Temperatures

[duh duh duh]

What temperature do you keep your enclosure at?

I've seen quite a variety in the literature I've read and I'm curious what people's experience is in this regard.

[hjelte]

I use undertank heating, and the temp. is around 21 degrees celsius (sorry don´t know fahrenheit) in the cool end, and around 26 in the warm-zone. Additionally I have an halogen-lamp (is this correct english?) wich I use to create a hotspot at about 29-30 celsius.
Seems to be working out fine for my snakes, and also corresponds well to what most sources say is good temp.

[Cazador]

I try to keep my hotspot around 30C (~86F) during the day, and I let the temp drop to about 23C (73F) at night. The night time temperature rises during the summer, but I'm not concerned about it. I just don't want my high, daytime temperatures to be over about 32C (90F) for too long.
Rick

[Stefan-A]

20-22 degrees in the cool end and 32-35 under the heat lamp. At night it drops to 19.

The temperature rises during the summer, so I do what has been recommended; I shut off the heat when the room temperature reaches 27 degrees during the day. Since the lighting is still on, the snakes still have a basking spot close to the lamp if they need it, but the cage's temperature doesn't get significantly higher.

[GarterGuy]

Right now the warm end of the tanks (for those that aren't brumating of course) is about 82F and cool end temp. is around 75F. At night it drops down to about 65F. I use just regular old heat lamps on them and they go off at night. During the warmer months, I put the warm end up to aournd 85-90F and cool end is usually in the mid to upper 70F. All of them are on thermostats, so it's easy to regulate the temps., as long as the room doesn't get too hot (sometimes in the summer, from the high temps. and the heat from all the fluorescent lights, it can go into the mid 90s!...but they seem ok, as long as they can cool down again at night).
Roy

[duh duh duh]

I don't know farenheit that well so I'll stick with Celcius.

I've got a crocodile skink right now and have it in a large octagon enclosure. I had under tank heaters but they were absolutely terrible. I don't think I'll ever use another one. What a complete waste of money.

I can get the cage to about 27-29 with a basking light and a ceramic heat emitter. The Ceramic is on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it keeps the base heat in the enclosure to be about 23-25.

With a snake though the ceramic heat emitter hanging into the tank is not a good idea as the snake may climb onto the ceramic heat emitter or crawl out the lid where the cords go, or both.

When I do get a garter I'll be putting it in the same cage and getting rid of my skink so I thought I'd want to know what people are doing and how they are doing it.

[Cazador]

I'm curious what type of bad experience you had with the under tank heater? Did you have trouble regulating the temperature?

65F = 18.3C

72F = 22.2C . . . . . . . . . . 82F = 27.8C
73F = 22.8C . . . . . . . . . . 83F = 28.3C
74F = 23.3C . . . . . . . . . . 84F = 28.9C
75F = 23.9C . . . . . . . . . . 85F = 29.4C
76F = 24.4C . . . . . . . . . . 86F = 30.0C
77F = 25.0C . . . . . . . . . . 87F = 30.6C
78F = 25.6C . . . . . . . . . . 88F = 31.1C
79F = 26.1C . . . . . . . . . . 89F = 31.7C
80F = 26.7C . . . . . . . . . . 90F = 32.2C
81F = 27.2C . . . . . . . . . . 91F = 32.8C

95F = 35C

[duh duh duh]

the under tank heaters (two of them) did not heat the enclosure. They made the bottom where they were less cold, but no where near warm.

I tried different materials underneath, at different heights, and different substrates within the enclosure to increase the heat. All I did was increase my heating bill. I am not sure I will ever own another one. A complete waste of money.

[Stefan-A]

65F = 18.3C

72F = 22.2C . . . . . . . . . . 82F = 27.8C
73F = 22.8C . . . . . . . . . . 83F = 28.3C
74F = 23.3C . . . . . . . . . . 84F = 28.9C
75F = 23.9C . . . . . . . . . . 85F = 29.4C
76F = 24.4C . . . . . . . . . . 86F = 30.0C
77F = 25.0C . . . . . . . . . . 87F = 30.6C
78F = 25.6C . . . . . . . . . . 88F = 31.1C
79F = 26.1C . . . . . . . . . . 89F = 31.7C
80F = 26.7C . . . . . . . . . . 90F = 32.2C
81F = 27.2C . . . . . . . . . . 91F = 32.8C

95F = 35C

;) Off topic, but:

°F = (°C * 1.8) + 32
°C = (°F - 32) ÷ 1.8

and just in case somebody wants to know:
1 inch = 2.54 cm
1 foot = 30.48 cm

1 ounce = 28.349523 g
1 pound = 453.59237 g

1 US gallon = 3.785411784 l
1 UK gallon = 4.54609 l

[abcat1993]

I use F= C*5/9 (.55555...) +32
but it's the same thing.
And that's really weird how the gallons are different in UK and US.

[KITKAT]

And that's really weird how the gallons are different in UK and US.

What is really weird is that the UK gallon is metric... (four litres = gallon)

...and...

The US gallon is "English measure"... (four quarts = gallon)

ROFLMAO!!!:D

[Thamnophis]

Hottest spot in the terrariums is between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius, and the coolest spot is between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius during the day.
At night it sinks to roomtemperature.

[Pinky]

Since I caught her I've been keeping "pinky" in a 10gal with screen top and no extra heat.should this be sufficient? we both come from the same climate!!LOL maybe when spring returns I'll add basking light!!!

[adamanteus]

I would certainly consider an additional heat source (preferably on a thermostat), and maybe get a thermometer in the tank then you can be confident that the temperature is right for Pinky.

[Pinky]

I'll definatelly try that! A little off topic, but is it possible to handle a garter too much?i want her to get used to people (so far so good)but i don't want to stress her...sometimes she'll let completally loose and just lay across my forearm,but if she gets really ancy or seems on edge i put her back...

[adamanteus]

I think you do right by letting the snake choose the duration and frequency of handling. If she's okay with it, I don't really see how you can overdo it. If on the other hand, if she clearly isn't in the mood, you're right to put her back.