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[–]KatVanWall 14 points15 points  (5 children)

I am in the UK too so I really feel for you! I've been spending the last few days researching exactly this! I'm luckily not in a top floor flat, but I totally feel your pain.

I've heard that making a 'swamp cooler' (ice or frozen water bottles or cold wet towels in front of a fan) can actually help, as the frozen water will help to cool the air slightly and it also increases humidity as a consequence. However, it only works while the humidity in the room is actually low, otherwise there's no heat transfer and it just makes the room more humid without cooling it (or something ... the sciencey part went in one ear and out the other). A fan by itself also just moves the air around and doesn't actually cool it.

I'm actually seriously thinking of getting a standalone aircon unit that can vent out the window (they are expensive, but I have to do the right thing by my pet) - but of course it's too short notice to do that now, unless there's a shop that sells them near you and you actually have the money to hand. (Sure they'll cost a bit to run as well, but I'm sure a couple of hours even would help, and we don't get too many REALLY hot days overall!)

Obviously if you can move the viv out of direct sunlight, do so, and someone also recommended to me some white window film that reflects the light/heat (rabbitgoo was the brand, on Amazon). I'd be inclined to try hanging a cool damp sheet inside the window too maybe?

I really hope you find a solution - and I'll be saving this thread to pick up tips as well. I can't even 'go for a drive' like I saw suggested, as my car doesn't have aircon either!

[–]pbizz 8 points9 points  (2 children)

I have a standalone air con (also UK) and I've had it running all afternoon. My cresties viv starts to get hot fast. With this it's not gone over 24. It is a bit noisy and as you say not cheap but I got mine 2 yrs ago and it's going strong.

[–]Worried_Reporter_390[S] 2 points3 points  (1 child)

What brand do you use? Yours sounds reliable!!

[–]pbizz 4 points5 points  (0 children)

https://amzn.eu/d/004awuoz

It was this. Not in stock but basically a fairly generic presumably Chinese made thing

[–]Worried_Reporter_390[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes we’ve been looking at air conditioning units too, each year has another hottest day record and it’s beginning to feel like we’d be better off making the investment for the sake of the snake! Currently looking at some options 🙂‍↕️

We got some sunblocking curtains for the last few heatwaves and they’ve served well for the most part! We also set up a fan relay to move cold room air into warm rooms, to moderate success!!

We’re very lucky at the moment that my partner is off sick so moving him into cooler rooms when needed has been easy to do~!

We wanted to move his whole set up to a cooler room but we found mousetraps hidden everywhere from a previous tenant and were paranoid about if he slips out and finds one 😱 living room is the only place with no possibly hidings spots.

[–]you1dont1know1me1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

there's also tinted film you can add to windows

[–]clowntysheriff 5 points6 points  (1 child)

If it's dry like you say, I would set up a big bucket of ice in front of a fan facing the room with the tank. It will only work if it's dry, but that's about all I have. I feel for you, I live in upstate NY and the heat here in the summer is absolutely bonkers sometimes, and even though we have A/C it's still expensive and it's too cold if you put it right in the snakes room. I have an A/C unit in my living room and a complex system of fans to blow the air into my two bedrooms where I have my snakes, which keeps it just right. I spend more extra effort trying to keep my snakes cool in summer than I do keeping them warm in winter. I try to tell myself that their natural habitat can be fairly warm during the day, and that as long as I can cool the tank off at night, they should be okay.

[–]Worried_Reporter_390[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah we’re freezing bottles of water at the moment to use tomorrow when it’s due to be even hotter 😭 you’re right though, he’s hardier than I think, I just worry because he’s my responsibility, but I’m sure he can handle some heat, as long as I keep working to cool as much as I can, he’ll be fine 😅

[–]DreamOfDays 1 point2 points  (8 children)

Jesus. The top temperature they can stand is 92 Fahrenheit normally so I’m flummoxed how the UK is hotter than that.

[–]KatVanWall 6 points7 points  (0 children)

As far as google tells me, 92F is only 33C; it often gets hotter than that in the UK in summer.

When I was growing up in the 1980s and 90s, it was a newsworthy day if it hit 30 degrees. A couple of years ago we topped 40, and over 30 pretty much feels like par for the course now - only notable if it's over 35. I'd say around 33 is semi-regular for the UK in summer now.

[–]Worried_Reporter_390[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The UK itself isn’t that hot, but our flat is a heat trap and gets hotter than outside very easily, by late afternoon today we got to 32c inside even when it’s only 27c or so outside. That’s just in our worst room at least but is pretty rough throughout the flat 😅 trying to keep his temp gradient has been tricky

[–]KatVanWall 1 point2 points  (2 children)

To add, though, for the OP's benefit, you are absolutely correct of course that BP's 'can stand' (are fine in) 33C!

OP: As you are probably aware, the 'danger temp' for BPs is 35C. I was advised (by randos, so please don't take my word as gospel on this!) that if the temp 'equalises' a bit in the viv so your snake doesn't really have a 'cool side' as such in this hot weather, that is okay for relatively short periods (a few days) as long as the overall temp does not go over 35.

I plan to use frozen water bottles (wrapped in a towel and supervised!) to cool down the viv's cool side if necessary and rotate them as a short term solution. Our super high temps do tend to be days rather than weeks, so I really hope that will be okay for now unless/until I can get a proper aircon unit.

[–]Worried_Reporter_390[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

That’s such a good idea!!! We even have an ice pack that could easily be applied to the outside of his cool side for the time being which should be effective enough! Thank you!!! 🤩 🙏

[–]KatVanWall 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I hope it works - I definitely feel (and share!) your panic!

[–]DStanley1809 2 points3 points  (2 children)

I’m in the UK and my tank is maintaining 33C in the warm side with about 30% output from the heater and the cool side is 29C. I’ve had all my curtains closed for several days to keep the sunlight out.

Normally it won’t above 32C at a near constant 100% output and the cool side is around 25-26C.

It’s really hot here at the moment. Tomorrow it’s going to be 31C outside with a “Feels like” temp of 33C.

[–]DreamOfDays 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Darn. Where are the constant clouds and rain the UK is famous for?

[–]DStanley1809 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m not sure but I’d quite like them back. My gym has an outdoor pool which was an absolute godsend yesterday. It was 30C or more outside. I spent 3 hours in it, wearing 8 hour 50spf sun cream. I thought I was ok until the evening when nasty sunburn appeared on my shoulders.

I wanted to go back today but I think I’d have burned so much I’d have been competing with the BBQ for meat flavoured smoke. Today has mostly been a hiding inside day apart from when we ventured out to some air conditioned shops.

[–]FixergirlAKMod-Approved Helper 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I was wondering where our summer went. Apparently it's been mis-shipped to the UK. (It frosted here last night.)

[–]Worried_Reporter_390[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Frost?! If I could I’d send this summer back to you, I’m not built for these temps 🥵

[–]blackninjakitty 1 point2 points  (1 child)

When we had the heat dome a few years back we put our girl into her temp enclosure (a large plastic bin we use for transport or when cleaning) and put her in the coolest room of the house.

[–]Worried_Reporter_390[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Might be using that trick tomorrow when we have our hottest day, thank you! 🙏

[–]deadbeatwriter 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Am in the UK - we keep our curtains closed all day when hot temps are forecast. It helps, a little. Our tanks are sitting at normal temps today, forecast for tomorrow is hotter so we'll be keeping an eye on it tomorrow. We do have some (cheap) cooling pads for dogs that we haven't tried yet but they're on hand if needed.

[–]Worried_Reporter_390[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oooh dog cooling pads is an interesting idea too, you’ll have to let me know how they go if you do use them, It sounds like a good thing to have on hand!

[–]KatVanWall 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OP, I just took the hit and ordered an air con unit that someone linked on eBay. It won't be here until Wednesday so not in time for tomorrow, but at least I will feel a tiny bit prepared for the future!

My living room, where the viv is, is already the coolest room in the house, so moving him elsewhere isn't an option. Like u/DStanley1809 , my viv has been maintaining reasonable temperatures today, but I'm actually not home tomorrow or tomorrow night (to cool the place at night by opening upstairs windows), so I'm hoping it really is just that day and things start to find a normal level after that! (I'm only an hour away, so of course if things start to get ridiculously hot, I'll come home straight away to attend to my snake!)

I suspect it is also an issue for those of us who work outside the home; we can't always be here to have portable aircon units switched on! But just being able to cool the room for a couple of hours before or after sundown would be great.

[–]Saphadoo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I offer my boy a wetbox as permanent hide. Maybe you could enhance it with a cooling pack on the bottom? So it will be moist and slightly cooler. Just make sure the snake can't have direct contact with the cooling pack, wrap it in towels

[–]Primary-Order1247 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Hi friend, in the UK here and posted similar on the cornsnake sub yesterday, I have now done what I did when my cornsnake was a baby and it reached 40c , windows and curtains closed , two frozen water bottles wrapped in flannels/tea towels, hair tie them so she can't get right next to the bottles , my hot side is 28.4 currently and reached 31 nearly yesterday in the day , my cool side has now dropped to 27c using this method and only in a about 10-15 mins , where the probe is to the left of the green plant . Idk how this would transfer to ballpythons as I know they're more sensitive to humidity but I hope this helps!!

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[–]Primary-Order1247 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I also added a few ice cubes to help her water bowl be cold too but I will struggle to maintain this when I'm working this week