Diamond Python Temps?

[Kayla017]

Hi everyone,

I realise there is alot of debate regarding correct low and high temperatures for your Diamond Python and I have read alot of conflicting information.

I have a 3 month old Hatchling Diamond Python named Sneakers. Her enclosure is roughly 30ccm x 20cm. Inside her hide, the temperature is reading 34.5c. Outside her hide is measuring 31.1c, and at the cool end it is measuring 23.2c. All temps were taken from substrate level.

She is always in her hide when I go to handle her and everytime I return her back to the enclosure she goes straight back in there. This morning she went for a sticky beak on top of hide but now she is right back in there again.

Are my temps incorrect? If she were to hot, would she know to slither to the cool end or would she just cook herself?

If you look close enough, you can see her in her hide.

Probably sounds stupid, but she is my first and I want to make sure everything is ok.
And before anyone asks, the video player is not plugged in, it's there to stop my wooden drawers from absorbing all the heat.

Thank you in advance for all your help.

 

[tenacres1100]

lower the temp a little to get it to 32c max at the warmest spot, it is normal for her to hide a lot at this age. try to give her more than one hide and a small branch or dowel across the tank as well.

are you using a thermostat? if not get one, just in case.

 

[oreo1]

i agree with tenacres1100. 34 degrees is wayyy too hot for a diamond. 31 or 32 should suffice

 

[stannysnake]

Found some info on Diamonds here http://www.southernxreptiles.com/Article PDFs/road_testing_lr.pdf

 

[Zena]

Buy the book "Keeping and Breeding Australian Pythons". It is on quite a few reptile supply websites. It has a very detailed section on Diamonds and their temps and also the procedure for cooling when your hatchy gets older. I give mine a max of 29-30 degrees in the basking spot.

 

[Allies_snakes]

agree with above, maybe put in a nice branch for her too, so she can climb and set herself on if she likes. Make sure its free of mites first.

 

[sweetangel]

i would put a hide in the cool end. most snakes will want to hide, even if they are to hot, so by providing quite a few she can choose. i wuld also get a bigger cage. the still like to explore and that way you would have more room for hides.

 

[wranga]

way to hot. ive kept my now yearling diamonds at 26C messured in the centre of their enclosures since they were hatchies. my adults dont have heating. their kept at room temperature and do well kept like this

 

[sweetangel]

way to hot. ive kept my now yearling diamonds at 26C messured in the centre of their enclosures since they were hatchies. my adults dont have heating. their kept at room temperature and do well kept like this

no heating at all! u sure about that? i think they difinitly need heating. just because they like it cooler mostly doesnt mean that in the wild they dont bask as 34 degrees, not for long mind you but they certainly need to bask to get warm to digest food properly.

 

[mckellar007]

my diamonds have a max temp of 28 and the cool end sits at whatever it falls at. they have a basking spot for 4 hours each morning and then the tank sits at about 24 degrees for the rest of the day, no heat at night, never had a problem with them. 34 degrees is way too hot for a diamond.

 

[wranga]

no heating at all! u sure about that? i think they difinitly need heating. just because they like it cooler mostly doesnt mean that in the wild they dont bask as 34 degrees, not for long mind you but they certainly need to bask to get warm to digest food properly.

yes im sure. no heating at all. they never have a problem digesting food. they poo 4 or 5 days after being fed.

 

[oreo1]

notice how most of those who replied are from nsw or vic?! it is harder to provide 26 or 28 degree temps at hot end for people who keep diamonds in say qld. not going off at anyone in particular as i know this area is the diamonds natural habitat, but i do know people in hotter areas (qld) (31-32 degrees) have had success breeding diamonds at these temps.
just thought id have my input

 

[Chimera]

There seems to be plenty of misconceptions on temperatures for Diamond pythons. Talk to anyone with experience and they will tell you that diamonds will bask at temperatures well over 30, for a short period of time.

Kayla, I think your thermostat is set correctly but I would only offer 4 - 8 hours of heat a day. For adults I would give 4 but some people feel that hatchies should be given a bit more.

Your setup on the other had is a little small for a diamond. I would suggest getting a larger tub, putting in a few sticks for the snake to climb on and a second hide in the cool end as has already been suggested. Those clear plastic tubs leave the animals inside feeling quite exposed and they will remain in their hides regardless of temperature. If you are going to use these I would place them in a low traffic area and try to close in the field of view (e.g. put them in a corner with stuff stacked near the other side).

 

[Zena]

When my Diamond was a hachy I provided a heat mat under her hide and a basking light from 9am-3pm. She still came out to bask every day.

Now she is 2 years old and in a 5ft tall, 3 ft wide enclosure with basking ledge and trees and vines. She has no heat mat and basking heat only from 9am-3pm in summer and I am cooling her for the first winter as outlined in "Keeping and Breeding". Currently she gets 2 hrs heat only per day. She gets no other heat other than the basking light and is still quite active on cooler nights, last night she had a swim in the water bowl (they love water).

There is a pic below of my setup....

This is my only snake but she seems healthy and happy. She loves the big enclosure.

 

[hflat]

yes im sure. no heating at all. they never have a problem digesting food. they poo 4 or 5 days after being fed.

The breeder I bought my Diamond off also uses no heating, even through winter and says it's no problem at all. His enclosure stays 23-27 Celsius.
From what I understand, Diamonds are not tropical snakes, and will thrive in mid-coldish temperatures rather than warm temps.

 

[Lewy]

Ok cool but I'm just going to say how diamond's do like the heat as in the wild they are known to bask in 40deg sun for an hour or so

My diamond will stay out in the sun even when hitting 35-37deg and he will just bask him self there for a few hours

So as long as your cool end is at ambient temperature then it doesn't matter how hot the hot end gets with in reason. So IMO you set up is fine I would just get a slightly bigger click clack and put another hide in the cool end and a branch for him to climb on and get up in to the ambient temperature of the air

Lewy

 

[JasonL]

I agree with no or minimal heating for healthy and "established snakes" ie; once you have them eating well, as long as you live within or north of their range. Naturally, diamonds come out to bask from about 7am till 10am, on hot days they arn't about though they may bask longer if digesting a large feed. They spend alot of time near waterways in the peak of summer sitting in dappled shade in thick bushes, and will sit in the water on hot days, they move to the ridge tops in winter. Sydney's summer temps are far from 30 degress every day...
Here are some pics of wild diamonds basking, one's digesting a large meal. At this spot, on a normal summer's day, you can forget about seeing any after 10 - 11 am, unless you can manage to find out down in the water.
In captivity, in outdoor avairies ect, diamonds will bask most of the day, but still seem to suffer from DPS