I just joined today, as a long-term babysitter for my friend's ~1 year old snake. We've set up the snake and her viv at my place, and now I'm thinking about all the snakey details... for today, viv temps.
In the previous home, air temperature was around 65 degrees F; my apartment hovers around 70-75 F. Under the eye of my friend, I set the under-tank heater to "the mark" where it had been previously kept.
Today I dug out an IR thermometer. The "warm" side of the viv, the top of substrate, only measured 74 F. From what I've read on here, that sounds much too cool; yet, this snake and two others have been living at that temperature for several years, and my friend has raised other snakes before, where I've had this one for all of two weeks now. When she fed last week, she curled up above the warm side; this week, though, she spent the days after feeding on the un-heated side. I can't tell if something's off, or if she just doesn't notice the difference?
I'm going to bring it up with my friend, but also am open to advice. I feel raising the temperature too much, or too fast, is likely to just stress the snake. It's also winter here, so cooler in general. Maybe a gradual couple-degrees-each-week regimen?
In the previous home, air temperature was around 65 degrees F; my apartment hovers around 70-75 F. Under the eye of my friend, I set the under-tank heater to "the mark" where it had been previously kept.
Today I dug out an IR thermometer. The "warm" side of the viv, the top of substrate, only measured 74 F. From what I've read on here, that sounds much too cool; yet, this snake and two others have been living at that temperature for several years, and my friend has raised other snakes before, where I've had this one for all of two weeks now. When she fed last week, she curled up above the warm side; this week, though, she spent the days after feeding on the un-heated side. I can't tell if something's off, or if she just doesn't notice the difference?
I'm going to bring it up with my friend, but also am open to advice. I feel raising the temperature too much, or too fast, is likely to just stress the snake. It's also winter here, so cooler in general. Maybe a gradual couple-degrees-each-week regimen?