Advice about light/ heating in snake enclosure

[Snakefansmum]

Good afternoon everyone, I am looking after my daughter's juvenile jungle x bredli while she's away at her dads for a couple of weeks and before she left yesterday, we transferred the python into its bigger enclosure. So we have a heat pad between two tiles in the corner (heat pad is about the size of a slice of bread) and we don't have any other heating or lighting in it yet. The measurements of the new enclosure is 90x60x60 cm and I have ordered a thermostat online which will take a few days I guess. I am quite concerned as the snake hasn't eaten since we got it about 6-8 weeks ago and I was told it was probably too cold. So while I am waiting for the thermostat to arrive, does anyone please have any advice about lighting/heating please?

Are infrared bulbs good and what is a good wattage for the size enclosure? I am really not sure, I don't want the little bugger to suffer. I would sincerely appreciate any advice, kindest regards.

 

[mayrinarasauce]

I’d say that the heat pad is a little on the small side - have you checked whether the heat actually heats up the floor/ air near the floor of enclosure?

For the food, are you feeding the same thing your daughter had been feeding? And have you heated it up to the right temperature?

I am not the best person to ask for specific wattage for the size of the enclosure (maybe someone else can help!) but brendli x jungle pythons are nocturnal so if you’re going for a heat bulb, I think the infrared bulb is a good choice

Hopefully someone else can help in finding the best wattage, but for now I think wait for the thermostat to arrive, and if you have a spare/bigger heatmat I suggest adding that

Also, is your enclosure made of glass? Glass isn’t the best material to keep heat in - and make sure there aren’t any cracks that may be making the heat escape! (And check if the heat mats setting is the highest it can go without harming the snake)

Hope this helps!

 

[Torcha]

Buy a infrared temperature gun, for surface temps. Start with a 50w globe and have a branch with a fork in it halfway between the light and the floor of the enclosure. 28°C-31°C is the max temp of gradient you want to aim for in the enclosure with a minimum of 22°C on the cold side. The hottest temp (31°C) on the branch under the heat light. The cool side top be approx 28°C. And the floor of the enclosure cooler above 22°C

She will want to change the enclosure to one with more vertical height so he can climb.

 

[Snakefansmum]

I’d say that the heat pad is a little on the small side - have you checked whether the heat actually heats up the floor/ air near the floor of enclosure?

For the food, are you feeding the same thing your daughter had been feeding? And have you heated it up to the right temperature?

I am not the best person to ask for specific wattage for the size of the enclosure (maybe someone else can help!) but brendli x jungle pythons are nocturnal so if you’re going for a heat bulb, I think the infrared bulb is a good choice

Hopefully someone else can help in finding the best wattage, but for now I think wait for the thermostat to arrive, and if you have a spare/bigger heatmat I suggest adding that

Also, is your enclosure made of glass? Glass isn’t the best material to keep heat in - and make sure there aren’t any cracks that may be making the heat escape! (And check if the heat mats setting is the highest it can go without harming the snake)

Hope this helps!

Thankyou so much for the advice. So the snake hasn't eaten anything at all since we got it from the breeder and that has been about two months. The actual enclosure is melamime and glass sliding doors. I have a thermometer I use to check the tempreture of the enclosure, it's one of those ones you point to someone's forehead but also it has a household option as well as for people.

Buy a infrared temperature gun, for surface temps. Start with a 50w globe and have a branch with a fork in it halfway between the light and the floor of the enclosure. 28°C-31°C is the max temp of gradient you want to aim for in the enclosure with a minimum of 22°C on the cold side. The hottest temp (31°C) on the branch under the heat light. The cool side top be approx 28°C. And the floor of the enclosure cooler above 22°C

She will want to change the enclosure to one with more vertical height so he can climb.

Thankyou for the useful information. I have been using the thermometre gun I use for us, it has a household option. I will get some more sticks for the enclosure tomorrow and other stuff for it's enclosure so it can climb more. I was nearly going to get the vertical option. I will keep that in mind when we get it's next one. I appreciate all the info so much.

 

[user 43767]

To the OP: Hi, you shouldn`t even offer food until you have fully supportive conditions in place (temps, humidity, etc) because it`s quite likely the snake wouldn`t be able to function efficiently enough to digest (you say it may be too cool)..
Can you say what the current temps and humidity are, according to the instrument you`re using?

 

[Snakefansmum]

Buy a infrared temperature gun, for surface temps. Start with a 50w globe and have a branch with a fork in it halfway between the light and the floor of the enclosure. 28°C-31°C is the max temp of gradient you want to aim for in the enclosure with a minimum of 22°C on the cold side. The hottest temp (31°C) on the branch under the heat light. The cool side top be approx 28°C. And the floor of the enclosure cooler above 22°C

She will want to change the enclosure to one with more vertical height so he can climb.

Hi, I took the temp of the enclosure tonight, about 20 mins ago. The inside of enclosure was 26 degrees with our infrared temp gun ( I should have explained better that I already had one). That is at about 1.30am. I live on the Sunshine Coast and the nights are quite warm, that was without heating of any kind. I haven't handled the snake for about 2 days, he was getting handled every day but thought maybe L should try and get it to eat. So I tried a pinky rat tonight, still didn't attempt to strike but showed interest, so will give it another couple of days and try again.

 

[highlander969]

Hi. I have the same size enclosure I am using a Aqua One Heat Mat 20w secured to the underside of the enclosure attached to a thermostat set at 32 degrees with a 3 degree variance, the cool side is ambient room temperature. I have 2 hides one in the hot side and the other in the cool side. The temperature gradient averages between 32 and 23. I also use about 2cm of aspen bedding for the substrate. Hope this helps a bit.

If I am wrong with any of this I hope someone will correct me.

 

[Snakefansmum]

Hi. I have the same size enclosure I am using a Aqua One Heat Mat 20w secured to the underside of the enclosure attached to a thermostat set at 32 degrees with a 3 degree variance, the cool side is ambient room temperature. I have 2 hides one in the hot side and the other in the cool side. The temperature gradient averages between 32 and 23. I also use about 2cm of aspen bedding for the substrate. Hope this helps a bit.

If I am wrong with any of this I hope someone will correct me.

Hi, thankyou so much for the information. I am going to get some of the substrate for my daughter's tank. While waiting for the thermostat to arrive, I do take the temperature randomly with a infrared thermometre that we have at home. As it is summer and we are on the sunshine coast, the temp seems to be naturally suitable without the thermostat or heat lamp currently on. It's quite warm. When you say hides, do you mean hiding spots? We have a couple, but we really need to jouj up the enclosure. You have been most helpful.