Temperature Extremes

[africancichlidau]

What are the temperature extremes withstandable by snakes. Take for instance a Coastal Python, when cooling what is the lowest safe temperature and in summer at what temps does life become in danger? What is the best setting for enclosure cooling systems to cut in?
:?: :?: :?:

 

[hey_im_sam]

i've read that when cooling them you should not allow the temperature to drop below 15-17 at night, and provide a spot in the cage that is warmer - they still need to have the option of thermoregulation.

i would set cooling to kick in at mid 30s, (if that is only occasional), but wait for a more experienced answer on that one.

 

[Magpie]

15-17C doesn't seem very cool? I have absolutely no knowledge of this but was just going to cool mine to room temp through winter.

 

[grahamh]

Not sure about coastals Africa but I've got wild diamonds round here and it gets down to freezing. They would no doubt find places a bit warmer than that (house roofs etc.) but between the walls of my stables where they like to hide it would still be pretty cool maybe 5 to 10 degrees air temp. But then Diamonds are the toughest natural substance and diamond pythons are the most Southerly Python.

8)

 

[jmbrimer]

15-17 degrees is pretty warm for Coastals - Room temperature in Sydney Winter is fine IMO, and this has worked well for me in the past. Don't forget for species like M Bredli, it'd be impossible to find a place in the wild to hide that got far above freezing at night. Same with Diamonds in Sydney/South coast in the middle of winter.

 

[Magpie]

We get coastals round here and it gets down to -10C. Thats a hard freeze where even the ground freezes to about 100mm down. And we definately get 'em coz I've had to rescue one out of a bird cage.

 

[almaron]

My suggestion would be to research the weather in the natural range for the species you want to know about. Take into account that they are probably going to find somewhere as warm as possible, and use that as a reference. Two very good resources I've found for climate info in Australia are below.

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/
http://home.iprimus.com.au/ozthunder/oz/front.html

 

[Artie]

Hi Graham, I would have thought the Victorian Python (Murray Darling), goes down a bit further south than the Diamond.
It definitely would be colder than in Sydney.
I was always wondering about that and actually made some enquiries about M D Pythons on this site, but did not get much response.
M.Ds. are my second favourite snake after D.P.
I would think they could be housed pretty much like D.Ps. But I might be totally wrong.
:?

 

[grahamh]

Hi Artie (hows Ruby)

I agree that Murray Darling sound like it should be further South, I read that about the Diamond just the other day but I can't remember where - it said the Diamond was the most Southerly python in the world. I'll try and find out where I read it and maybe see how reputable a source it was.. How far South does th MD range?

Found it.....Geordie Torr - Pythons of Australia page 6.
"Found from Taree South to Eastern Victoria, this is the most Southery distributed python in the world".

 

[Artie]

Guess what Graham, you?re probably right after all.
I checked in one of my books, (keeping Carpet Pythons) and it shows MD going down to the most southerly point of NSW to almost but not quite the most easterly point and not as far as the coast, (hence also called Inland Carpet Python) then just a fraction over the border of Victoria and across to South Australia.
Diamond Pythons go right down to the Victorian border along the coast, which is in fact more south than MD.
I?m glad I sorted that out for myself hehehe,
But I?d still like some info on how to keep MDs.
Being inland, away from the coast, it must still get colder than along the coast where the Diamonds live !!!!
Ps. Ruby is fine, should be shedding any day now, has been doing everything
differently over last week than usual.
Out in daytime, in at night, and has not had a bath for a week, unusual considering she is in shedding process.
Cheers Artie

 

[africancichlidau]

Hmmm

 

[Artie]

Hey African, what do you mean by hmmm?

 

[africancichlidau]

Just that I still don't know Artie It wasn't a dig at anyone just in case that is what you were thinking

 

[Artie]

No worries African

 

[hey_im_sam]

yeah sorry about that, i posted that a few days ago and seemed to have forgotten about it lol, but 15 does sound wrong now. I think i read something about it in a "keeping and breedin carpet pythons" book, cant remember exact name or who it was by, but it's very common in pet shops. maybe you could pop down and have a flip through? 12 sounds better to me now by the way, but being anyone else reading this thread i would probably dismiss that offhand :wink:

 

[Magpie]

Yeah Ok, I wasn't arguing with you or your book, I think I might have even mentioned my lack of knowledge on the subject, not to mention the disclaimer in my sig. that I included to try and stop the whole opinion v fact problem.

 

[Magpie]

Takrn from article by Brian Barnett about breeding maccies -
"each unit maintains a temperature of 27-29 degrees Celsius. This temperature is maintained, night and day, from August through to the start of May. From May to the end of July, the temperature is reduced to 21-23 degrees Celsius"
From article suppiles by Melbourne Reptile Warehouse about Bredli -
"If your snakes are going to be bred, then they'll need to be cooled down for a couple of months over winter, possibly June to August. During this time, they won't feed. When changing the temperature, it's best to do it slowly, perhaps a degree per day, until the desired temperature, say 18 C in the cool part of the cage is reached. A warmer basking spot should always be provided. "
Note - these are not the 'safe' levels that Afrikaan was enquiring about, they are 'recomended' levels.

 

[Artie]

Hi Graham, bit late for this post now, but in case you are interested, I just came across an article, that actually says Diamond Pythons are the worlds most cold adapted Pythons. Cheers

 

[grahamh]

Yeah! Diamonds are as cool as ice (just ask Nicole). I'm in the process of reading Geordie Torrs book on Aussie Pythons and the Richard Shine standard. What was your article in Artie.

 

[Artie]

The artical was in Keeping Carpet Pythons by Simon Cortland & Darren Green.