Heat Pad vs Heat Lamp

I have had my Ball Python for about 2-1/2 years now and has pretty much outgrown his (still not sure if male or female...will deal with that later) and I was looking into moving from an undertank heat pad to a heat light/lamp of some sort.

Right now, unless he hasn't eaten for about 3 weeks, he pretty much stays in his hide day and night. We take him out every now and then but I would like to be able to look into his tank and enjoy him without having to take him out. We were at a pet store and saw this for a boa constrictor:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7123/7...c9fa2ab7_b.jpg
DSC_0184[1] by closhusan, on Flickr

and was hoping for pretty much the same type of set up.

The tank that I am looking into is a 36 x 12 x 18 (up from a 24 x 12 x 16) - don't have room for a bigger one just yet.

I was wondering if one heat method is better than the other - heat pad vs heat lamp.

I did a little experimenting on my own: I borrowed the heat lamp from the chameleon for a day and put it over his hide and disconnected the heat pad to see if this would bring him out of the hide - it didn't. I even took him out of his hide and put everything back in its place before putting him back to see if he would stay out - he didn't.

Any thoughts on this?

I am starting to think that just because he is a ball python, their nature as ground dweller is to hide and lay in wait for food. Anyway thoughts..

Here is what he looks like now - took him outside for a bit and let him sit in his water container under the sun....

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7129/7...467ce8d8_b.jpg
Keeping cool by closhusan, on Flickr

Thanks

"A hiding python is a happy python." - Numerous posts on here.

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I use both UTH and heat lamps. UTH won't do anything for ambient temps, hence the lamps. But nice to add a bit of belly heat for those cool days.

At that age it's either a male or a very under weight female :gj:

Yeah, we think that it is a male as well. Been meaning to get it sexed...sometime in the near future.

Found some great facts in the Ball Python care sheets....pretty confirms my thoughts. Not going to waste time with the heat lamp...sticking to the under tank heat pad. Just might change his hide though.

Stick to heat pads :)

Also, 2 and a half years and you never tried sexing it? Dude I went crazy having to wait a whole week to confirm my bp's sex! :D

I might suggest a couple of things. I would look at some of the custom PVCx enclosures or rotos out there, there are a huge number of them. Vision make nice looking enclosures showcase this list goes on and on. The big advantage of PVCx is it holds heat well. The second is the use of a radiant heat panel. It runs exactly like a UTH only the other way from the top. They are a bit pricy but if you have a deep substrate layer it is a great way. Ambient temps need to be regulated but you already have that figured so KISS works.

The other option is not to use a deep substrate layer and continue with the UTH. I would suggest a higher density one for PVCx enclosures than is needed for tanks and tubs. (harder to heat through) This also works well. My personal method is UTHs I love my enclosures I make environments that are good for the animal and pleasing for me to look at.

I would argue that a healthy normal royal should not be in a hide all the time there should be a bit more range of activity. Hunting and exploring new things is normal and healthy. the hide ball is a happy one is often taken to extremes and the stressed snake (hiding all the time) is often marked up to happy=hiding it can also be a sign of stress in the enclosure and a need for extra security. I have rehabbed bunches of snakes who 'will not eat' and oddly they all eat for me in 2 weeks. The current one has not eaten since october... she has eaten for me last sunday after 5 days of arrival. She is the perfect example of an "unhappy hiding ball python." That never left her hide. Corrected husbandry and security and presto feeding. As I am writing I can see her 1/2 of her out of the hide.

one of my favs, you can see Lucy wondering what the heck is up with the flashlights as well.
http://images35.fotki.com/v1166/phot...sLounge-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki