Do you leave heat lamp on at night for ball python?
Leave the daylight heat light on during the day and turn the "night-glo" or nocturnal red light on at night. This will simulate a natural environment and help keep your snake free from the stress an inappropriate light cycle may cause.
Because of their equatorial origin, ReptiFiles recommends a day/night cycle of 12 hours on, 12 hours off. If you want to get more specific with your light cycle, you can leave the lights on for 12.5 hours during summer and 11.75 hours during winter.
Do the research for the specific animal that you have, but a good rule of thumb is to program the UVB and daytime light/heat to be on for 12 hours and then turned off for 12 hours.
Leave the daylight heat light (the white light) on during the day and turn the "night-glo" or nocturnal red or purple light on at night. This will simulate a natural day/night cycle and is especially important for nocturnal snakes.
| Ball Python Temperature Range | ||
|---|---|---|
| Basking Spot | Night | |
| Min | 88°F | 75°F |
| Max | 92°F | – |
Ensure your snake's vivarium has an artificial heat source, such as heating mats, lamps, and cables. Hot rocks should be avoided. Provide substrate that your snake can burrow in to retain warmth. Insulate your snake's enclosure, without sacrificing ventilation.
If it is too cold, the snake will first make every attempt to seek out a warm area of their enclosure, but if they can't find one, you might notice them retreat to their hide to escape the cold. You will notice this movement from cooler to warmer zones regularly when everything in the cage is running smoothly.
Sometimes, they slither right up to their heat lamps and singe their scaly skin without even realizing it. These lamps are essential, but they also pose a risk to your scaly companion. So what do you do? Keep reading to learn all about lamp burns, including how to treat and prevent them.
If your heat bulb is only providing a hot spot for basking and there are under tank heat mats, ceramic heaters, hot rocks or similar providing a general warm background temperature then, yes, it probably can be switched off over night.
No - the snake should have a clear day/night cycle, with lights on during the day and off at night. You are trying to mimic their natural environment in their tank (with light, temperature and humidity) so you should turn off the lights at night to replicate this.
How can I keep my reptile warm at night?
Heat pads and panels provide a warm area in the terrarium where reptiles can remain if they need to increase their body temperature. They should be placed on one end of the terrarium, which will allow the far opposite side of the terrarium to remain cooler.
To mimic their natural environment as best as possible, turn off the heat lamp at night. Other alternatives will not emit as much light. Heat lamp light has the potential to confuse your snake, so utilize a secondary option for the best results. During the day, you can use multiple heat sources to keep your snake warm.
How do they behave? Ball pythons are typically nocturnal (active at night) or crepuscular (most active during dawn and dusk). They spend most of their time on or under the ground in burrows. When resting, startled or defensive, these pythons curl tightly into a ball, concealing their vulnerable head amongst the coils.
What Temperature Is Too Cold for Ball Pythons? The absolute coldest temperature that any snake can survive in is 65°F. But since the ideal cool-down temperature for a ball python is 75°F, anything that is colder than that can cause your snake to become too cold and his body will start to shut down.
If you ask me, every reptile needs a clear day/night cycle. This basically means your animal should have light during the day, and no light at night.
Ball pythons do not brumate (hibernate) over the winter, but during the winter season they may not eat even if they have the correct environmental conditions and if they are not sick, shedding, or gravid.
You can handle an adult ball python between one and three times per week — however, when handling your ball python, they should be out of their cage for no longer than 20 minutes at a time, and you should not be handling or taking out your ball python more than once per day.
Since your ball python is cold-blooded and the temperature in its vivarium is cooler than your own body temperature, it's absolutely normal for your pet to feel cool to the touch. It may also feel a little warm after basking.
Third, lukewarm or tepid water, comfortable to the touch, is best. Reptiles are homeotherms, meaning they adjust their body temperatures to that of their surroundings. Thus, if they soak in water, it should neither be too hot nor too cold.
If your reptile is always in its basking spot, day and night, and never budges, chances are that it is too cold in the enclosure, and your pet is trying desperately to warm up.
Where should I put my snakes heat lamp?
The heat lamp for most applications is placed on top of the screen of the enclosure. Of course at least two hides should be in the enclosure so the snake can choose the temps it desires.. Research your snake species for specific required temperatures.
While Ball Pythons may not require a heat lamp, using one has many advantages. With a heat lamp, it's easy to maintain the required temperature gradient for your enclosure. It will also provide a nice basking spot for thermoregulation, can help maintain humidity, and will help keep your Python's tank warm in general.
| Snake Species | Heat Lamp Required? | Temperature Required (Basking Area) |
|---|---|---|
| Garter Snake | Yes | 90°F – 95°F |
| Western Hognose Snake | Not necessary. | 90°F – 95°F |
| Rough Green Snake | Yes | 85°F – 88°F |
| Rat Snake | Yes | 85°F – 90°F |
Not only is it okay to leave the heater on all night, it can save you money. Here's the secret: Set the temperature of your home at least eight degrees lower for the eight hours or so that you sleep at night. Every degree you lower the thermostat can net you an estimated 1% off your heating bill.
In fact, sleep specialists are saying that, when it's possible, you are likely better off sleeping with the furnace turned off…or at least turned down a few degrees. According to doctors having the heat turned on can cause our bodies to overheat resulting in a restless night's sleep.
This is a hotly debated one. According to experts at the Energy Saving Trust, the idea it's cheaper to leave the heating on low all day is a myth. They're clear that having the heating on only when you need it is, in the long run, the best way to save energy, and therefore money.
Around your home, they'll seek out shady or dark places where they can rest and cool down. Snakes also tend to look for humid areas where they can stay hydrated.
Your snakes will be fine for six hours at 75 degrees. It is okay to use pine bedding for snakes. It is okay to feed live food to snakes. No issues with that short an outage, but if you have a large collection you might want to consider a generator for extended outages.
Temperature and Humidity
Ideal temperatures for Ball Pythons range from 75-80°F on the cool side and 80-85°F on the warm side. Provide an 88-92°F basking area on the warm side.
Yes, their heat mats are great for keeping them warm throughout all hours of the night whenever outside temperatures are a little bit lower than usual, but they're also great for giving their bodies what they need in order to perform basic tasks needed for their survival as well.
How long can reptiles go without a heat lamp?
They need warmth to survive and remain healthy so any longer than 24 hours without a heat lamp poses a significant risk. Sometimes there are times when your reptile will have to go without a heat lamp for a while. It could be because of a blackout or needing to go to the store to pick up another bulb.
They will either spread out on a rock or another heat-absorbing surface to make this possible. To soak up more heat, snakes are able to spread out their rib cages and make their bodies wider.
You may be wondering if you need to provide your ball python with light during the night time, or if it will be perfectly happy in the dark. So does my ball python need light at night? Not at all! You should actually try to mimic the natural day and night cycle that your pet would encounter in its natural environment.
To keep your snake comfortable at night, the temperature can be between 73 and 78° F. Be vigilant with your snake. High temperatures can be just as bad for your snake as freezing temperatures. The activity of snakes depends on temperature.
| Type of Snake | How Often They Can Be Handled |
|---|---|
| Corn Snake | Every day (just not after eating) |
| Ball Python | 1-3 times per week |
| Red-tail Boa | Approx. once per week |
| California Kingsnake | 2-3 times per week at least |
The ball python, in general, thrives in a warm, humid environment. The best substrates for retaining moisture can help you in maintaining optimal humidity levels inside the enclosure. A substrate such as cypress mulch is the best choice for your ball snake.
Reptiles are ectothermic, so they will usually feel cool to the touch (we are 98 degrees after all), but they shouldn't feel ice cold.
Although there is no hard and fast rule on how long you should handle your ball python each time you pick it up, it's best to stay under the 20-minute range.
Your ball python's natural habitat is warm and humid. The natural moisture in the air ensures their skin remains hydrated while keeping their respiratory tract moist. This means when you bring a ball python into a captive environment, you want to ensure you keep humidity between 50% and 65%.
These bulbs typically run at 100-150 watts an hour. This adds up to approximately 1.4 cents an hour. If you leave on the lamp for the recommended 12 hours a day, this would equal around $. 17 a day, or around $5 a month.
Do you leave the heat lamp on all the time for bearded dragons?
Bearded dragons do not need a source of UVA or UVB at night. As such, you'll want to turn both their heat lamp and UVB off at night. Leaving these bulbs on will make your beardie think it's still daytime and can seriously disrupt their sleeping schedule.
Bearded dragons usually have 8 to 12 hours of sleep. Additionally, these lizard species sleep at night just like humans. So, according to research, bearded dragons do not require heat at night.
Although snakes benefit from heat at night if the temperature gets too low, the heat lamp is not the best method to keep them warm when nightfall arrives. What is this? To mimic their natural environment as best as possible, turn off the heat lamp at night. Other alternatives will not emit as much light.
Snakes do require heat lamps or any other heating equipment like heat mats or heating pads. It is because snakes are ectothermic, and are incapable of producing heat from their body. Therefore, they rely on their surroundings to absorb heat and ensure proper body functioning.
Leave the heat mat on only if your room does not meet the night time low temperature limit for the animal in question.
12 cents per hour which is the average amount charged by most electric companies per kilowatt hour for my example. This means the cost of electricity to operate a 250 watt bulb in a heat lamp, 24 hours a day, for 30 days is $21.60 (Wiki).
Reptile Basking Lights/Spots
These are simply incandescent light bulbs that have been treated to block part of the visible spectrum. They produce heat, and may affect somewhat the colors you see when looking at your reptiles.
Both bulbs emit heat and white light, the difference is a subtle one in the color of light that your animals are displayed under. ZooMed Basking Bulbs emit a very yellowish hued light, but are one of the most preferred methods for heating animals that have requirements for high basking temperatures.
Your snakes will be fine for six hours at 75 degrees. It is okay to use pine bedding for snakes. It is okay to feed live food to snakes. No issues with that short an outage, but if you have a large collection you might want to consider a generator for extended outages.
A 50-watt light will need to be placed around 5-7 inches away from the basking area. A 75 watt light will need to be placed around 7-9 inches away. A 100 watt light will need to be placed 10 to 12 inches away.
Can you leave a ceramic heat emitter on all the time?
Can You Leave a Ceramic Heat Emitter On All Night? Yes, it is extremely safe to leave a ceramic heat emitter on all night. In fact, a ceramic heater is the safest 24-hour heat source for reptiles.
Your lizard will eat, move, poop, and drink far less during this process. During these few months lighting and heating are not necessary so should be switched off. Brumation is common in pet species and many breeders encourage it for healthy breeding. It should not be a cause for concern.