Stranger
Well-Known Member
Wondering at what age I can stop heating my beardies of a night? its a 4x2x2 melamine tank . basking spot is 40,, And cool end is 27-30. would it be alright to turn off all heat of a night? there about 22cm maybe bigger.
When can i Stop Heating at Night.
- Thread starter Stranger
- Start date
-
- Tags
- pogona vitticeps
Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:
- Status
JasonL
Almost Legendary
I don't heat beardies at night of any age?? what area do you live in and what are the night temps in winter?
Beardieboy
Active Member
First, a few more details are needed. Are you talking about central beardies (Pogona vitticeps)? What age are they and how long have you had them for?
The general rule of thumb is not to cool them over their first winter as they are too small to cope well, they probably won't have enough fat on them to cope well and you want them to keep their metabolism going for healthy growth. Once they're about fully grown (about 35-45cm nose to tail tip) then you could cool them over winter - in fact they usually start the process themselves by going off their food, which tells you that they want to brumate (the reptile version of hibernate).
While they're small, it's a better idea to just keep the heat on them, they'll thank you for it by keeping the food bills up through the winter!
The general rule of thumb is not to cool them over their first winter as they are too small to cope well, they probably won't have enough fat on them to cope well and you want them to keep their metabolism going for healthy growth. Once they're about fully grown (about 35-45cm nose to tail tip) then you could cool them over winter - in fact they usually start the process themselves by going off their food, which tells you that they want to brumate (the reptile version of hibernate).
While they're small, it's a better idea to just keep the heat on them, they'll thank you for it by keeping the food bills up through the winter!
Stranger
Well-Known Member
They are centrals.. Not sure of night temps but the tank is pretty warm Uhmm Would i be alright not to heat them of a night? I dont mind if i have to
Beardieboy
Active Member
What state are you in? If it's Qld they might be warm enough at night but down here in Vic we keep the heat on. If you're not sure you're better off heating them, as long as there's a temp gradient down to about 20-25 at the cool end they won't care. The main reasons to cool them is if they want to (they've gone off their food etc) or if you're trying to breed them. And they're not old enough to breed so you're probably better off just keeping the heat on.
Why are you so intent on turning the lights off? If you're using white globes and want to make their nights darker get infra-red or ceramic heat globes instead. If you want the light not to make the rest of the room bright at night, get some heavy blankets to put over the front of the cage to block the light out.
Why are you so intent on turning the lights off? If you're using white globes and want to make their nights darker get infra-red or ceramic heat globes instead. If you want the light not to make the rest of the room bright at night, get some heavy blankets to put over the front of the cage to block the light out.
JasonL
Almost Legendary
There is no need to heat hatchy or young dragons at night, they can easily withstand night lows of 15 deg or less, though they will grow slower ie; at a more natural rate. There always seems to be some mis conception that BDs need night heating.. they don't.
Beardieboy
Active Member
We clearly have different opinions, which is fair enough. Does anyone else want to weigh in with their opinions?
herpkeeper
Very Well-Known Member
There is a thread still current called "read this" by Langy, i think you should have a read of it beardieboy.
Heavy blankets over light globes, great idea...
Lets burn the house down while were at it...:|
TURBO8
Active Member
I agree with Jason , i have NEVER heated my beardies including hatchies at night time and they live in the garage which gets pretty cold at night , there is no one in the wild to tuck them in snuggly at night !
ogg666
Active Member
I've never heated my beardies at night either & never had a problem with them
Beardieboy
Active Member
herpkeeper, I have read Langy's post. I never claimed to be the overruling expert on beardie care. In my experience I have heated my young beardies overnight and it did not kill them. I use a thermostat to keep the temps at about 35C hot end 25C cool end (40C basking spot during the day), which I allow to run 24/7. I did however lose one of my first young beardies who didn't have enough heating in most of his cage, though he did still have a 40C basking spot. I firmly believe his demise was due to being too cold, especially at night when the basking light was off. That's where my advice comes from.
I never realised that only experts were allowed to post on these forums. My mistake.
Oh and on the blankets thing, hallie, what I meant there was in a melamine tank like this, the main area that's hot is the top of the cage where the globes are, while the main place the light comes out is the glass at the front. I had blankets over the front of my cage every night for 12 months, the blankets were held there with heavy blocks on top of the cage toward the front and were always at least a foot from the heat globes. I'm still here to tell the tale, and so are my animals and my house! I thought that it was clear that I didn't mean to put blankets near the hot globes, and in my experience as long as it's done carefully there's no fire hazard.
All things aside, anything I said is only based on my experiences, and it's all just advice. If you don't like it, don't take it. That's actually why I bumped this thread back up, to get some more opinions so that Stranger has some good info that's widely agreed with to base his decision on!!
I never realised that only experts were allowed to post on these forums. My mistake.
Oh and on the blankets thing, hallie, what I meant there was in a melamine tank like this, the main area that's hot is the top of the cage where the globes are, while the main place the light comes out is the glass at the front. I had blankets over the front of my cage every night for 12 months, the blankets were held there with heavy blocks on top of the cage toward the front and were always at least a foot from the heat globes. I'm still here to tell the tale, and so are my animals and my house! I thought that it was clear that I didn't mean to put blankets near the hot globes, and in my experience as long as it's done carefully there's no fire hazard.
All things aside, anything I said is only based on my experiences, and it's all just advice. If you don't like it, don't take it. That's actually why I bumped this thread back up, to get some more opinions so that Stranger has some good info that's widely agreed with to base his decision on!!
JAS101
Very Well-Known Member
i heat my beardies , but i dont heat my blueys ...
herpkeeper
Very Well-Known Member
i'm sorry b boy, i missed the part where anyone proclaimed to be an expert, i only caught the bit where someone who obviously know's not a lot disagreed with someone who does know what they are talking about .................... my mistake
No-two
Very Well-Known Member
I never heated a young beardie at night when I had them and I live in melbourne and we all know it's damn cold here. I don't have any beardies anymore but from when I got them (1week old) till I got rid of them over a year later they had heat from 7am-7pm that was it.
Beardieboy
Active Member
Fair call well now that I can see there are several people who agree I can concede that it would be fine for you to not heat at night if you want. Which is why I bumped the thread up this afternoon. Thanks for the info guys, I hope this has helped stranger 'cause it's certainly taught me a thing or two...
I've never heated overnight either no matter what size, & gets cold o'night here. I have always had sand in the enclosure though for their sleeping area & most have always totally buried themselves o'night in the sand. So don't know if the substrate makes a difference? i.e. cold tiles, but I have always figured the same as has been said, that in the wild no-one tucks them in or gives them a hot water bottle to snuggle in to:lol:
thebraddles
Active Member
i don't heat any of my snakes or my dragons over night, they get 9hours heat and that's it. you don't need to smash heat into them 24/7, im also from Melbourne and my tanks get to about 14 degrees at night.
cement
Very Well-Known Member
At this time of year my beardie escapes the hot end and sleeps in the cold end........ for months.
- Status
Similar threads
