sunshine and diamonds

[nickvelez]

Advice required please. Iunderstand that natural sunlight is just about essential for healthy diamonds. What time of day is preferred by diamonds to take the sun? Mid day sun would be pretty fierce most of the year. temps over 40C in the sun would surely be too much? Is the best time first thing in the morning and late evening? what sort of timing is seen from those pythons in aviaries? what sort of temperatures are they exposing themselves to?

[serpenttongue]

Diamonds are out basking as soon as the sun is up. Usually they are gone by 10.30am. During mid-summer on stinking hot days they may be gone by as early as 8.30am or they wont bask at all on these hot days.

During winter i have found that they may bask until noon but most will still disappear by 10.30am.

When they have a large meal in their gut they will still usually bask until around 10.30am and then disappear but then re-appear in the afternoon between 3-4pm for more basking.

I'd imagine that a diamond would move into the shade when its body temp is about 30-32'C However i've seen some go into a coil and sleep in the sun on days so hot that i refused to step out of the shade.

I think it also depends on the individual snake. I have an 8 year old diamond that i have
only seen bask once in its whole life

[GARTHNFAY]

Hi Nickvelez,
We have observed the diamonds heading for the shade when it reaches about 23deg Celsius. They don't often come out in the afternoon, if it is overcast they can stay out all day. They are naturally found around our area ( and serpenttongues), we have both had different experiences in their preferences.