Lazy Noodle gone Crazy Noodle!

Hello everyone! So I got my first baby ball python this Mon, and as soon as I put her in her tank, she's been in her hide all day and all night. She's in a 20gall, now 10 gall because of a divider I put up, and had a 100w infrared as one of her sources of heat. The other is a thermostat regulated uth.

I was getting readings of 96/98 on the hot side with those settings, so I bumped down the wattage to a 50w infrared bulb and added shirt curtains to the outside of the tank to help maintain heat. When I did this, along with adding her warm side hide, when she woke up at night, all she did for about 3 or 4 hours was slither around her cage! Slither over to one side, pause, go to the other side, pause, go up the walls, pause, etc. She's not stressed about everything new, is it? I'm so worried!!! She's back in her hide now at this time, but I'm still concerned...

Are you sure your temps are correct? That sounds like a snake who is stressed about its environment being either too hot or too cold. If I were you I'd nix the bulb entirely - ball pythons don't need that sort of heat, despite what you might have been told. I suppose they can tolerate it, but they certainly don't need it.

Check the temps with a temp gun, then make the necessary adjustments.

It is hard to say just from the description. Generally, ball pythons wake up at night (nocturnal) and will wander their enclosures, so some activity is quite normal. However, if this behavior appears overdone then as the above poster notes, they are usually stressed or feeling insecure. They are basically looking for a new locations to either change temperature or hide/feel safe.

If your BP wanders then goes back to his hide for a long period of time, then you may be fine, but if this behavior persists for long periods of time, you likely have an issue. I have never loved heat bulbs as a heating method for humidity dependant species, but I realize that others do not always have the luxury of the UTHs and RHPs. You mention the temps prior to the bulb change, but not the temps after the change? Also, what is the humidity?

I don't know if this helps but I use 40 watt red zoo med bulbs for my 20 long tanks. And it's 3 degrees outside, but my home thermostat is also set at 74 degrees. My snakes body temps are usally 82 to 84 degrees.

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Originally Posted by keebs

Are you sure your temps are correct? That sounds like a snake who is stressed about its environment being either too hot or too cold. If I were you I'd nix the bulb entirely - ball pythons don't need that sort of heat, despite what you might have been told. I suppose they can tolerate it, but they certainly don't need it.

Check the temps with a temp gun, then make the necessary adjustments.

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Okay, I will. Thank you! When I did the switch, her hot side averages out 85-88, and the cool side stays at 75-78 with the uth.

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Originally Posted by Regius_049

It is hard to say just from the description. Generally, ball pythons wake up at night (nocturnal) and will wander their enclosures, so some activity is quite normal. However, if this behavior appears overdone then as the above poster notes, they are usually stressed or feeling insecure. They are basically looking for a new locations to either change temperature or hide/feel safe.

If your BP wanders then goes back to his hide for a long period of time, then you may be fine, but if this behavior persists for long periods of time, you likely have an issue. I have never loved heat bulbs as a heating method for humidity dependant species, but I realize that others do not always have the luxury of the UTHs and RHPs. You mention the temps prior to the bulb change, but not the temps after the change? Also, what is the humidity?

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The change gave her 85-88 on the warm side, and withe the uth, the cool side is at 75-78. Humidity is anywhere between 50 and 60 percent. When I watched her last night with these readings, she went exploring for maybe half an hour, then went back to her hide. She kept peeking her head out that night since we were building ikea furniture, but do you think I should change anything?

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Originally Posted by BbyBubbles

The change gave her 85-88 on the warm side, and withe the uth, the cool side is at 75-78. Humidity is anywhere between 50 and 60 percent. When I watched her last night with these readings, she went exploring for maybe half an hour, then went back to her hide. She kept peeking her head out that night since we were building ikea furniture, but do you think I should change anything?

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That sounds normal actually. They go on "hunts" some nights, being nocturnal. People just don't see it much, because we're asleep. :P 30 minutes is short and normal too.

the hot side is definitely too cold. bump it up to 90. otherwise, that sounds like pretty standard night time ball python behaviour.