Living in Hawaii, night time temperatures rarely dip below 70*. Like tonight, for example, it's a warm 75*. Should I still leave my infrared lamp on? I read in a blog that it's good or ok to allow an enclosure to dip down as low as 65* at night because this "resets the immune system" of a hatchling. Is there any truth to that?
Are cooler night temps good?
- Thread starter Coconut
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JWiediyanto
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- Mar 8, 2014
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No!!! The temperature should be above 80 no matter what
I tend to be of the cooler at night then you keep your temps at the day thought myself, so yes at 75 I myself would turn off the lamp. Not sure if it helps the immune system, but to me it's more natural. Now with that said, you need to be sure they are not subjected to wet/damp with that cooler temp and then in the a.m. can count on being able to raise the temps back up. IF you have their habitat large enough to have a heat range with hides on both the higher temp end and the lower temp end, so the tortoise can choose what temp he wants and can lower his temp as he wants and needs... that is actually in my opinion the best way to have it. Everybody has different ideas on this, this is just what I do and what works here for me.
This depends on species, state of health, climate, humidity, current weather, what the weather will be like the next day, etc... There are many factors to consider.
For baby leopards in a humid climate that are already showing signs of respiratory infection, you should leave the night heat on.
For a Russian tortoise in a dry temperate climate, no, you don't need any night heat when night temps are staying in the 60s.
About the blog you read: I have raised literally hundreds of hatchling sulcatas and leopards with night temps of no lower than 80 and all of them are doing great. Their immune systems are not "reset" and do not benefit from cold night temps. If the conditions are dry (which is not good) and day time temps are warm enough, they can SURVIVE cold night temps, but that does not make it "good" for them.
For baby leopards in a humid climate that are already showing signs of respiratory infection, you should leave the night heat on.
For a Russian tortoise in a dry temperate climate, no, you don't need any night heat when night temps are staying in the 60s.
About the blog you read: I have raised literally hundreds of hatchling sulcatas and leopards with night temps of no lower than 80 and all of them are doing great. Their immune systems are not "reset" and do not benefit from cold night temps. If the conditions are dry (which is not good) and day time temps are warm enough, they can SURVIVE cold night temps, but that does not make it "good" for them.
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the insights.
Tom, you mentioned 'signs of respiratory infections.' What are some signs to watch for? I notice my leopards sometimes shrugging their shoulders while resting or sleeping. Are they prone to asthma or something similar? I haven't since seen a snot bubble from when I first noticed, but they do shrug their shoulders.
Tom, you mentioned 'signs of respiratory infections.' What are some signs to watch for? I notice my leopards sometimes shrugging their shoulders while resting or sleeping. Are they prone to asthma or something similar? I haven't since seen a snot bubble from when I first noticed, but they do shrug their shoulders.
I've since kept the heat on at night and they're doing much better. They're livelier and eat regularly. And I haven't noticed any snot bubbles. Yay!
But now some differences in opinion on UV light. One side says not good for the eyes and the other says the benefit outweighs the risk.
But now some differences in opinion on UV light. One side says not good for the eyes and the other says the benefit outweighs the risk.
I have my thermostats set for 75, but for a young tortoise kept in a high humid environment I would not really recommend anything lower than that. So if there's a chance that it might, I would keep it on if I were you. As others have suggested, there doesn't seem to be much evidence that exposing them to those temperatures really benefits them. That's not to say that it doesn't benefit them, it might, I just personally haven't seen much evidence that it does.
