Effects Of Too Cold And Too Warm Temps?!

I really would be gratefully if people could list me the:

Bad Effect of too warm temps (not exagarated , im talking like about 92 - 95F)

Bad Effects of too cold cool side ( again, not talking about -0, but about like 69 - 72F)

also i would very apriciate to know how it was Found/Proven or any links to research/Scientific reports.

Thanks Alot!

(P.S Im Talking about Cornsnakes of course, and sry if i posted to wrong section)

While the rare corn snake may be able to tolerate a temperature of 90°F for a short period, anything much over that for even a short amount of time (an hour or less, depending upon the temperature), will kill a corn snake. The temperature range of 92-95° F is lethal.

While cooler temperatures are much better tolerated by corn snakes, you must be careful about them as well. Corn snakes are brumated at colder temperatures than what you listed (they are carefully prepared for brumation), but to maintain a corn snake at the range of 69-72°F will definitely cause digestive issues, mainly regurges, as the snake will not be able to digest it's food properly, as well as dramatically increase the likelihood of the snake developing a respiratory infection. Both conditions, if not immediately dealt with, can result in the ultimate death of the snake.

We really don't need to supply specific research data as most of us can provide personal experience with the consequences of temperature fluctuations beyond the normal tolerated limits. I have had snakes die due to heater malfunctions where the temperatures got too high, and am currently dealing with regurges because of temperatures being too cold. I am watching my inside snakes closely for respiratory issues and will not feed them again until it gets a little warmer.

Susan, does that mean that handling your corn will kill it? I read elswhere on these forums that your skin temp is around 90 degrees? Yikes, I don't want to handle my snake then

Susan's talking about a constant temp, ambient and floor, in the tank with no escape, I believe. If not feel free to correct me. If it doesn't kill them it can still cause neurological damage. Handling is fine. Many owners with calm snakes will hold them in their hands and laps for an hour or more while doing something calm and quiet such as watching TV. Try to keep in mind that they are not only exposed to your hot hands while out of their tank, but also the cool air. I'm sure if handling corn snakes killed them, they wouldn't be the popular starter snake they are today, lol! So feel free to handle without worry if the snake is calm enough and not digesting or sick.

Whew

glad to hear that! I guess you are right, the cold air along with the temp of skin wouldn't make for 90 degree constant encapsulating heat.

I've never understood why Corns can't withstand higher or cooler temps, they live in areas that frequently reach both extremes. Is it just that in the wild they are able to move far enough away from the heat source (sun) to hide in the shade that they will be fine?

Bear in mind that Corns aren't out in the very hot periods of the day. They're active at dawn/dusk/overnight when temps are lowest. The rest of the time they're hidden somewhere cooler.

queztacoatl said:

I've never understood why Corns can't withstand higher or cooler temps, they live in areas that frequently reach both extremes. Is it just that in the wild they are able to move far enough away from the heat source (sun) to hide in the shade that they will be fine?

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Yep. Bingo. They self regulate. Which is why it's really ideal to give a temp gradient for them, and often very hard if you have a really tiny inclosure. Giving your snake a range of temps is good because we don't speak snake and can't tell what they really favour, just what we see and hear, which may not be all that accurate at times.

Sometimes they want to be a little cooler, other hotter. Giving them a gradient let's them decide for themselves what's best for them

ok so if the snake has the warm area wich ranges from 85 - 95 and and the cool areawich ranges from 75 - 69 , wont they have enough tempretare range to thermoregulate, cause what i really asked is whats the bad effects of not having 100% accurate warm and cool areas. (btw i wasn't asking of handling but of when they are in the viv.)

The danger point is at the upper limit you quote. 90 should be seen as the safe maximum - 95 is too high and could be dangerous. If the snake can move away from that zone to a cooler one then in theory that's OK. It's just that in captivity, sometimes Corns don't seem to behave exactly as they would in the wild. For example, if a surface is hot enough to burn them, they won't move away from it but can remain in contact with it even if it causes them injury.

Obviously you won't get a burn at 95, but it's still possible that this sort of temp for any length of time can be harmful if the snake doesn't react as we expect i.e. move to a cooler spot. We need to protect them as much as possible, hence keeping the temps within their safe tolerance. That way, there's just no risk of them being harmed.

bitsy said:

The danger point is at the upper limit you quote. 90 should be seen as the safe maximum - 95 is too high and could be dangerous. If the snake can move away from that zone to a cooler one then in theory that's OK. It's just that in captivity, sometimes Corns don't seem to behave exactly as they would in the wild. For example, if a surface is hot enough to burn them, they won't move away from it but can remain in contact with it even if it causes them injury.

Obviously you won't get a burn at 95, but it's still possible that this sort of temp for any length of time can be harmful if the snake doesn't react as we expect i.e. move to a cooler spot. We need to protect them as much as possible, hence keeping the temps within their safe tolerance. That way, there's just no risk of them being harmed.

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Thanks for the help full info , so in theory for damage it would that the whole heathmate would go over the safe temp and not a spot as small as a fingertip (altought it could hurt a spot as small as a finger tip then on the snake but that would be more rare ) what about the cool side? why is it dangerouse if the cool side is under 75 if the corn snake can go to the warm side when he's cold ?

thansk every one very informative posts!

A heatmat should never have "hot spots" and should give an even temp across the surface. If yours is doing this, then it's faulty and needs to be replaced.

The cool side isn't such an issue as long as there's a safe warm side. With recent snowy weather in the UK, most of my vivs have cold ends that dip below 75 and a lot of my crew are holed up in the middle or warm zones. As long as they have an appropriate warm area to move to, then the cool side dipping below the ideal low temp isn't a problem. Your problem starts if the cool side gets too cold and the snake moves to the warm side, but the warm side is above the safe maximum.

My cool side is never 75 degrees. It is barely 70. I run my UTH at 88 degrees on average. This is the temp at the glass, not at the substrate.

My substrate temps are near 77 on the warm side, and 70 on the cool.

Since I never see my snake burrowing, and don't see any indication that he does this when I am not watching, I assume that he is happy with these temps...

That being said, i am dealing with a delicate snake who has trouble keeping a full pinkie down. He can't even keep a decapatated pinkie down. He is able to keep down a pinkie head. Does this imply that the temps are OK? If they weren't would he even be able to keep the head down?

your in the same situation i am with my corn, but no i don't think its a case of bad temps, not in my case at least since my ball python also has a cool side like that and she doesnt have problems keeping a fully adult mice down.

I think, that if your having issues, the first thing to fix would be the temperatures...At least then its one less thing to be concerned about. If they are delicate snakes as you describe, this COULD be the problem.

Nroc said:

My cool side is never 75 degrees. It is barely 70. I run my UTH at 88 degrees on average. This is the temp at the glass, not at the substrate.

My substrate temps are near 77 on the warm side, and 70 on the cool.

Since I never see my snake burrowing, and don't see any indication that he does this when I am not watching, I assume that he is happy with these temps...

That being said, i am dealing with a delicate snake who has trouble keeping a full pinkie down. He can't even keep a decapatated pinkie down. He is able to keep down a pinkie head. Does this imply that the temps are OK? If they weren't would he even be able to keep the head down?

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That's really not normal. I've only had one regurge with mine and that was entirely my fault, just fed her way too much... But something is wrong here...

What's the size of your enclosure? What temp is the room? What's the humidity? What kind of substrate are they on? Plenty of hiding spots? Do you use tap water? Any other animals or a lot of activity around the terrarium?

My corn loved to burrow... She would dig up her substrate and that's the behaviour I've seen with my friend's too. Your snake sounds lethargic (probably from not being able to eat properly)... You should give us some more info... Those temps are at the low side, but still...

Amun said:

That's really not normal. I've only had one regurge with mine and that was entirely my fault, just fed her way too much... But something is wrong here...

What's the size of your enclosure? What temp is the room? What's the humidity? What kind of substrate are they on? Plenty of hiding spots? Do you use tap water? Any other animals or a lot of activity around the terrarium?

My corn loved to burrow... She would dig up her substrate and that's the behaviour I've seen with my friend's too. Your snake sounds lethargic (probably from not being able to eat properly)... You should give us some more info... Those temps are at the low side, but still...

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This snake died last week. It ate a pinkie head Sunday, and by Tuesday, I noticed that he was in the exact same position in his hide...and later discovered that he was dead.

I have since disinfected everything and the silicone holding the temp probe onto the glass will be cured this evening. I bought a larger heating pad for my 20 gal long (was using a Zoo-Med 8X6, now I have Exo-Terra 10X11), and this is now attached to a piece of glass for mobility.

I will add the aspen tonight, and turn on the heat pad...and maybe by mid-week, I will have the temps back to the mid 80s. My house temps vary from 66-71 degrees depening on the time of day. I am not really sure if we ever hit 66 as I am either asleep or at work when our house's thermostat drops this low...we have pretty good insulation.

I am going to get another snake soon...and have my eye on either a butter motley, sunglow motley, or a striped amelanistic.

Nroc said:

This snake died last week. It ate a pinkie head Sunday, and by Tuesday, I noticed that he was in the exact same position in his hide...and later discovered that he was dead.

I have since disinfected everything and the silicone holding the temp probe onto the glass will be cured this evening. I bought a larger heating pad for my 20 gal long (was using a Zoo-Med 8X6, now I have Exo-Terra 10X11), and this is now attached to a piece of glass for mobility.

I will add the aspen tonight, and turn on the heat pad...and maybe by mid-week, I will have the temps back to the mid 80s. My house temps vary from 66-71 degrees depening on the time of day. I am not really sure if we ever hit 66 as I am either asleep or at work when our house's thermostat drops this low...we have pretty good insulation.

I am going to get another snake soon...and have my eye on either a butter motley, sunglow motley, or a striped amelanistic.

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That sucks... sorry to hear you lost the little guy Hope your next snake does better!