Belly Heat

I just read in another thread that belly heat isn't a requirement for ball pythons. I've never heard this before. Can someone please enlighten me? If not belly heat, then what should be used for heat?? Thank you in advance!!

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Originally Posted by April McCrea

I just read in another thread that belly heat isn't a requirement for ball pythons. I've never heard this before. Can someone please enlighten me? If not belly heat, then what should be used for heat?? Thank you in advance!!

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It is a requirement; you should always have belly heat for a ball python, it helps them digest. That's why some breeders heat their entire rooms to 80+ degrees but still have flexwatt throughout their racks for belly heat. If ambient was enough then they'd just heat the room up more.

For additional heat, people with small collections who use tanks might have heat lamps.

Belly heat maybe preferred but its not a requirement. As long as you have a cool side and a warm side of 90 degree this is sufficient.

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Absolutely not needed for digestion or anything else. Correct temps are needed it doesn't matter how you get them. Belly heat is efficient and easy but as far as the snake goes unnecessary.

How very interesting. It definitely gives me something to think about, that's for sure. Especially since my ex-husband is going to be building me a snake rack. If belly heat isn't *needed* then we can totally totally do the set-up the way I was originally thinking.

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Originally Posted by martin82531

Belly heat maybe preferred but its not a requirement. As long as you have a cool side and a warm side of 90 degree this is sufficient.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

Absolutely not needed for digestion or anything else. Correct temps are needed it doesn't matter how you get them. Belly heat is efficient and easy but as far as the snake goes unnecessary.

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I always thought it was but apparently not lol.

If a rack is being used, belly heat is typically the most efficient way to achieve proper temps. In display cages and tanks, heat lights or radiant heat panels can be used instead, but the husbandry often needs to be changed somewhat to accommodate the way heat lights can dry out a cage. Heat panels don't dry out cages nearly as much, but they are a somewhat significant step up in price.

-Jen

Back heat can be used in a rack it as stated not as efficient but it still works just fine. In my case with a cool room it simply looses too much heat to be used. Racks generally don't do really well in cool rooms.

So if I do a rack using tubs, I should use heat tape instead of back heat?

When I kept snakes before, I used aquariums for everyone but I was in a much bigger house than I am in now, so a rack is a must in order to keep more than one or two. And I definitely already have more than one or two lol

Hard to say I use flexwatt I believe that is what you mean with heat tape. It can be used with either belly or back heat. Back heat often needs a bit higher temp and longer on times to get the same hot spot. The advantage is the maximum possible temp is lower and perhaps safer. The big issue is if you keep the flexwatt under the max recommended temp of 100ºF will that be able to hold the hot spot or not. Only you can answer this as it is tied to your ambient air temps and rack design.