Heating and tank help

I was woken up last night to a loud breaking noise. Turns out the lid on my baby BP's tank shattered under the ceramic heat lamp. Had to improvise and seal up a fish tank lid to fit on top. She's an albino so doesn't like bright light and I was scared to try an under tank heater due to a previous snake getting burned badly years ago and they don't heat the tank well. I have a screen top but it heats and dries the tank out. If I cover the screen in tin foil, would the heat get through okay? Just leaving enough room for the light to go through? I can't change her tank any time soon, so I need to come up with a game plan for this one. Any ideas and help is greatly appreciated.

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Originally Posted by FluffyLove

If I cover the screen in tin foil, would the heat get through okay? Just leaving enough room for the light to go through?

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Sounds like a solid plan to me. Pics of your set up would help us advise you better. This thread will show you how to post them: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Post-Pictures.

Any heat source needs to be on a thermostat to control it, a properly run heat mat will not burn your snake. It won't heat up the cage as they aren't meant to do that, they are meant to create a hot spot. Make sure your CHE is also on some sort of controller or dimmer and you'll probably have to stick to a humidity friendly substrate to keep it from being too dry in there, a bigger water bowl may help too.

I'll keep trying to post a picture, but I have her set up finally with the new light and new heat emitter. Her humidity is still a little harder to control with the tin foil than it was with the glass top, but it's staying above 70 and up to 85. She's been so active, now if only she would eat. One step at a time I guess.

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Originally Posted by FluffyLove

I'll keep trying to post a picture, but I have her set up finally with the new light and new heat emitter. Her humidity is still a little harder to control with the tin foil than it was with the glass top, but it's staying above 70 and up to 85. She's been so active, now if only she would eat. One step at a time I guess.

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I'd say you've solved the drying out problem. Even over done it a touch. So, I'd let it dry out until your humidity reaches 60%, and try to keep it around there.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil..._022523619.jpg
Finally figured out the pictures I think.
Now if I could get her to eat. When should I worry? She hasn't eaten with me at all. Her temp and humidity have been consistent and there's lots of clutter and hides. She goes to the top of the tank and hangs out where there's no clutter.

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Originally Posted by FluffyLove

Finally figured out the pictures I think.
Now if I could get her to eat. When should I worry? She hasn't eaten with me at all. Her temp and humidity have been consistent and there's lots of clutter and hides. She goes to the top of the tank and hangs out where there's no clutter.

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All your recent changes to her enclosure may have her feeling too insecure to feed. Give her time settle in. How long has it been since she last ate?

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Originally Posted by Homebody

All your recent changes to her enclosure may have her feeling too insecure to feed. Give her time settle in. How long has it been since she last ate?

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She hasn't eaten with me at all. I got her beginning of July. I have very vague info on her from previous owner, so it might be as long as 5weeks. This is her next to her food. She likes to be at the top of the tank so I was thinking maybe making a hammock to try to feed her on and so she can feel safer?
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil..._035748772.jpg

Have a look at our care sheet. If your enclosure meets the basic requirements, then I wouldn't make any more changes that may unsettle her. If you've been handling her, I would lay off until you get her eating.

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Originally Posted by FluffyLove

She hasn't eaten with me at all. I got her beginning of July. I have very vague info on her from previous owner, so it might be as long as 5weeks.

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Had the snake eaten for the previous owner? How many meals? What was it eating, exactly? What is the hatch date of the snake? Did you buy it from the person who bred it? If not, where did that person get the snake?

More details will help to figure out what to recommend, since it may be that this snake may never have eaten.

Not probably what you want to hear, but a proper enclosure (PVC with a heat panel, or a tub in a solid sided rack) leads to snakes that are more likely to feed reliably.

It may be worth troubleshooting why the snake is hanging out up high. Could you post a full-tank shot, and get some temps with an IR temp gun of the different areas in the enclosure, and give details about the heating equipment?