Hey everyone,

I recently brought home an adult Normal ball python from a local breeder. Basically, the guy who runs the place accepts snakes back that he sold as trades towards fancier morphs and back from people who can no longer care for them. I don't know an exact age on him, but he's between three and four feet long, good thick body...the owner said he's probably 2-3 years old. He's a real laid back snake, so far he seems to like being held and everything. Really pleased with my purchase.

Anyway, on to my question.

I've got him in a 40 gallon tank with aspen bedding, a heat light and log hide on one side and a large water dish and another hide on the right side. I've attached a picture here.



As you can see...the hide on the warm side is a log hide and the hide on the right is some sort of rock deal. The rock hide is pretty heavy. I imagine, as a result, it might seem more safe and secure to snake. The arrangement I've got...with the water dish next to the rock hide and the log hide on the opposite side...was really the only arrangement that I could come up with given the size of the three elements.

I'm wondering if I should switch the heat lamp to the opposite side of the tank. But everything I've read suggests that the heat light and the water dish should be on opposite sides of the tank. The problem this creates, as I've stated, is that this is the only real arrangement that works and gives him room to move around.

So should I move the light? Or leave it the way it is and trust that he'll move from side to side to adjust his temperature as he sees fit?

Thoughts/ideas/concerns/etc are all greatly appreciated!

-Alex