New snake mum.

[user 56584]

Hi everyone,

Casey here, I am new to the reptile lovers world and am absolutely besotted with my new little mate, Simba. He's a Darwin Carpet Python approximately 6months old.. he's incredibly inquisitive and has a gentle personality.

Unfortunately I'm really lacking in knowledge about a few things and would love some help so please feel free to share your wisdom with me.
So far..
He has a safe and happy enclosure big enough for him to grow into, a clean dish of water daily, regluar heat and has been fed.
Buut
We live off grid and I'm struggling to keep Simba at a constant temp now it's getting chilly. Does anyone have any tips on how to heat him naturally without a heat lamp that doesn't chew all our solar power.
what are the best night and day time temps for Simba?

Also he is in the middle of a shed which I knew nothing much about due to the wrong info I had been given at the start. Not my fault but it won't happen again.. thankfully I found some very helpful step by step signs to look for from one of the legends apart of this group and now Simba seems happier than he has been.

So thanks heaps for sticking through my bumbling list of new owner questions and reading my 30km introduction (my husband always says i talk to much lol)

Cheers
Casey and Simba

 

[Sdaji]

Being in Townsville I'm not sure what you call 'chilly', but likely it's fine. What temperatures are you getting down to at night?

Heat lamps are very inefficient. Heat mats/cords are your most efficient option (and generally the best option in any situation).

You're probably going to have more trouble with high temperatures cooking your snake in a shed in Townsville during summer than freezing him during winter.

Temperature is overwhelmingly the most important aspect of keeping reptiles. Too hot will irreversibly harm or kill them within minutes. Too cold will generally not hurt them quickly (like if they're exposed to it for a day or so), but if they aren't routinely given enough heat for enough hours most days, you won't have a healthy animal.

Keeping reptiles indoors without constant access to electricity is not a good idea for the vast majority of species in the majority of situations. You can certainly keep a Carpet Python outside in Townsville in a well designed aviary, emphasis on well designed.