Jungle Carpet Python temperature misinformation - Shout Out from USA

[mugsie]

Hello,

I have a baby female carpet python and I have seen misinformation about the temperatures for these snakes. I figure you guys should be the real experts since these beautiful species are from your great country. I bought a Exo Terra terrarium 36in long X 36in tall X 18in wide (deep). It is a beautiful enclosure. However, there are some issues that you have to deal with in order to make it work with jungle carpet python. HEAT..... what I have done was bought panes of glass and cover 3 of the 4 openings at the top, that is covered with a screen top. My ambient heat temps are a steady 25c - 27c all day and night. I was upset when earlier I had a under tank heater that I just bought, burn out. When that was working the ambient air temps were 30c all day and night. Now at the top of one of 4 quarter openings I have 2 heat emitters that run 24/7 and I am sure in the basking area it is much higher.

The python hangs out all day and night in the plastic plants that I have up in the cage. It never really comes down to the bottom unless it is going to drink or feed, I suppose being that it is arboreal type of python and that it is a baby, it prefers being up in the height vs the floor? I had a hide at the bottom, never even goes in. (waste of money..lol)

I have read the temps are not good enough from some websites and some websites state they are ok. So I am little confused. What do you folks think that the temps should be for this jungle carpet python? Since I am a little paranoid of the heat not being set, I have purchased a "Reptile Basics 80 Watt Radiant Heat Panel" and I also got a "Herpstat 1" a thermostat.

So what I was planning was to remove the heat emitters and totally cover the top of the terrarium (it has other openings for air flow) and add the Radiant Heat Panel and hook it to the Herpstat 1.

Goal, have the heat in the night cool down (Herpstat 1 does night time temperature drops as well) and than have it heat up during the daytime. What do people suggest in the temperatures be in this scenerio? Day time hot period? Nightime cool period?

Please give me any advice along this time frame.Jungle Carpet Python temperature misinformation - Shout Out from USA

 

[Pythoninfinite]

Carpets are hardy and capable of dealing with a range of temps. As a rough guide, a warm spot of around 90F (33C) will be fine, but the animal will need to be able to get away from it if it needs to, so a cool spot of around 75F will suit very well. You don't need to measure this down to the last degree, depending on the type of Carpet you have they can range from the cooler southern parts of Oz right up into the tropical north. Supply about 90F for about 10-12 hours a day, then allow it to cool for the rest of the time, down to about 75F.

All-glass enclosures are not ideal for snakes - they are hard to heat because the glass transmits heat straight out of the inside, and this is especially bad with an open mesh top on a very tall cage. I would use a better insulating material than glass to close the top in. I also suggest that the enclosure is way too big for a baby Carpet - more suited to an animal of 1yr +.

Jamie

 

[mugsie]

Carpets are hardy and capable of dealing with a range of temps. As a rough guide, a warm spot of around 90F (33C) will be fine, but the animal will need to be able to get away from it if it needs to, so a cool spot of around 75F will suit very well. You don't need to measure this down to the last degree, depending on the type of Carpet you have they can range from the cooler southern parts of Oz right up into the tropical north. Supply about 90F for about 10-12 hours a day, then allow it to cool for the rest of the time, down to about 75F.

All-glass enclosures are not ideal for snakes - they are hard to heat because the glass transmits heat straight out of the inside, and this is especially bad with an open mesh top on a very tall cage. I would use a better insulating material than glass to close the top in. I also suggest that the enclosure is way too big for a baby Carpet - more suited to an animal of 1yr +.

Jamie

Thanks for the reply. It appears the temps I have currently are ok. But I will get them squared away when I get the radiant heating panel and Herpstat 1. Yes, I know that the enclosure is quite large. I wanted it to be large so that the python can cruise around and have space. At night I have a IR wireless camara that is in the enclosure. The python really loves to travel around the whole enclosure and explore it. I know sometimes that pythons like to get into hides to curl up and feel secure. I tried placing a hide up high, but she never goes in. (see the whole night of activity from recorded video from camera) The python really just loves curling up in the plastic plants and it appears very secure. So who knows....the python knows this is her enclosure and there is no fear of anything. I will probably try adding another hide again when I get the heat panel. But right now she loves curling herself in the branches.

You Australians have very nice reptiles there. Worlds most beautiful of all pythons in your back yard. Excellent country....maybe one day I would love to visit and check it out.