Thermostat in my snake tank

[JungleMagic1969]

'I have been told by a shop that I MUST use a thermostat to control the temps in my snake enclosure and that if I did not do so my snake WILL die" as the temperature will get to hot. Pleases help.

 

[Riffherper]

You need something to regulate temperature otherwise your snake COULD overheat and could die as a result.

 

[bdav70]

that's pretty much correct. You need a heat source (light, mat etc.) controlled by a thermostat to regulate the temperature. Checking temps with a heat gun or digital thermometer is a must also as the dials on thermostats can't necessarily be trusted.

Find a care sheet or reliable source of information for recommended temps for your animal to set up a thermal gradient and ideal temperature in the enclosure. This is one of the most important things you need to ensure is properly set up for any cold blooded animal

 

[saximus]

Damn better go tell my animals they should have been dead ages ago. Apparently they didn’t get the memo...

 

[andynic07]

I am with saximus, non of my adult snake enclosures have thermostats anymore. I use a heat light with a selected wattage for the desired temperature and have plenty of space for a good thermal gradient, the light is on a timer meaning I have no night heating and I provide two insulated hides one at each end. I also refuse the heating time over winter so my snakes brumate , I think they are quite healthy and have never had ri issues.

 

[thomasssss]

whilst what saximus and andy are saying is very much correct i still think it pays for new keepers to have thermostats connected to their heating

they could get away with it but there is also a very real chance that they might set up an enclosure in the middle of winter using a 100 watt ceramic or something like it , everything could be running fine for months giving them the impression that all is good , then come their first summer they walk in to find temps in the high 40s

 

[Norm]

I tend to agree with thomasss when it comes to new keepers, good to have that safeguard of a thermostat until they get more experienced.

 

[Endeavour]

'I have been told by a shop that I MUST use a thermostat to control the temps in my snake enclosure and that if I did not do so my snake WILL die" as the temperature will get to hot. Pleases help.

I think its always sensible to use a thermostat as it gives you the best and easiest method of providing stable temperatures for your reptiles. Its even more important if your climate varies a lot throughout the year like it does here in the UK. As for your snake dying thats not a certainty but certainly a possibility. Look at it this way, you could survive in a house that was both very cold and very hot but lets face it it would make for a happier more content life if you could select the temperature you wanted.

Kindest regards

Endeavour

 

[Bluetongue1]

The factors determining the thermodynamics of any given enclosure make up quite a list. The materials it is made from, the positioning and dimensions of each, existence and position of any gaps, the size and positioning of vents, the position of enclosure (e.g. concrete floor vs carpet or elevated, in a bank or side by side, whether there is access to a breeze), the ambient temperatures of the room. Thankfully, by manipulating the heat source and ventilation, we can obtain the temperatures required inside the enclosure.

The most important thing as regards your heat source is to use the minimum wattage required to achieve the desired temperature range. Once you have set it up you can decide if a thermostat is still necessary. What NOT to do is have well over-powered heating held in check with thermostat. If the thermostat were to fail you could likely end up with baked reptiles. They can handle being too cold for some good length of time. However they succumb very quickly to excessive heat.

Those who do not use a thermostat will, if needed, alter the wattage of bulbs or the length of heat cord used in the enclosure, to compensate for temperature changes over the heat of summer versus the cooler months.

Regardless of whether you use a thermostat or not you should purchase a temperature gun and build in using it once a week to check temperature gradients in all enclosures as part of your maintenance routine.

Blue

 

[JungleMagic1969]

Cheers guys.

 

[treeofgreen]

Btw the $10 on/off thermostats from ebay have been working solidly for over a year for me. Fairly accurate too (within 1-2deg when using IR heatgun to test). Cheers

Nick