Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 656

0 members and 656 guests
No Members online
Most users ever online was 47,180, 07-16-2025 at 05:30 PM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,905
Threads: 249,104
Posts: 2,572,100
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, Pattyhud
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-02-2014
    Posts
    5
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    HELP! Ball Python Care Question

    I have a 3 month old male Clown Ball Python. I am having issues regulating both his temp and humidity levels. I have him in a 30 gallon glass screen top cage...this is what I prefer. I have an under the tank heater on the hot spot with a hide cave above it and a 150watt ceramic dome heater on top of the screen. I have 3 thermometers, one of which includes a hygrometer. The probe where he lays reads about 82-84 degrees under the cave. Is this warm enough? The basking log above the cave is warmer im sure. The hygrometer in the middle of the can read as low as 20 percent or up to 70 percent when my fogger is on. Also the cool side gets as low as 65 degrees. I can't seem to keep the heat up when the fogger is on and if its not on my humidity drops too low but my heat is good, up to about ambient of 88 degrees. I don't know if I need another heat source or what. He doesn't seem to be stressed out. He ate very quickly for me today and drank a lot of water. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated. I am new to this kind of animal. I just love him and want to keep him as happy and healthy as possible.
    Last edited by HardCorps2004; 03-02-2014 at 08:49 PM.

  2. #2
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-08-2013
    Posts
    32
    Thanks
    5
    Thanked 10 Times in 7 Posts

    Re: HELP! Ball Python Care Question

    Is your uth on a thermostate and what kind of substrate are u using, also is your screen top fully open or partially covered

    Sent from my MB886 using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Super Moderator bcr229's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-18-2013
    Location
    Eastern WV Panhandle
    Posts
    9,567
    Thanks
    2,968
    Thanked 9,997 Times in 4,836 Posts
    Images: 34

    Re: HELP! Ball Python Care Question

    Pictures of your setup would help. Also, do you have a thermostat controlling how hot the UTH gets?

  4. #4
    Sometimes It Hurts... PitOnTheProwl's Avatar
    Join Date
    11-21-2010
    Location
    San Antonio, TX
    Posts
    12,050
    Thanks
    6,313
    Thanked 6,985 Times in 4,274 Posts
    Images: 3
    Where is the probe you are getting your temp readings from? on top of the substrate or down below?
    Last edited by PitOnTheProwl; 03-02-2014 at 09:50 PM.

  5. #5
    BPnet Veteran CptJack's Avatar
    Join Date
    02-28-2014
    Posts
    490
    Thanks
    81
    Thanked 223 Times in 163 Posts
    You are not going to be able to use a fogger without compromising temperatures. Their primary selling point is they use COOL mist. Get part of that screen covered (or most of it) to keep heat and humidity in. What is the ambient temperature of the ROOM that the tank is in, and -seconded- what is the actual temperature of the UTH?

    I'm not an expert here, but those temps are WAY too low.

  6. #6
    BPnet Senior Member Slim's Avatar
    Join Date
    11-17-2008
    Location
    Gainesville, FL
    Posts
    7,739
    Thanks
    3,258
    Thanked 4,252 Times in 2,630 Posts
    Images: 1

    Re: HELP! Ball Python Care Question

    Quote Originally Posted by HardCorps2004 View Post
    I just love him and want to keep him as happy and healthy as possible.
    Then get him out of that glass tank and put him in a PVC enclosure or a tub. A glass tank will ALWAYS be a compromise to either heat or humidity.

    I know you stated that the tank in your preference, but if you really want him to be as happy and healthy as possible, you need to cater to his preference.
    Thomas "Slim" Whitman
    Never Met A Ball Python I Didn't Like

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to Slim For This Useful Post:

    Shadera (03-04-2014)

  8. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-02-2014
    Posts
    5
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Re: HELP! Ball Python Care Question

    I have half the lid covered. Got my temperatures up last night. Trying to make some changes to adjust. I do have a thermostat to the heater under the tank. It is set on the high setting. No specific temp gauge.

  9. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-02-2014
    Posts
    5
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Re: HELP! Ball Python Care Question

    The probe is laying on top of the substrate

  10. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-02-2014
    Posts
    5
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Re: HELP! Ball Python Care Question

    It is partially covered. I'm using cypress and I do have a thermostat just set on high for the under the tank heater

  11. #10
    Registered User NH93's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-30-2013
    Location
    Kitchener, ON
    Posts
    915
    Thanks
    437
    Thanked 325 Times in 253 Posts
    You'll want a better thermostat that sets a specific temperature, rather than a rheostat (which is what it sounds like you have).
    I personally wouldn't have gone with a fogger, but rather would have added a couple humid hides (damp sphagnum moss). That would have saved you a LOT of money. I had glass vives as well before switching to PVC. I switched because I liked the aesthetics, not because of the way it works. To be honest, I found it easier to maintain the glass enclosures... but that is because I have two different species sharing a vive with a divider!

    I had absolutely no issues with the glass once I got my set up figured out. What kind of heat bulb do you have? I suggest either a red bulb or a straight up heat emitting bulb. You'll want to keep those on 24/7, so there are no night drops.

    If the cool end drops to 65F, your home is also that cool (or cooler). Simply put, the easiest way to fix this would be to turn up the heat in your home. If that is not an option, you can either add a second heat lamp with a low wattage heat bulb - although with a UTH and high wattage bulb already, I personally wouldn't go for this as your vive is dried out enough as it is - or get a small heater for the room the snake is in.

    Best of luck!
    Last edited by NH93; 03-03-2014 at 12:18 PM.
    Don't let anyone, ever, make you feel like you don't deserve what you want. - Heath Ledger

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1