What is are Ectotherms?

"Ectotherms" is a term used to say that animals (mostly reptiles) are cold-blooded and cannot produce their own body heat. Cold-blooded is a every day term that most people use to describe snakes but it is incorrect. Some snakes have been found to have body heat higher than mammals (about 110°F). So cold-blooded is very incorrect. "Ectotherm" means that reptiles (snakes) have to control their body heat because their bodies do not have enough metabolism to keep that heat inside. So if the snake is hot it will move to a cooler place and visa-versa. Snake keepers use this to their advantage to make a correct heat environment.

What temperature?

The temperature depends on how warm the snake is. The usual temperature for snakes is around 75°F - 90°F (24°C - 30°C). Some snakes require higher temperatures and others require it lower. It also depends what biological function the snake needs to perform. If you keep the temperature too low the snake will probably become ill and will die from not digesting its food. Most snake keepers prefer to raise the temperature a bit over normal to help fight diseases and digest food. It doesn't always work that if you lower the temperature, the snake will move slower and that's all. Snakes get other problems with this as well, like they will refuse to eat. It would be advisable to keep the recommended temperature. Corn snakes like a temperature between 25°C - 28°C in the daytime and at night between 22°C - 25°C. It would best be advisable to reduce the temperature at night since snakes suffer from heat stress and males can get the sperm killed. See below on how to hibernate your snakes.

Methods of Heating

There are a couple of ways that you can heat up or warm your snake's tank. I will explain to you how to do this below.

Basking Lamps: Most snake keepers have successfully kept their snakes with an ordinary basking lamp. Basking lamps are the most popular because they stimulate natural sunlight, which helps in protein building. You can get an ordinary basking lamp from a pet store. It should be around 40watts for smaller cages and around 60w-100w in larger ones. They should be set up out side the cage with a reflector shield so that the snake doesn't burn itself.

Heat Lamps: There is a brand new type of lamp that only gives off heat not light. These are a bit useful if used with a basking lamp for a day night circle. You can also attach a thermostat to the lamp to get a very precise temperature inside of your cage. Unfortunately this method costs a lot more than an ordinary basking lamp. They are very good lamps and should be bought if you have the money.

Heating pads or strips: A heating pad is a must have. Most snake owners do not recommend them but they really help. They can give off heat through 1 inch of matter. These heating pads or strips also help in raising the temperature at night if you cannot afford a heat lamp. They help with snakes that have just eaten food to digest it properly. If you have a glass aquarium, you can place it on the outside at the bottom of the glass or if you have a wooden one you can place it in the inside under a bedding of Corncob or Astroturf.

Hot Rocks or sizzle stone: I have read many books and gotten information on the Internet and they say that you should AVOID hot rocks. These are very dangerous objects and do not help the snake in any way. If you would like some more information on why they are not recommended click here!

The Humidity

This doesn't really go with the Heating section but I suppose that I should add it in here since it is indirectly aimed at heat.
For most snakes the humidity level found in its cage should be around 40-60 percent. Boas and pythons require VERY high humidity levels while desert snakes require a lot less. For most snakes, a proper humidity level is required to keep the snake healthy. Some problems can be caused like blisters if the humidity is too high. If your snake is shedding, you should raise the humidity levels a bit because it helps them to shed properly. You can also see if the humidity level is too low by looking at the clear scale, which covers the snakes eye, the snake will get dimples or dents in it. Some beddings (like Corn Cob) absorb the moisture in the air. A way to prevent this is to place a lager water bowl under the basking lamp or on top of your heating pad.

Hibernation

As we all know that snakes hibernate through winter because the temperature is too low for them to keep a high metabolism. What snakes do is that they shut off most of their systems (only the important ones will still be active). Snakes will refuse to eat during hibernation. But hibernation is a very stressful and dangerous time for a snake. Most snakes die off because of their predators or just didn't have enough food. So it is really not recommended to allow your snake to hibernate. If you really want to hibernate it because you want to breed it, you must slowly let the temperature drop a few degrees until it reaches about 45-50°F. Once you have reached this temperature, you must put them into a small box and leave them alone! You should leave them there for a period of 10-15 weeks but checking (not disturbing) them every few days to make sure that everything is okay. When the period is over, slowly raise the temperature until it is normal. If all goes well, your snake should be ready to eat within a few days of reaching optimum temperature. It should then be able to breed successfully.