Temp Problem..HELP!!

Hello Again,

I`ve had my adult hypo okeetee for a week now and i`m having some temperature issues i hope you guys can help me with. I have a digital thermometer with probe the unit is on the cool side about 1/8 of an inch above the substrate (aspen) and the probe is under the sustrate resting on the glass above the uth. The warm temps read between 85 and 91 degrees depending on time of day/night. My real problem is with the cool temps, they read between 69-70 at night to maybe 73-75 during the day. Yesterday afternoon i measured the temps on top of the sustrate with my infared thermometer and came up with only 71 degrees on both ends of the tank. I`m thinking this is too cold. My female had been burrowed under her warm hide all week apparently not moving until this morning when i checked on her at 5:00 a.m. and she was under her cool hide with 71 degree temps. I do have a thermostat controlling the uth by the way. Any suggestions you guys can throw my way will be greatly appreciated,thanks.

Is your viv sitting near any ac vents or windows? Moving your viv to a somewhat warmer area would be enough to do the trick. You may also want to consider using a normal 60 w light bulb that would put out just enough heat to raise the temp slightly.

I had to fiddle with these factors a little bit in order to find the perfect combination for my setup. It may take some time, but as long as your snake has a temp. gradient (and as long as the temps aren't TOO HOT) so that he/she can regulate his/her own body temp., you'll be fine!!

Your temps are fine kelvins!! Low 70s on the cool side is great, and your warm side at 85-91 is ok (I'd try and keep it under 90 if you can though). Your snake maybe just prefers it at one side as opposed to the other.

However, if it was correctly reading 71 on the warm side, check your UTH is working correctly, because obviously that's way too cold. Could it have been the thermometer reading incorrectly?

Thanks for the replies, yes, the top of the substrate on both sides of the cage read the same which is pretty much the tempof the room. The only warm spot seems to be under the substrate on top of the uth. This morning my snake was still in her cool hide and the temp was only 68 degees..yikes!

All I can suggest is buy a new UTH then, ASAP, one with a rheostat preferably. It can't be working correctly if both sides read the same temperature, or can it?

Also, what are you using for substrate? Seems obvious but depending on what it is, you might be able to remove some to let more heat through into the viv.

In the mean time go with cbeavers' suggestion and move the snake somewhere warmer.

Thanks Again for the reply. I want to feed her tonight and i just want the temps good so she will eat and digest properly. She hasn`t been handled at all for a solid week. I just hope she doesn`t stress out too much. This will be her first feeding with me.

Umm, I'd be more concerned about getting the temps up to 80-85 on the warm side before feeding, you want to avoid a regurge at all costs. Try anything until you can buy a new UTH if necessary; lights, covers, radiator heat - just get it warm! Good luck.

I agree with Tracee. You need to get the warm side stable at the low 80's. I wouldn't worry a bit about the cool side. Your temps even at 68 are fine. I find mine hang out on the cool side most of the time, even after eating and their temps are fine on both sides.