Keeper guide

Straight Horned Baboon Temperature Guide — Ceratogyrus marshalli

A practical temperature range for Ceratogyrus marshalli, commonly known as the Straight Horned Baboon, is 21–27°C. Stable room conditions matter more than chasing tiny changes on the thermometer.

At a glance

Quick facts

World
Old World
Origin
Zimbabwe and Mozambique
Lifestyle
Fossorial
UK hobby rarity
Uncommon
Maximum size
About 12–14 cm (4.75–5.5 in)
Growth rate
Fast
Male lifespan
Roughly 2–4 years
Female lifespan
Often 8–12 years
Temperament
Fast, defensive and best maintained with planned catch-cup techniques
Venom
Venomous; Old World bite effects can be medically important
Temperature
21–27°C
Moisture / humidity
Mostly dry upper substrate with some lower moisture and clean water
CITES
Check current CITES rules before cross-border trade

Working temperature range

Keep Ceratogyrus marshalli around 21–27°C. Use that as a practical captive range and avoid prolonged exposure to temperatures well outside it.

Straight Horned Baboons do not need the enclosure to hit one exact number all day. Normal small room fluctuations are easier to manage than repeated heating and cooling adjustments.

Measure the shelf, not just the room

Check the temperature where the Ceratogyrus marshalli enclosure actually sits. Shelves near windows, radiators, computers or external walls can differ from the centre of the room.

A thermometer placed near the enclosure gives more useful information for a Straight Horned Baboon than a reading taken across the room.

Avoid direct heat on the enclosure

Do not attach a heat mat directly to a Ceratogyrus marshalli enclosure. Small containers can develop concentrated hot areas that are much warmer than the surrounding room.

If the room is genuinely too cold for Straight Horned Baboons, warm the room instead and check the temperature at enclosure level. That gives a more even and controllable result.

Summer heat

During hot weather, keep Ceratogyrus marshalli out of direct sunlight and watch rooms that heat up during the afternoon. A closed window area can become much warmer than expected.

Do not respond to a warm day by soaking the Straight Horned Baboon enclosure. Temperature and substrate moisture are separate husbandry issues.

Winter conditions

In winter, check the coldest part of the day where Ceratogyrus marshalli is kept. Rooms can cool overnight even when daytime readings look comfortable.

If room heating is used, remember that it may also dry Straight Horned Baboons enclosures faster. Adjust watering to the actual drying rate rather than assuming winter always means wetter substrate.

Use behaviour as context

Temperature readings for Ceratogyrus marshalli should be considered alongside normal feeding, retreat use and moulting. One slightly different reading is less useful than a consistent pattern over time.

If a Straight Horned Baboon suddenly changes behaviour, check temperature along with water, moisture and recent disturbance instead of assuming temperature is the only cause.