Please respond asap

So I had no idea that I needed a thermostat with a UTH (I know now, I'm getting one tomorrow) and I'm really worried my snake might be burned.... But what do I do in the meantime? Is it safe for the snake to unplug it? I don't have a heat lamp so I'm worried about the temp dropping too much. I obviously don't want to injure her more.... What do I do?!?!

So I had no idea that I needed a thermostat with a UTH (I know now, I'm getting one tomorrow) and I'm really worried my snake might be burned.... But what do I do in the meantime? Is it safe for the snake to unplug it? I don't have a heat lamp so I'm worried about the temp dropping too much. I obviously don't want to injure her more.... What do I do?!?!

Hey Shelby, I have a new python as well and am sorting through the various husbandry concerns, reading a lot online and learning as much as I can also.

Is your snake burned, or are you just concerned? Do you think you could post a picture of her so more experienced forum members could advise you?

if you have a clip lamp and a screen-topped terrarium, you might want to set the clip lamp up above your tank (on the other side of the screen from your snake so she doesn't get burned by a hot bulb) until you get a thermostat for your pad. I used a 75 watt red bulb for a few days until I got my ceramic heat emitter and UTH set up, and it held my girl Vesper over quite nicely.

I don't have a lamp, that's why I don't want to unplug the UTH. I'm pretty sure she's burned because her belly is REALLY pink and I thought it was just because she looks like she's about to shed, but I think it's too pink for that. Also she's been in her water dish a lot today. I'll upload a picture ASAP. If she even let's me take her out, she's been pretty grumpy the last 2 days (another reason I thought she was just shedding)

Increase ambient heat in room and unplug until you get the thermostat.....you could place a heater next to enclosure for now.....and I am prett sure most people have to order their thermostats online. You could use a dimmmer switch until the thermostat arrives. You would just need to monitor the floor temp closely with a heat gun.

Cut a piece of plexiglass the full size of the tank bottom as an added thermal barrier and see what your temps are in the hottest area. You will likely be fine.

Ball pythons in shed will use their water dish sometimes. I would up the humidity maybe.

Unless the ambient temperature of your room is below 65, don't worry about heat and unplug the UTH until you can get a thermostat or at least a rheostat to control it. If it is going to be longer than a day or so then raise the temps in your house to at least 72 and get something as soon as you can. You can go a easily go a couple days in the 70s without risk of an RI, but unregulated UTH, you can't go 10 minutes without the risk of a serious burn.

Both threads have been combined, please don't make more than one thread about the same subject.

Unplug your UTH. Read the care sheet. Hope for the best and that its a shed.
What is the ambient temp of the room? Can you warm the entire room?

- - - Updated - - -

I forgot, to post a photo you need to upload to a hosting site like photobucket and then post the direct link here.

So I got my thermometer (the thermostat is coming in the mail tomorrow) and put the probe directly over the UTH and it says it's 88 degrees. I've been only plugging in the UTH at night because it gets in the 50s where I live but like I said, it hasn't been getting too hot. She is definitely in shed because her eyes are milky blue. Thank you for responding everyone!

i have one other question; for feeding, I have a separate tub thing so when I feed her, do I leave her in that tub for a certain amount of time? Because I know you're not really supposed to move them right after feeding.

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Originally Posted by blah_shelby

i have one other question; for feeding, I have a separate tub thing so when I feed her, do I leave her in that tub for a certain amount of time? Because I know you're not really supposed to move them right after feeding.

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The cons of feeding in a separate tub outweigh the pros of doing so. Just feed her in her own cage and you're likely to have the best results, since you don't have to move her at all. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

The cons of feeding in a separate tub outweigh the pros of doing so. Just feed her in her own cage and you're likely to have the best results, since you don't have to move her at all. :)

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I'm just worried about her thinking my hand is food if I feed her in her tank.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by blah_shelby

I'm just worried about her thinking my hand is food if I feed her in her tank.

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Just make sure your hand doesn't smell like food when you put it in there, and don't reach in there on feeding day unless you're going in rat first (preferably with tongs). The majority of bites come when they're already in feeding mode and people try to move them at that time. This is what leads to people thinking they've created an aggressive animal by feeding it in their cage. There's a HUGE difference between a good feeding response and an aggressive animal.

I have no problems feeding 100% of my animals in their own cages and have no issues when I handle them during the rest of the week. I'm sure you'll discover the same. :)

Edit: This big girl is as gentle as a puppy dog. I'm not about to try and reach my hand in and move her to a separate tub on feeding day though. ;)
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s...823_213642.jpg

I took some pictures of her belly....

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/...ps2ef11f49.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/...ps60de8664.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/...ps6076dba2.jpg

Definitely looks like a burn..... :(

That looks like it's just pink. Just like its about to go into shed. I I don't see any sort of scaring or scales actually being flaked off. You sure it's not going into shed?


Sent from iPhone 5 using tapatalk :)

Update on her: her belly returned to a normal color after about a week. Her scales are just starting to come off so hopefully all goes well.

If husbandry (humidity and temperature specifically) is right, scales don't come off individually. Please read the following post regarding the shedding process: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...edding-Process