get below 78 ever.

MouseKilla · 10-26-03, 07:40 AM

He's eating really well and looks great so it doesn't seem to be doing any harm... any possible side-effects from the low night temps? The idea of 24 hr heat doesn't seem right to me, it may not be harmful but it just seems unnatural.

BoidKeeper · 10-26-03, 09:22 AM

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It eventually cools to room temperature at night then gradually heats up through the day

Here's the problem though, what every room you're in it's always room temperature. lol But seriousely you didn't give any numbers? You're letting her go down to room temp at night which is different then it is during the day because it gets colder at night. But how cold? I picked up a boa recently that was in a cage where the cold side was room temperature. That would have been fine if the room temperature was not 60! I would not want to know what it goes down to at night!
Long story short I can tell you that Jeff Rohan keeps his boas at constant room temp of 82 365 days a year. I personally would not let my snakes ambiant get cooler then 75 in the winter. So that would mean 75 at night on the cool side and still have access to at least a hot spot of at least 85. During the day I am for about 88/80 for my BCIs.
Hope this helps,
Trevor

MouseKilla · 10-31-03, 09:07 PM

This particular room goes down to about 72-74 at it's coolest. Any disadvantage to that much of a drop? As I said there doesn't seem to be any problem, all but 2 of my snakes are in this room and they're all looking and eating well. Is it good for them to be in constant heat? I know a lot of people do it that way I just always assumed it was better to have the more natural drop. My concern was that maybe 72-74 was maybe too cool...

Jeff_Favelle · 10-31-03, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Is it good for them to be in constant heat?

CHOICE. Give YOUR animals the choice, and see what THEY do. Who gives a crap about anyone else's collection? Not me. Read what your snakes do and act accordingly. Bad husbandry cannot be cured by copying other's bad husbandry.

MouseKilla · 10-31-03, 10:37 PM

I hear ya on that one. I don't take all advice, just the stuff that sounds reasonable. Maybe there needs to be an "ask the expert" forum...? I've noticed my BCI is often active at night when the temps go down, I don't know what that means but I've heard that when snakes get too cold they go dormant and don't move about...

ohh_kristina · 10-31-03, 10:41 PM

Personally, the snakes that have UTHs have heat on 24/7, and those that have heat lamps get the lamps turned off at night. My snakes are doing great, so I'm keeping it like it is.
Like Jeff said, you have to find what's right for you & your snakes, basically.

Jeff_Favelle · 10-31-03, 10:44 PM

There is an "ask the expert" forum. It exists in every tank in every home of the users of this site. Your SNAKE just so happens to be a snake expert!! That's the beauty of owning a snake. You can just go right to the source. I've been here since the beginning and not once have I seen a boa post a thread on ssnakess.com. I've seen a lot of mis-interpreted observations, a LOT of bad advice, and a LOT LOT LOT of silly questions. I've also seen a ton of great, keen observations that could help people that know how to use that data.

But the best source of info is your boa. Trust me. Its an expert on these things. They kind of have to be. 'Cause if not, they'd go extinct.

Jeff_Favelle · 10-31-03, 10:45 PM

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I've noticed my BCI is often active at night when the temps go down, I don't know what that means

Boas are NOCTURNAL. Nothing to do with your temperatures. They are active at NIGHT. Its what boas do.

JaredAren · 11-01-03, 02:29 AM

I agree with giving choices as long as they are within the limits of what has been PROVEN to get the best results in captivity. Boas have been bred for a long time in captivity and a lot of the choices have been observed and documented. In this business success is dependent on good husbandry. Not many breeders are more succesful than Jeff Ronne and Rich Ihle. Both use UTH 24/7 except Ihle does turn his off during breeding season. He then allows his night time temps to go as low as 68 and his day time temps to get down to 78. This is only for a few months. Once the female has ovulated the heat is back on 24/7. Also the Barkers have tried to use outdoor cages for large pythons and in these cases some of the pythons have chosen to remain in near and below freezing temps which would be fatal to a python. So I agree and disagree with giving choices aboout heat. It may not kill a boa to have a large night time drop year round but in my opinion it is asking for trouble. So choices are good but getting facts from educated breeders in my opinion is better.

Jeff_Favelle · 11-01-03, 05:18 AM

I would think that the choices that are given to the snake(s) regarding temperature extremes would fall within the range that they would find in the wild. Therefore, I found it unnecessary to state not to make the range -5F to 200F!! LOL! I thought it would be rather obvious, but then again.......I've seen stranger things here.

Yikes.

MouseKilla · 11-01-03, 01:17 PM

I do realize that they are nocturnal however if their temps dropped low enough would they not cease to be active and go dormant? I haven't seen any posts from anyone claiming to physically be an actual boa though they would be a great help to us all I'm sure. Failing that though it would be nice to have a handy authority on the subject, someone who has done all the experimentation, you know, so I don't have to. haha. Call me lazy, I've been called worse. It would be nice though to be able to ask someone that we can be sure knows what they're talking about. It's nice to be able to compare notes with other keepers but that is not the same as getting reliable answers.

Jeff_Favelle · 11-01-03, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Failing that though it would be nice to have a handy authority on the subject, someone who has done all the experimentation, you know, so I don't have to.

The funny thing is, all boas are individuals. Not one in the same. Not created equal. Etc etc etc etc.

Also, the Bci complex has a HUGE range and covers a massive amount of not only land, but habitat and, more importantly, microhabitat. What works for one boa, may now be so good for your boa. That's why you follow the obvious guidlines of snake-keeping, and then watch your animal and go from there. Believe me, its the best part of animal-keeping. I mean, why the he!! else do you even have a snake if you don't want to take the time to observe the damn thing?

11-01-03, 02:20 PM

my trailer house which is an air sieve especially during winter can have an ambient temperature of 40-50F, the hot side of the boa enclosures seldom drop below about 82F. I've temp'd the cold side as low as 63F(6ft long enclosures) and the animals will thermoregulate to that end on a regular basis almost the same as when it stays 75 during the warmer months(a harder trick for me here in the desert)