Cold Snake

[LostElise]

My snake, a 1month or so hatchling, always feels too cool to me. I have had him just at a week. He ate last Saturday night and again tonight (Saturday) with no trouble at all, which makes me think the temperature may be okay for him. I have a heating pad (CVS brand) under one side with two hides (though I think he likes the cold side hide more, and may have to get him an identical one for the warm side as well). The cool side temp is around 80 and warm side temp is 86. But he always feels really cool to me, and after I hold him for a few minutes (and he warms) he's suddenly active and into crawling around, into my cleavage, etc. The temp in my room is about 72-74 degrees, and I would keep him in another room, but as a college student, there is no other room to put him in. If he's eating, should I worry? Also, he's really timid and jumpy sometimes. If I go to touch his neck, he recoils. Is that more typical of the breed, the age, the newness of me, or just his temperament. He's from a breeder, so he's not used to being a "pet." Finally, does anyone recommend those temp scanner things that you can just point at the snake to get their temp? He's my first legless reptile, so this is very new for me. Thanks!

Rachel

[Kizerk]

you can try upping the hot spot to 92-24, but if you think about it you're like 98 degrees... so he is always going to be cooler than you...or should be

he's prboably just a little head shy, try avoid touching his head/neck area

[digcolnagos]

Your warm side is a bit cool. You should bump it up to 90.

Also, what are you using to measure temps with? Hopefully, it's the tried-and-true Acurite digital thermometer/hygrometer available from Wal-Mart/Lowe's and a few other big box stores for $15 or so. If you don't have one of those, you really should make the investment--the dial types, both for humidity and temperature, just won't do, even though they're sold in pet shops and have a picture of a reptile on the packaging.

How big is your enclosure? That's important, too. You need something big enough to provide proper temperature differentials and with enough space for a hide on each side. With the temp's you describe, though, sounds like it's big enough.

If the snake is eating, that's the main thing, but don't take anything for granted and keep the temperatures and the humidity where they need to be. If you do that, everything shall be fine.

Your snake sounds like mine. He's probably a bit freaked from the new surroundings, which would account for his jumpiness. That will likely never go away entirely. Mine's often a bit jumpy when I reach in to take him out of the tank, but once out, he's a slithering fool, wanting to explore everything, including my hair, ears and nose (I don't have cleavage).

[recycling goddess]

my ball always feels cool to me...

[LostElise]

My set up is a rubbermaid that is 21inches by 12 inches by 5 inches. I put the heating pad on high today and the bottom of the plastic felt really hot and the cool side measured 86 at 4inches high and the hot side was 90. The thermometers probably are bad, so I will get a digital one as well as an infrared thermometer and a humidity gauge (which I don't have, but with condensation on the cool side, I know it has some humidity). Any recommendations on these, specifically the thermometers and humidity gauges? I am not sure when he shed last and really want things the right temp and humidity for his shed (every month or so for hatchlings, right?). Does anyone have a recommendation for an under-the-plastic-thingy heater. This one has low-medium-high which seems like it's making the whole thing hot and stuffy (primed for a respiratory infection?). I see a lot of commercial heating pads that now have an auto-off which, obviously, won't work. I have the plastic thing on a wire rack, maybe the heat pad is losing heat from going too low? Would it help if I took pics and posted that? Thanks so much for the help so far.

Rachel

[Kizerk]

i use the zoo med UTH

i recommend getting a thermostat or get a plug in lamp dimmer so you can regulate your temps, so you dont have to worry about the low-medium- high switches.

alot of people here recommend the accurite thermometer which can be purchased from walmart, it should have measure temps/humidity and is around 12 dollars i think,

[elevatethis]

He ate last Saturday night and again tonight (Saturday) with no trouble at all, which makes me think the temperature may be okay for him.

Whether or not a ball feeds is probably a good first indication that something might be "off" with your husbandry. If your temps are 82-84 / 92-94, you're fine.

In addition to what was said above, the human heat pads should be left for a more "temporary" heating setup- those human pads are not designed to run 24/7 and will fail eventually, either shutting off completely without warning or overheating and burning out, possibly burning your snake.

The ZooMed UTH is a step up, but as explained above, still must be controlled with a thermostat or dummer.

Also, he's really timid and jumpy sometimes. If I go to touch his neck, he recoils. Is that more typical of the breed, the age, the newness of me, or just his temperament.

That is a behavior that is very typical of ball pythons, very normal.

Finally, does anyone recommend those temp scanner things that you can just point at the snake to get their temp?

The infared thermometers you speak of are supposedly no more accurate than your standard acu-rite thermometers...with the exception of the very expensive infared guns that HVAC techs or others like that might use. Those are very expensive and that kind of accuracy is not needed by the average reptile keeper.

[LostElise]

Will the mini zoo-med work? The normal zoo-med UTH is not recommended for my set-up (not-a-tank enclosure). What about heat tape and a helix thermostat? I have to say that I am disappointed in how unprepared I was. Despite this being a well-thought-out purchase, the guy who advised me on a lot of these matters (my prof) seemed to have glossed over these issues. I really hate not knowing everything... about everything...ever.

[Collins2602]

after I hold him for a few minutes (and he warms) he's suddenly active and into crawling around, into my cleavage, etc.
Rachel

Heeheehee! My snakes do that too! One time a friend of my husband came over to our apt to see our snakes and one of my corn snakes went down in my bra! I am extremely modest, and had to excuse myself to go to the bathroom and dig him out! Being a double D only made matters that much more obvious and embarassing! I was still blushing 10 minutes later! What you said reminded me of that and made me laugh.

[RockinTimbz]

Heeheehee! My snakes do that too! One time a friend of my husband came over to our apt to see our snakes and one of my corn snakes went down in my bra! I am extremely modest, and had to excuse myself to go to the bathroom and dig him out! Being a double D only made matters that much more obvious and embarassing! I was still blushing 10 minutes later! What you said reminded me of that and made me laugh.

snakes...cleavage...