What am I doing wrong?

We use CHEs outside an enclosure, not inside. As someone who has burned a snake many many years ago, I can't in good conscious even remotely begin to agree that putting a 300+ degree heating source surrounded by a metal cage is a good idea in any country, universe, reality, etc.

This is in relation to a only ball python which will climb over everything in an enclosure no matter where you put it. Any other reptile is a mute argument because a ball python is not any other reptile, they are curious noodles that like to crawl on anything dangerous just to mess with their owners.

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I don't see any light bulb in the viv to be fair .. that white flash at the top middle of the viv looks like a reflection of the main room light bulb , I'd guess ?

Also why all the hate for ceramics in cages ??

Am I missing something here I thought most of the guys in the US used ceramics in guards ( regulated by a thermostat of course ) ..??

Oh and digital temp guns are a must for any reptile keeper in my opinion.
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it the black metal cage at the top left in the cage. Ceramics IN cages is a hot mess...literally. That is common sense not to put hot things where a snake can touch them. In the US they sit on top of the cage OUTSIDE of it.

I've seen the "in cage" heat bulb setup both in the US as well as in other countries.

I don't think its a good idea. The cage around the bulb gets hot. Far hotter then even a overheated heat tape. Burn to a quick touch kind of hot. So yeah, if that could be replaced with a radiant heat panel or a outside heat bulb, that would be great.

I think the snake is stressed. That is a BIG change and a BIG cage with lots of open space. With the light sides and back plus the tall glass front, the snake might feel very exposed, despite the hides and some of the greenery.

What kind of setup was she in before ?

Here is an idea how you can make that cage seem more "private". When I had large display cages, I built my own removable shelfs. Basically a custom cut piece of wood on legs. You want it about half the height of the cage. And reaching about half way towards the front. You can also built a "corner" shelf or two like that. Basically you are cutting that "wide open" space into half, creating more of a "cave" like feeling for the snake.

As a bonus, once the snake feels more secure, they use the shelf to climb on top of and explore. You can get creative...you can fasten (NO TAPE) greenery along the edge of the shelf to hang down somewhat, or greenery on top. Even some natural driftwood can be used.

Its hard to see, but in this picture you can see a corner shelf I built for my display cage. I used custom cut wood and a piece of drift wood. I cut thick branches as "legs" and screwed them onto this. It covers the corner and is a bit longer on the long side. Jag LOVES it. He crawls under and over it and lately loves to drape himself on top while "watching" going ons.

Granted, when I moved him from his tub into this cage, he WAS stressed at first. Its a new enclosure, more size, and that can be scary at first. It took him a good 4 to 5 weeks to stop cruising for a way out. Now, after a few months, he is completely at ease.

With a shelf like this, it becomes even more crucial that you remove the bulb/cage, as it would become easier to reach for the snake and even a relatively short "touch" would burn it...

http://photos.imageevent.com/morgens...g/large/h4.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/morgens...g/large/c2.jpg

Even with a shelf like this, you keep your hides ! You can pull them halfway out from underneath the shelf or to the front. Basically, you want to fill out the dead space a bit..

http://photos.imageevent.com/morgens...g/large/c1.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/morgens...89254108_n.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/morgens...g/large/j2.jpg

All that said, just because a ceramic heat emitter is on the OUTSIDE doesn't always make it safe, either.

They are often in dome lamp, which is placed on a wire mesh that is on top of the cage. That wire mesh is not all that far from the heat emitter and can ALSO get very hot, much like that "cage" around the ceramic heat bulb.

Which is why I don't like heat bulbs of any kind with snakes. I think under tank heaters and radiant heat panels are a better choice.

The light you see in my pictures is purely for some "illumination". And it appears far brighter then it is. It is a VERY dull, low light, extremely low wattage tiny LED bulb ;) My dome doesn't even get slightly warm..