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Cold vs Warm

NewtoSnakes22

NewtoSnakes22

New member
My question is concerning the cool versus warm side of my viv. It seems everytime I see my snake, he is under the hide that is on the cool side. I don't mind this, but I figured it would spend more time on the warm side. Especially since it is winter and my house isn't THAT warm. I've checked the warm side and it's about 82-85 degrees. Is this something I should be concerned about?
 
A few questions:-
1. Does your snake go to the warm side after eating?
2. How did you take the temperatures in the viv? using a temperature probe? as if your not recording the temperature at the substrate level it may not be a true representation of how hot it is getting on the warm side
3. Do you use a thermostat on your UTH?
4. Do you have adequate hides on the warm side?

After thinking about these questions that i hope have helped!, i would advice moving your hide on the warm side of the tank half off and half on the UTH, then your snake can get warmer without being over the UTH directly and therefore less heat.
 
Nope. Mine is on the warm side maybe 30% of the time. Wierd thing is, I gave him a humid hide and he goes in there more than any of his other hides. Even after eating, sometimes for a day.
 
The snake knows where it wants to be. Most of mine spend more time on the cool side than the warm side as well. As long as your temps are ok on both sides, it is nothing to worry about.
 
There are times when he does go to the warm side. I have checked the temps and they seem to be okay. I don't have a therm. on the uth but it's under the tank, and I have a carpet on top of it and then the substrate, so I'm assuming it's not too hot. He feeds well and sheds well, just seems to like the cool hide better? Maybe because it's smaller? I just wanted to make sure that was okay.
 
NewtoSnakes22 said:
so I'm assuming it's not too hot.
Click to expand...

You should not assume. Like TWGarland asked, how are you measuring the temps? If you are measuring the ambient temps, and the hot side is 82-85, the bottom may be uncomfortably, too hot for your snake.
 
NewtoSnakes22 said:
. I don't have a therm. on the uth but it's under the tank, and I have a carpet on top of it and then the substrate, so I'm assuming it's not too hot.
Click to expand...

You know what they say about assuming. Get a thermometer.
 
If ambient is 82-85 then substrate level is probably MUCH warmer, which is why he avoids the warm side.
 
Checkerbelly said:
Nope. Mine is on the warm side maybe 30% of the time. Wierd thing is, I gave him a humid hide and he goes in there more than any of his other hides. Even after eating, sometimes for a day.
Click to expand...

Humid hides should only be in the cage if the snake's about to shed, or if you have really low ambient humidity. Otherwise, the snake doesn't need it. I would think that if your snake was in there a lot, he could possibly get scale rot or an RI from being too damp. If I'm totally off here, sorry, but I've heard that humid hides are only needed when the snake's in shed.
 
I meant to say earlier that I do have a thermometer. it's one I got from Wal-Mart with the probe. Now, when I'm checking the temperate, do I lay the probe directly on top of the substrate, or on top of the carpet underneath the substrate, or underneath the carpet directly on the glass? I know this question probably sounds stupid and might have been asked many times before, but I want to make sure I'm checking the temperature right. If I lay the thermometer on the substrate, it reads 82 degrees? Should I leave the probe in there at all times to monitor it and is this temp okay?
 
You want to take the temp at the hottest point the snake can come into contact with. That means directly on the glass over the UTH. I'd ditch the cage carpet and just go with aspen. If you feel you need something under the substrate, use newspaper. It is cheap and you can replace it easily when it gets soiled. Cage carpet would need to be thoroughly scrubbed and disinfected at least weekly or it will become prime breeding ground for bacteria.
 
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