First time owner help please

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ur.com/IKssFoUHello,

I bought a young banana ball at Repticon last week. I've had him now for about 7 or 8 days. I have a glass terrarium, screen lid, with a good sized hide, and water bowl. The hide is on the side with the heat pad (under tank) and a 6.5 inch light dome from Home depot with a 60 watt incandescent bulb.

I have a hygrometer on the water bowl side, that has been 55-75 % humidity. I'm in the process of getting a hygrometer for the hide side as well.

I noticed yesterday morning, when he was basking outside his hide, that he had pretty much two lines down him. The banana is a rather light colored ball, but there were two dark brown (almost looked like varnish or stain) going down his back. In the middle of the two is the typical, light color. Other than that, he seems to be acting the same. I couldn't tell if he felt dryer than normal. Haven't been handling him too much since he's getting used to his home. The fact that they were two distinct lines, I am confused why the whole section was not the same color.https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ur.com/IKssFoU

Does anyone have any ideas? The only other thing I can say is that i had another small log in there that he would hide in, but it was extremely tight in there. Not sure if that was the issue, so I removed that.

Any help would be MUCH appreciated. My daughter has fallen in love with this little guy, and I want him to be healthy.

Thank you.

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https://imgur.com/IKssFoU should be the picture. It did not insert.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../7/banana2.jpg

Congrats on your new noodle he looks beautiful!

Few questions which will help everyone here help you better;

Do you have a thermostat to control the temps of the heat pad?

What type of substrate are you using?

How are you measuring surface temps in your enclosure?

I assume those markings you mention were not there or visible when you fisrt bought him?

A pic of your setup could be useful as well if possible.

I do not have a thermostat.

The markings were not there when I bought him.

I use a 'heat gun' to check the temps. One of those that you point at the substrate, and it checks the temp.

The substrate was what the reptile supply company at the expo recommended. I believe it is coconut husks, colored like red/brown. It came in a 'brick'. I'll go grab a picture of the setup, and of the other 'hide' that I removed.

Thanks!

Here is the setup, substrate, and the small hide i removed. I didn't think he would use the small hide, but more climb over it. He totally fit in it, and my wife just saw that it looks like he might have some scratches on him, perhaps from entering/leaving the small hide. Is that possible?

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../1/7/setup.jpg


https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../substrate.jpg


https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...small_hide.jpg

I would recommend that you get a thermostat asap because the heatpad can very easily burn your snake. This is crucial please.

This could be what has happened? I'm not sure... Maybe also from the small hide like you say- could be markings from getting in or out.

I'm a new / first time owner myself and I know that a thermostat is absolutely key. Also it would be good if you can cover the back and sides of your terrarium- this helps with him feeling a lot happier and secure.

I'm sure others will chime in with advice with this :)

Thermostat is probably the most important part of your enclosure, so even if for now your numbers are good doesn't mean something will not fail better safe than sorry right? As for the discoloration have you tried a warm wash rag looks to be dirt from the substrate you are using. Best wishes to you and your family always ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Acedink

I do not have a thermostat.

The markings were not there when I bought him.

I use a 'heat gun' to check the temps. One of those that you point at the substrate, and it checks the temp.

The substrate was what the reptile supply company at the expo recommended. I believe it is coconut husks, colored like red/brown. It came in a 'brick'. I'll go grab a picture of the setup, and of the other 'hide' that I removed.

Thanks!

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Its been said quite often before, but im going to repeat it again before Craig gets here- a thermostat is CRUCIAL and not an option. Go google snake burns and youll know what i mean. Any unregulated heat source could injure your snake or worse, so thats another top priority for now.

As for those lines, monitor them for now. I personally cant get a good look at them currently since im at work, but ill see what i can do when im home.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I might be on the wrong track here, but to me, it appears that he scraped the middle of his back and the 2 darker lines you are seeing is actually
the contrast of where the scraped skin ends. Could also be discolored from the substrate, as C.Marie suggested, so try wiping him with damp cloth?
Your substrate might have stained him if it has added red/brown coloration.

In ANY event, unregulated heating is a huge no-no...if you snake gets burned it's horribly painful, slow to heal & potentially fatal.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

In ANY event, unregulated heating is a huge no-no...if you snake gets burned it's horribly painful, slow to heal & potentially fatal.

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^ I second this. Never put a snake in an enclosure with heating sources without regulating them first.

As for the stain, it looks precise to me. It looked as if he slithered through a dirty tube and got dirt on both sides. Is the inside of the log dirty at all?