Why is he burying himself?
he's probably used to the cold and now just reacting to the drastic change in temps. like if your hand was really cold and then you rinse it with warm water and it feels super hot. try gradually getting his body heat to warm up instead of just introducing him to high temps right away
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Re: Why is he burying himself?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
alykoz
he's probably used to the cold and now just reacting to the drastic change in temps. like if your hand was really cold and then you rinse it with warm water and it feels super hot. try gradually getting his body heat to warm up instead of just introducing him to high temps right away
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Tapatalk
Thank You I agree... I am going to keep the plexiglass off and see how that works for the time being and gradually work him up. I think he's happier because he's actually staying under his hide. For such a long time he was out roaming his tank constantly day and night. I hope it's a good thing that he's staying put :) I guess It'll be a waiting game. I do need to invest in a thermostat. Maybe I'll ask Santa for one ;-) :gj:
Re: Why is he burying himself?
I agree with a couple of psters on here. If the probe is up on the glass 2 inches above the substrate then that is ambient temp not real uth temp. You need to put the probe in the substrate right over the uth. If you can't get a thermostat then get a rheostat at least. If you are using both lights and uth then you need to turn off the light. Poor little guy is probably boiling. Also don't cover the whole top with plexiglass. You need air circulation also. I have saran wrap with a piece of foil between covering 2/3 of the top. I also have 3 sides insulated with a blanket and a towel over part of the top and half the front. I can't get a plug in thermostat here in town so I need to order one. I do have a rheostat set on low and my girl is switching between the cool and warm side hides. It is a matter of experimenting to find what level to set the rheostat though. My probe from an acurite indoor outdoor temp humidity guage is right over the uth and the body is on the cool side. Temps and humidity is right on. You can get one for about $12 at walmart. You don't need to buy an expensive reptile one when these work exactly the same, and are cheaper.
Re: Why is he burying himself?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Phantomtip
I agree with a couple of psters on here. If the probe is up on the glass 2 inches above the substrate then that is ambient temp not real uth temp. You need to put the probe in the substrate right over the uth. If you can't get a thermostat then get a rheostat at least. If you are using both lights and uth then you need to turn off the light. Poor little guy is probably boiling. Also don't cover the whole top with plexiglass. You need air circulation also. I have saran wrap with a piece of foil between covering 2/3 of the top. I also have 3 sides insulated with a blanket and a towel over part of the top and half the front. I can't get a plug in thermostat here in town so I need to order one. I do have a rheostat set on low and my girl is switching between the cool and warm side hides. It is a matter of experimenting to find what level to set the rheostat though. My probe from an acurite indoor outdoor temp humidity guage is right over the uth and the body is on the cool side. Temps and humidity is right on. You can get one for about $12 at walmart. You don't need to buy an expensive reptile one when these work exactly the same, and are cheaper.
The UTH is on the hot side of my 55 gallon tank and he is on the opposite side burying himself into the substrate and is happy, so why would that make you think that he is too hot? I moved the probe to the cool side of the tank under the substrate near where he is and it's reading 82... So... he's not burning up, so I just don't know... i'm frustrated.
Re: Why is he burying himself?
If he's in a 55 gal then you need 2 thermo hygros with probes. So the temp on the cool side is what he likes right now. He will go to the hot side if he gets too cold. I know when I was getting temps just right my girl buried herself on the hot side. Right over the uth. Scared me because I thought she was going to get nasty burns. Don't be frustrated. You will get it right. I promise. Relax a little, he just likes the cool side right now, or maybe the hide is better to him.
Re: Why is he burying himself?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Phantomtip
If he's in a 55 gal then you need 2 thermo hygros with probes. So the temp on the cool side is what he likes right now. He will go to the hot side if he gets too cold. I know when I was getting temps just right my girl buried herself on the hot side. Right over the uth. Scared me because I thought she was going to get nasty burns. Don't be frustrated. You will get it right. I promise. Relax a little, he just likes the cool side right now, or maybe the hide is better to him.
Thank you! I know that the last two days were strange because he wasn't out roaming his tank throughout the day but I know that a happy ball python doesn't venture during the day so obviously the temperature and humidity are more to his liking. I just had never seen him move the substrate at all so that threw me for a loop....
My only other question is what should the ambient temp be in the tank. It's reading 90-95 during the day with my probe 1-2 inches above the substrate and a 100watt bulb (cost me $60 but not sure what kind it was). is that too warm on the hot side for ambient temp?
Re: Why is he burying himself?
My ambient temp is around 85 during the day. Remember though my girl is in a 20 long until I get the brain power to build her a nice enclosure. I would put the probe right over the uth . Bury it into the substrate. The only time I ever saw my girl burrow was right after I fed her the first time in months, and he had heat and water. I had to really beg for my friends who were watching her for me to give her heat. She is in her hot hide and has been for a few days now but not burrowed down. I need to go today and get her some food. I need to haul her out of the hide and measure her lol. Hope shes in a good mood. Balls do like to be underground so maybe the light is too bright, or he doesn't feel secure enough. I don't know I'm not there and can't see everything myself.
