saximus
Almost Legendary
Could someone explain to me where we get the "normal" winter heating regime from? I know there are a couple of different ways to go about it but mostly it seems that people tend to lower the number of hours that heat/light is provided but still have their hot spots quite warm or lower it but still keep it above ambient.
As an example, I was reading about Jungles in "The Bible". I am cooling mine for the first time this year so thought I should see what is suggested in there. I don't have it with me but it goes something like "...heat can be reduced or the number of hours heat is offered may be reduced but the hot spot must reach 32C...". Now, looking at the weather, one notices that North Queensland (e.g. Atherton and Cairns) is only reaching low-mid 20s. So if this is the case, where does the 32 come from?
I see a similar thing with animals like Lacies and Diamonds. They come from around my area which is getting down to 0 and even negatives further up the mountains. So why can't people who own these animals let them get down this low (lots of people who have them outside talk about bringing them in for the winter or providing a heated box)?
Is it something to do with the fact that, in the wild, they are able to find warm refuges and aren't subjected to these freezing temps (this wouldn't explain the first point with the Jungles though) or is it because keepers are too scared to let them get this low or something that I am just completely overlooking due to my own ignorance of the natural environments of these animals?
As an example, I was reading about Jungles in "The Bible". I am cooling mine for the first time this year so thought I should see what is suggested in there. I don't have it with me but it goes something like "...heat can be reduced or the number of hours heat is offered may be reduced but the hot spot must reach 32C...". Now, looking at the weather, one notices that North Queensland (e.g. Atherton and Cairns) is only reaching low-mid 20s. So if this is the case, where does the 32 come from?
I see a similar thing with animals like Lacies and Diamonds. They come from around my area which is getting down to 0 and even negatives further up the mountains. So why can't people who own these animals let them get down this low (lots of people who have them outside talk about bringing them in for the winter or providing a heated box)?
Is it something to do with the fact that, in the wild, they are able to find warm refuges and aren't subjected to these freezing temps (this wouldn't explain the first point with the Jungles though) or is it because keepers are too scared to let them get this low or something that I am just completely overlooking due to my own ignorance of the natural environments of these animals?
! A good local example that I can think of is , even though ambient temps up here (New England Tablelands) are 10-15 max during the day, my local RBB's and Copperheads are still visible during daylight hours as they find northerly facing rockwalls along creeklines (RBBs) or patches of granite/ fallen timber amongst heavy grasses which are out of the wind and able to absorbe most available sunlight. Out of interest, I often take my temp gun on herp trips and places such as these are often 10-15 C above ambients! So basically, in a captive situation, by turning on your basking lamp for a few hours daily, what your supplying is a suitable micro-habitat, something which is always avilable to many reptiles in a wild situation to some degree or another, throughout the year.
