New Ball Python Questions

Hello, I brought my bp home yesterday. He is my first snake and I am very excited about him. I found this site while I was doing research prior to bringing him home.

I set up his terrarium 2 days before he came home to make certain that the humidity and temperatures were where they needed to me. However, I am having trouble in getting the basking temperature up on the "hot side". It's been wavering just under 90F. Currently I have a S Desert Heat Wave UTH that the store recommended. Should I get a second one or even a larger one?
The "cool side" temperature has remained at an even 80F and the humidity between 65-75% (As measured at the back centre of the tank about 2 inches from the bottom)
When he came home, he immediately started to "investigate" his new pad. He has moved between the hides a few times and occasionally sticks out his head or comes out to explore some more. I'm assuming those are good signs? I'm planning on leaving him be until he's eaten 2 times consecutively, is that alright?

Also, he was being fed live, and I guess it's best to continue like that for at least 2 months so as not to stress him out. Any tips? He is currently eating Small Rat Pups according to the store. I'm mildly afraid of rodents, so are tongs out of the question??
Thank you for your help

What substrate are you using. And also, what are you using to measure the basking spot temps? Are you using a heat gun, or a thermometer, and if you are using a thermometer where is the probe locate?

You definately can use tongs when offering a live Rat, I know quite a few people who have snakes that don't like to hold the rodent. Some guys hold the rat by the tail with the tongs, since it can help the snake to get a good strike at the head of the rat and minimise the chance of a bite!

The tank came with Aspen, but I missed in some Cypress Mulch too. I'm using 2 digital thermometers with probes on either side. The probe in in the front corner about 1inch from the base of the tank.

Well, if it's not touching the substrate, then It's measuring the air above it and not the substrate wich is what your snake will lie on to "bask".

Try putting the probe on the substrate for a few hours, just to see what tempereture the substrate is at. This is important for snakes lik BP's because they lie on the substrate as opposed to climbing up branches, so the heat of the substrate is what they'll be getting most of!

Okay. I'll do that now. Thank-You for your help. Also, I've read on here that you should get Con Tact paper to cover the back and sides of the tanks. I looked it up on Hoe Depot, is it Non-Adhesive?

I'm not sure, I'm building a wood enclosure for mine. I think they recommend the paper for the sake of privacy. If you want something nice looking, why not try that stick on aquarium backing that guys sometimes put on their tropical tanks. It has like plant/coral themes and it sticks to the outside of the tank!

How just under 90 is the temps? Are you measuring from inside the hot hide?

Something many fail to figure is small snakes have a faster metabolism than larger snakes do and digestion generates heat so a little snake will actually raise the temp inside the hide a degree or two anyway. Some use 88 as a hot spot for small balls.

Personally given the poor accuracy that prevalent in the hobby I don't like seeing temps over 91º and prefer 90º as it is safer. (digital accuracy common on inexpensive instruments is +/-2ºF it is often better than 2º but are rarely perfectly correct, usually it is about a degree off up or down but more is not uncommon.)

Kitedemon is so right! thats why I reccomend he checks the temps on substrate because they could be too hot!

It ranges between 84-88, is 84 too low? I guess it might go up now that I've lowered the probe.