Ball Python Temperature Too Low!

So my cold side is my problem. It sits around 73F and doesn't move. No matter what I do it doesn't rise. My hot side is golden but my cold isn't. I realize for a Ball Python the cold side has to be in the lower to mid 80's and I worry that is to low and could cause and infection or something. I thought maybe I could buy another heat pad to heat up the cold side a bit. I told my father and he said since the water dish is on the cold side, all start evaporating the water and making it really humid. I have no idea what to do I have the opportunity to get one in a couple of days and it would be nice to get it then. All answers appreciated!

Raise the temperature of the room if it's a tub or rack, if it's a tank or vivarium switch to a bulb or ceramic for the hot side this will raise the ambient temp on the cold side. :gj:

Well it's a tub and it's in my room. I'm 16 so I don't have a separate room or anything and my parents will not let me raise my room temperature or house temperature. Any other ideas? Thanks!

Space heater :gj:

Putting it in a closet might help, if it fits.

Covering the sides can keep some heat to if it is an open side rack.

I second the closet thing - it makes a difference. Just be careful of your hot surfaces and make sure there's room around the tank or rack for air to circulate.

First off heat pads do nothing for cool side temperatures. They only heat surfaces not the air in the cage (which is equally important)

You can try to insulate the tub. I've even seen a few people suspend a heat lamp (50-75 watt infrared bulb) above a single tub to help raise the air temps. If you can't raise the air temp you might need to switch cage types. A PVC reptile cage or even a glass tank will be better if you can provide proper temps and humidity. This is the biggest downfall of heat pads and tubs that nobody seems to mention when they claim that tubs are the best way to house BP's.

So what's the right bulb wattage/color for a BP? I don't want to shine a white light in its cage 24/7. I suppose I could get what I need at Lowe's for that?

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Originally Posted by Tricon7

So what's the right bulb wattage/color for a BP? I don't want to shine a white light in its cage 24/7. I suppose I could get what I need at Lowe's for that?

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Get a ceramic heat emitter bulb (pet store). It will give you heat without any light.

I was also thinking of getting a like Kingsnake like a California or Mexican Black Kingsnake. I really love that Jet black look from the MBK not that I have no interest for Ball Pythons I'm sure they are terrific pets just the temperatures are lower for a kingsnake. And instead of me even spending more money to try and get my temperatures up I was thinking of getting something more suited to my environment. And I might run into problems later on that could be more severe to the Ball Python than the Kingsnake. I just want to get a snake that I am 100% confident of taking proper care of it and giving it a good home.

Last fall "Santa" brought my daughter a Pueblan Milk snake. We had to stash him in another room for the week prior to Christmas. Unfortunately the room is a store room and pretty cold, about 68 over the winter. We kept the little guy comfy by wrapping the outside and top of his tub in styrofoam panels and duct tape to insulate it. It looked awful but it worked.

Your local grocery store should sell "beer coolers" for about $5-10 that you can cut up for this purpose.

We also have both a MBK and Cali King. They spend most of their time right at the 80* point in their vivs so you'll have the same heating issue.

Insulate the tub like others have said, just be careful you don't create a fire hazard in the process.

My cool side temps have been in the 74-76 degree range for 2 years with no ill effects. Even in the summer in Africa the average low temps are around 75. The temps are guidelines. These snakes have been living for thousands of years. This is not a delicate alien species being cultured in a sterile vacuum sealed environment. What's important is that you offer a heat gradient. The snake knows how to regulate its own temp by going back and forth.

I quote this chart that I do not own regularly when this question comes up:
http://74.54.19.227/GHP/img/pics/60806502.gif



Picture from http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePag...hy/climate.php

Second small Heat pat with Dimmer should solve your Problem :gj: