Ball python heating

[Joshyboy]

My ball pythons share a household heating pad that is set on the lowest temperature, however before I had it on a medium setting they would feel warm to the touch, now they aren't warm, but one (my oldest one I've had for a month or so) is active at night but I've never seen my new one come out. I was wondering if maybe it's too cold? When I place my hand on top of the media with the heat pad I can barely feel any heat. I know our human body temperature is around 98 or something so does that mean it's a good temp? Not sure. I don't have a heat gun so I can't check the exact the temps but the my thermometer reads around 80-84 as an air temp. It's a exo Tera probe one.

[PitOnTheProwl]

Please explain "Share"
I hope you don't mean cohabitating....

[Joshyboy]

No it's one large heating mat and I have two tubs. Sorry I should have specified

[Stewart_Reptiles]

My ball pythons share a household heating pad that is set on the lowest temperature, however before I had it on a medium setting they would feel warm to the touch, now they aren't warm, but one (my oldest one I've had for a month or so) is active at night but I've never seen my new one come out. I was wondering if maybe it's too cold? When I place my hand on top of the media with the heat pad I can barely feel any heat. I know our human body temperature is around 98 or something so does that mean it's a good temp? Not sure. I don't have a heat gun so I can't check the exact the temps but the my thermometer reads around 80-84 as an air temp. It's a exo Tera probe one.

A few things here

1 If you are using a Household heating pads know that they are not designed for snakes nor are they designed to run 24/7 this mean FIRE HAZARD. Now if you use a UTH than you should have a t-stat and have it set on whatever allows you to achieve optimum temps.

2 You MUST know your temperatures not guess so you MUST have a reliable digital thermometer and have it set properly.

The key here is research, research, research.

[LittleTreeGuy]

Our body temps are 98, so if something feels "warm" to us, it's likely over 100 degrees. That would be too hot for a ball python. you NEED a good thermostat. Period. If you have a large section of heat tape like this: http://www.reptilebasics.com/heat-tape, It's okay for both tubs to share it, but you need to have it regulated with a thermostat, and you need to have a thermometer of some sort monitoring both tubs.


IF you don't get this corrected very soon, the health of your snakes could become a very serious issue very quickly.