Enclosure Question

[bikiescum2003]

i have been thinking latly (yes i know Danger!)
i was looking at the way we house the juvie pythons just half on a heat mat. and i was wondering if you could house and adult python like this in victoria. i was thinking about building a 4ft by 2ft by 2 ft enclosure and have 1-3rd of it heated just with a heat mat on the floor at one end. that way they will get day and night temps and just get on and of the heat mat as they please.
will this work in such a cold climate?

[rascal779]

a very simple answer is yes, it will most certainly work.

looking more into it....you may need to use a thermostat so the temp at the heat mat doesnt exceed the given amount for your snake...maybe 29-31.

I am not sure what you mean by day night temps. do you mean that you are thinking of leaving the heat mat on all night? therefore keeping a regulated 29-31 degrees 24hrs?

thats maybe not the best idea for an adult typical python.
you can get a 24hr on-off timer for less than $10 and have it turn heat off at 10pm and back on at say 6am......

hope this helps.
what specific species are you taling about? I am assuming a carpet.

[bikiescum2003]

my enclosures are well ventalated and the heat mat does not heat the enclosure so if i leave it on 24/7 the temp in the enclosure will drop. ive keeped 9 ft pythons with the lights on a thermostat day and night and they never had a problem with the heat at night. breed fine to. so why would it be a bad idea to leave the heat mat on as it will only take up 300mm of a 1200mm long tank?

[rascal779]

hmmm
if you have done this before and have proven results then why the indecision to do it again?
heating be via an incandecent globe or heat mat is relatively the same, both provide the same end result. (without going into detail)

you said

my enclosures are well ventalated and the heat mat does not heat the enclosure

then what is the point of the heat mat?

if where you live, the temps get down to minus degrees where the enclosurses are located then it would be a good idea to heat it during the night.
if you give some specifics then we may be able to advise a little better.

[MrBredli]

Rascal, i think what bikie is trying to say is that you would have the heat pad on as a constant heat source available for the snake to use at any time, and allow air temps to be the same as outside. I think this would work great but only for herps found locally. I don't think it would be good to use this system in Sydney/Melbourne with say a Jungle Carpet or any other tropical species.

[bikiescum2003]

ok sorry i was lacking a bit of info. currently my enclosure's are heated by lights. in turn heating the air. the cool end is usualy around 25-27 degrees. i have sat a heat cord in them before trying to heat the enclosure but the temp was the same inside and out side of it. now if i used a heat mat only the air would not be warm only a warm floor where the heat mat is. all in all the tank will not be 27 degrees most days more like 15 and up depending on the day with over night lows of about 2-5 degrees and very rearly below 1 the reason for the heat mat is just for something warm for it to go same as a heat rock so it can take in the heat that way.
i hope this makes sence coz i have trouble putting things into words..

[bikiescum2003]

I think this would work great but only for herps found locally. I don't think it would be good to use this system in Sydney/Melbourne with say a Jungle Carpet or any other tropical species.

thats what i thought but then i was housing hatchy coastal like this in small tubs with the heat mat half under it, as do many people do down here. that why i was thinking of doing it with adults
would there be any reason why you would'nt do it for bredli??