I just got my first ball python on Monday, and my friend gave me all of his equipment from his bp that just passed. he told me how to set it all up, so i did before we got him.
I have him in a glass tank, about 1'x2', overhead heat lamp, but not the kind that gives off light, just the ceramic(?) one that gives off heat, over on one side of the tank. he only has one hide right now so I put it sort of half-way on the hot side, and i put water both on the 'cool' side and one under the lamp to evaporate into the air. he also has some driftwood sticks to climb on (on the cool side), which ive caught him doing at night; he just stays in his hide all day. unfortunately i dont think my friend knows much about snakes at all, esp. now that im practically glued to this site. i just have one of those little round thermometors from petco, sitting semi-under the lamp, and it goes between about 83 and 90, most the time around 86 or 7. theres an UTH pad under there but im hesitant to use it without an appropriate thermostat.
so... my questions.. hes been in his hide pretty much nonstop (day and night) for two days now, he explored a lot before that, but now just comes out to drink.. and they did say at petsmart that he was about to shed, so is this because of the shed, or is something wrong? i dont know what to look for in color, because i just got him and they said it had already changed, but i did see his eyes get cloudy blue and now are clearing up. we havent fed him yet, will probably try that next week if he sheds by then, and havent handled him at all except to move him from the box to the tank. my other question is about the substrate. my husband bought this big bag of American Wood Fibers 'natural animal bedding'. it doesnt say on there what kind of wood it is though, so i went on their website and it pretty much doesnt say either, but they also had links that said "we also sell pine or ceder beddings", so im hoping its none of those.. has anyone else ever used this kind of bedding?
fridays payday, so im gonna get a better thermostat and humidity-checker at home depot or walmart, and we have a larger tank too, same width but twice as long which we'll switch him to after he eats well, so im trying to make sure its all set up right.
thanks everyone for your help.