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max temps
- Thread starter wisconsin
- Start date
tyflier
[Insert Witty Commentary]
Temps that are continually in the 90* range can be very stressful for your snake. Much higher than that, and it will KILL your snake.
The recommended temp at the site of heat is ~85*F. This will be plenty of warmth for digestion, but not be high enough to cause damge or stress.
The recommended temp at the site of heat is ~85*F. This will be plenty of warmth for digestion, but not be high enough to cause damge or stress.
ssmith_1187
In the land of Cheeeeeese
I keep the temperature of the glass on the warm side of the hide at around 89-90 degrees.
This gives me a warm side hide temperature of 85-86 degrees 1/2 inch down into the substrate to allow for borrowing.
I don't know how else to keep my warm side hide warm enough if I run my UTH to give me a glass temperature of 85 degrees.
Any ideas?
Regards,
Steve
This gives me a warm side hide temperature of 85-86 degrees 1/2 inch down into the substrate to allow for borrowing.
I don't know how else to keep my warm side hide warm enough if I run my UTH to give me a glass temperature of 85 degrees.
Any ideas?
Regards,
Steve
tyflier
[Insert Witty Commentary]
The general consensus seems to be that the hottest part of the viv that your snake can possibly come into contact with should be around 85*F. If your snake burrows down on top of the UTH, 85*F is a "safe" temperature for being lazy on.
Now...with that being said, this is not how I have my tanks set up. I use the T-Rex Cobra Heat Mats, and I have them attached to the sidewall of each enclosure, low enough to heat the bottom level of the substrate. The heat mats run at 100*F maximum, but fluctuate lower depending upon ambient air temperature. The temperature of the glass in front of the mats is between 75-85*F depending on the ambient temperature of the room.
With them on the side of the viv, my snakes can't burrow beneath the aspen and just lay on op of the heat. However, they can lay next to the mat and absorb the radient heat. Having the heat mats setup this way allows me to actually heat the substrate on the warm end of the viv, as well as the walls of the hides on that end. It also helps keep humidity levels up, because I can spray water directly on the glass in front of the mat, and speed evaporation to get higher humidity levels.
Now...with that being said, this is not how I have my tanks set up. I use the T-Rex Cobra Heat Mats, and I have them attached to the sidewall of each enclosure, low enough to heat the bottom level of the substrate. The heat mats run at 100*F maximum, but fluctuate lower depending upon ambient air temperature. The temperature of the glass in front of the mats is between 75-85*F depending on the ambient temperature of the room.
With them on the side of the viv, my snakes can't burrow beneath the aspen and just lay on op of the heat. However, they can lay next to the mat and absorb the radient heat. Having the heat mats setup this way allows me to actually heat the substrate on the warm end of the viv, as well as the walls of the hides on that end. It also helps keep humidity levels up, because I can spray water directly on the glass in front of the mat, and speed evaporation to get higher humidity levels.
ssmith_1187
In the land of Cheeeeeese
Thanks tyflier and Nanci!!!!
As I have said in previous posts, this single subject has caused me more anxiety than anything else :crying: Your thinking is what I've always thought. However, I've read where expert breeders state they run there UTH's unregulated without any problems.
I'll lower the temperature on the thermostat a bit tonight.
Regards,
Steve
As I have said in previous posts, this single subject has caused me more anxiety than anything else :crying: Your thinking is what I've always thought. However, I've read where expert breeders state they run there UTH's unregulated without any problems.
I'll lower the temperature on the thermostat a bit tonight.
Regards,
Steve
ssmith_1187
In the land of Cheeeeeese
there = their 
Nanci
Alien Lover
Ultratherm heat pads claim to stay between 65F and 95F depending on the ambient temp, thus eliminating the need for a thermostat (except 95F is too hot!!) but then the temp of the pad will fluctuate with the ambient room temp. A thermostat will keep the pad at 85F no matter what the room temp is. The snake can go where it wants to find the temp it likes. So I guess if a person had a dedicated reptile room where the room temp was set so the pad would maintain 85, and that room temp never varied, it could theoretically go without a thermostat. But what if your furnace or AC fails???
I've seen, for myself, a Zoomed pad get up to 120F.
Nanci
I've seen, for myself, a Zoomed pad get up to 120F.
Nanci
tyflier
[Insert Witty Commentary]
Nanci-Nanci said:
FWIW...the Cobra mats that I use have a maximum operating temp of 100*F. Having them on the side of the viv, I have never measured a glass temp of more than 88*F without regulation. However, come summer, this will need to change because the ambient temperature of my room will increase, and I will need to assure that the mats do NOT go above 85*F, or I will cook my snakes.
So, theoretically, if the temperature of my room was a constant, the temperature of the glass in my viv would be constant.
These heat mats are designed to operate in a range of about 10*F higher than the ambient room temperature, with 100*F being max temperature. In a way, they are smei-regulated, in that you can adjust the operating range of the heat mat by adjusting the ambient temperature of the room. In the winter, with the heater in my bedroom(where my snakes are kept), I keep the ambient temperature in the 70*F range, keeping my heat mats at around 80*F or so. In the summer time, I will be lucky to get my room in the 80*F range, so I will need to regulate the heat mats to keep them within an acceptable range, OR spend a ton of money on electricity and run an a/c to keep my ambient temp around 70*F. Thermostats are cheaper
...With all of the above being said...to anyone considering buying a snake, and reading this post, get a thermostat. I spent about 3 days testing my heat mat's capabilities before putting my snakes in the viv. Never trust a UTH out of the box without regulation.
tyflier
[Insert Witty Commentary]
If you can keep your house in the 80* range, you *should* still be able to provide moderate thermo-regulation for the snake during the day. You will probably find your snake is more active during the cooler parts of the day, however.Brizzle said:
I e-mailed Kathy Love regarding this issue not too long ago, and was told that while a temperature gradient is recommended, it isn't always possible all the time. If the ambient temperature in your house is above 85*F, turn off your heating element, and let the snake find the most comfortable spot in the tank to wait out the heat of the day...just like they would in the wild. Once the temps come down in the evenings, you can turn your heat back on, and you snake can enjoy a nice thermo-gradient.
Trust me, Brizzle...I am facing the same situation, with an average daytime temp in the triple-digits throughout the summer...
ssmith_1187
In the land of Cheeeeeese
I told you guys and gals this was an anxiety producing topic :bird:
Regards,
Steve
Regards,
Steve
tyflier
[Insert Witty Commentary]
Nanci-Nanci said:
Below is a picture of the area where the power cord connects with the heat mat. I imagine that inside that plastic case is a series of electronic limit switches, that open(shutting off power) and close(turning on power) depending on the ambient temperature. I am neither an electrician nor intricately knowledgable with the particular workings, but limit switches are a fairly simple design that can regulate heat, without actually reading temperatures. They operate simply on electronic pules or magnetic fields that operate at different voltages dependant upon the heat generated. An electrician or heating and a/c repairman would be able to provide more specifics about the intricacies, but that's a very basic explanation.
Ultimately, the more heat that is generated, the higher the voltage produced. When enough voltage is produced, it throws open the limit switch, and cuts off the power. It's basically the same way a thermostat operates.
tyflier
[Insert Witty Commentary]
I understand you skepticism, but really...when you are dealing with a purely electrical limit switch, it only needs to be a microswitch on a circuit board, not a big, throw-type switch or a gas valve. And one switch could be programmed with several limits.Nanci said:
Also...these are examples of how it *could* work. I don't really know for sure how the internals operate, but as I said above...I've never read higher than 88*F, and that was with the ambient temp in my bedroom being way too hot for comfort. However they are doing it, it works.
But as I said earlier, once the ambient room temps are consistantly at 80*F or higher, I will definitely need to get a thermostat to lower the temp of the heat mats, to prevent a constant 100*F operation level.