Use unregulated UTH and feed or wait for rheostat and skip a meal?

[Callow Methuselah]

...Or hope the corns can digest w/ ambient temp of 71*F?

I measured the temps on the glass above the Zoo Med UTH's and they were getting 120-130*F. So I unplugged them and ordered some rheostats. Today should be feeding day for a couple of the 5 month old corns, but I'm wondering if I should wait until I can use safe heating (which should be in ~5 business days) or if I should just plug in the UTH's (that have worked for me just fine so far). I'm also wondering if anyone here has had trouble w/ their corns regurging due to cold, and what temps won't allow for digestion. I've read about people keeping their corns at 70*F, with no heat gradient, and them digesting fine. And I've read (mostly on here) that temps above 90*F will burn the little guys. So I'm wondering if anyone has actually owned or known someone who owned a corn that didn't move off of a spot that was too hot. Or is it all just precautionary stuff? Because I'd think a corn would sense the excessive heat and move before any lasting damage could be done, right? Will the little guys be okay at 70*F until early next week? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Tinkerbeller87]

Well, IDK about corns but I've seen lots of ball pythons come into work with burns from heat rocks. I think I would wait for the rheostats. You really don't want to risk a regurge, those aren't very much fun. If the corns have been eating regularly it shouldn't hurt for them to skip a meal. That's just my advice.

 

[Haarstad]

I would say skip a meal and leave them unplugged till you get the stats

 

[bitsy]

Are the tanks light enough to be raised above the UTHs? If you propped the tanks up on a couple of books you could get some extra airflow over the surface of the UTH that could keep the floor on the inside a little cooler.

Five extra days without food should be fine as long they've been eating without trouble up to now. If you plan to leave the UTHs off then I wouldn't feed them. 70 could give problems with digestion and it seems unnecessary to risk a regurge.

 

[Callow Methuselah]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Bitsy, that's a good idea w/ propping the tanks up. But have you ever known of a snake that regurged b/c the temp was 70*? The only reason I ask is because every time I've fed one of my corns, he goes straight to the cool hide and stays there (at least during the day) until he poops. And the probe under that hide reads 71*F. I hardly ever see him in the warm hides, but when I do it's never for any extended period of time. Maybe they were too hot (85 at the surface of the aspen shavings.. but 120 on the surface of the glass).

 

[bitsy]

But have you ever known of a snake that regurged b/c the temp was 70*?

We often have people here asking about regurges, but there can be many contributory factors - too hot, too cold, handled too soon after eating, food too big, co-habbing, illness... or a combination of these. It's difficult to be certain about a root cause from a distance.

I've never experienced it personally, because I'd not risk doing it. A healthy hatchling can go for a couple of weeks without food and suffer no ill-effects - sometimes much longer. I'd say of the three potential risks (too hot + feed / too cold + feed / no feed) in your place I'd decide on the "no feed" option. But then I'm known for being overly-cautious with my beasties and ultimately it's up to you.