New Ball Python Owner, need advice pleasee.

I got my new baby Ball Python yesterday and I chose her because she was lovely and friendly. When I first held her she was totally calm and happy to be held. Since I got her home till now, she hasn't been in her hide. I'm keeping her in a faunarium with the correct floor material (bark), large water bowl, good sized hide and an ordinary under floor heat mat that covers half the faunarium. I changed her water and she was totally fine with my hand being in there and I held her to show her where her hide was. When I held her she didn't seem stressed at all, she wasn't in a ball and was happy to be held. She explores her hide but dosn't settle in there. I'm really confused because she dosn't seem really stressed. Need advice please D:
P.s - I think the temperature is ok, maybe the bark is too thick? not sure help

You need a tstat to regulate the temp of the uth. The substrate then needs to be about 1/4 inch. What kind of bark is it? Bark can usually be moved rather easy and the snake can lay directly on the cage floor that WILL be to hot with a unregulated uth, which can really hurt your snake.

When you say good size hide do you mean it is a good size for the snake or good size as in large. It needs to be snug for your ball. Touching all sides is usually what you want.

You say you think the temp is good which means you don't know them, right? You need to monitor the temps. Best case is being able to monitor ambient and surface throughout the cage. A good mounted thermometer and a IR thermometer are great tools for this hobby.

I have a thermometer but I worry about it's accuracy haha. My thermometer says its about 70 near the cool side. So if its too hot or cold, how can you alter heat with a uth? Thinking about it my bark is quite thick so it might help. I got the small hide but it has quite a big opening, I have a smaller one for my corn snake so I could swap them.
Thank you.

A uth does not effect your ambient temps. Below 76 is getting way to low. You will need to add a heat lamp, radiant heat panel, or heat the room to raise your ambient temps. I don't know what kind of cage that is you have so I don't know the best thing to suggest.

Okay, thank you very much, I will take some bark out (as I have about an inch) and see how the temperature improves tomorrow.

Removing substrate is not a smart move. Without a thermostat the uth is WAY to HOT and removing the substrate will allow more heat to reach the snake and could badly burn your snake.

Your uth is NOT going to raise your temps. You need another heat source. Removing the substrate is not going to do anything but put your snake at greater risk.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

Okay, What do you suggest? I'm unable to fit a heat lamp in. I can't get anything right now because they are closed but what could I get? And can you just get ordinary thermostats in supermarkets?
Sorry about this, he's my first ball.

If a heat lamp will not fit you may need to get a radiant heat panel ( http://www.pro-products.com/index.ph...d=55&Itemid=59 ). This will also require a thermostat (tstat). I love these http://www.spyderrobotics.com/store/ .

I would highly doubt you will find a good tstat loacally or be able to get a proper rhp.

Post a pic or link of what the cage you have is so I can give you a suggestion.

I have one of my balls in an exo terra tank and use a heat emitter to raise the ambient temp. The heat emitters are better than the heat lights imo because you can leave them on all day and night without interrupting the animal's light cycle. Even with a heat emitter though you need to have a way to control it because they get very HOT. I use a lamp dimmer to control the heat emitter and a thermostat to control the UTH. You can find most of what you need at http://www.reptilebasics.com/. You should be able to find a lamp dimmer at your local walmart or hardware store.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BlueMoonExotics

I have one of my balls in an exo terra tank and use a heat emitter to raise the ambient temp. The heat emitters are better than the heat lights imo because you can leave them on all day and night without interrupting the animal's light cycle. Even with a heat emitter though you need to have a way to control it because they get very HOT. I use a lamp dimmer to control the heat emitter and a thermostat to control the UTH. You can find most of what you need at http://www.reptilebasics.com/. You should be able to find a lamp dimmer at your local walmart or hardware store.

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Sounds like you are talking about a ceramic heat element. They are great but just like a heat bulb would need to have a cage around the unit if ever used inside a cage. I have one that runs 24/7 and just hit a year old.

Yes it's a ceramic heat emitter in a deep dome lamp. No it's not in the tank as I know she could easily burn herself that way. I guess I should have specified that since it's a new bp keeper. It's above the tank since the tops of the exo terra tanks are screen tops and allow heat through. She'll be moving into a rack eventually but for now she appreciates being able to climb on her stick. She's thinks she's arboreal :D.

Thanks everyone, I know you said not to take any bark out but I did go over the top with it so I took a little bit out with hope that it will raise the temp a bit. I got a everyday thermometer until tomorrow, when I can get a thermostat. :)

Why ask for help and then not listen? Your uth is not going to raise the temp and your actions could really harm or KILL your snake.

Google burned snake and see the nice pictures of the harm done by unregulated uth's. Its not pretty and very costly. Depending on what uth you have it can easily reach temps over 120 and some substrates hold the heat very well and can cause even hotter temps.

I know I understand that but my uth is not hot at all, thats why my faunarium is only about 73 (the hot side). When I said I went over the top, I did put a lot in and you said about 1/4 of an inch is good so I've checked, shes very safe because the floor really isn't hot at all. But tomorrow I'm going to get a better uth and put some more bark in to be safe. I assure you, I wouldn't put her in any danger.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mcrflo

I know I understand that but my uth is not hot at all, thats why my faunarium is only about 73 (the hot side). When I said I went over the top, I did put a lot in and you said about 1/4 of an inch is good so I've checked, shes very safe because the floor really isn't hot at all. But tomorrow I'm going to get a better uth and put some more bark in to be safe. I assure you, I wouldn't put her in any danger.

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It may not feel hot to the touch but it still could be hot enough to burn your snake. Regardless, your temps are too low and them being too cold could result in your snake getting ill (like coming down with a respiratory infection) that can be costly to treat.

Have you looked at the BP caresheet yet?

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mcrflo

I know I understand that but my uth is not hot at all, thats why my faunarium is only about 73 (the hot side). When I said I went over the top, I did put a lot in and you said about 1/4 of an inch is good so I've checked, shes very safe because the floor really isn't hot at all. But tomorrow I'm going to get a better uth and put some more bark in to be safe. I assure you, I wouldn't put her in any danger.

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What feels warm to us compared to them is very different. It can feel cool or warm to you but can easily be to hot for a snake.

You keep saying the uth is the reason its to cool. ITS NOT THE REASON. The uth is for a hotspot not your ait temp.

You may just need to add a florescent lamp to the cage ceiling. I'm guessing your cage is a box type but since you are not helping me help you I'm left guessing.

You say you wouldn't put your snake in danger but you are. You came here for help so take the advice you asked for.

I'm sorry okay, I've put the right measurement of bark in and I understand now that it can't heat it but I was just panicking because I didn't want my snake to be too cold. I have defiantly put plenty of bark in now so she is safe. I really do appreciate your advice, I was just a bit stuck with too hot and too cold at the time. I will go down to my local reptile store where I know a guy that can help me out with the heating. I'm sorry and thank you for all the advise, I understand.

In my experience it's been impossible to find a thermostat at any of the pet shops. Maybe you'll have better luck in your area but I kind of doubt it. Maybe they might be able to special order them for you if you ask but you will probably pay a higher price than you would online at the link I gave you and it could take longer to get to you as well. Either way good luck with your snake and I hope all goes well for you both.

Good deal.

It is a balance when it comes to heating. As long as you don't keep the ball to low for to long you will be good. Having it to hot the damage can be done much faster and imo be much worse.

You will always find help here but you got me frustrated when you didn't not seem to grasp what I was saying.

Good luck and welcome to the hobby.

You may be surprised with the UTH temperature. Go to Walmart and get a thermometer with a probe. Put the probe over the hotspot (check both underneath the substrate and over it) and look at the temperatures. A stick on dial thermometer on the cage wall won't tell you the hotspot temperature. Also controlling the substrate isn't the answer, controlling the UTH is. Get a thermostat to control it. As said, a Ceramic Heat Emitter will help with ambient. The UTH can raise the ambient temperatures, but it is going to boil the floor and burn your snake.

Here's a picture of a burned snake:
http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/data/16376BallBurn.jpg
That's really not something you want to mess with. Grab a lamp dimmer with a plug on the cord until you can purchase a thermostat. You can measure the UTH temperature with the thermometer probe, and adjust (very light touches on the lamp dimmer).