Pinkish Belly, Doesn't sit on UTH side?

The substrate in my terrarium is a little bit damp (like its a little bit wet to the touch, but not really) and I've noticed she doesn't like to sit on the side of the UTH at all, even after eating.
The ambient temps in there get to be around 87 on the warm side then 75-78 on the cooler side. She always sits in the hide thats to the right of this picture, the UTH is underneath the small cave on the left like this:
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...%2FxjadeYg.jpg

I've added a little bit of coco husk from this picture to keep up humidity but does this seem fine? The left side hide is where the UTH is under and she always
likes to hide in the corner pictured there, no matter if she has eaten or not. Is the night blue light too much? It heats the ambient temp up and without it the whole terrarium sits at around 73-75F in ambient temp.. I got it because she hasn't used the UTH side at all during the day and I worry that she'll get too cold. at night i generally see her on the branch near the top,
but I've noticed she only really does that when its near food time. this is a 18x12x12 exo terrarium.

I was just hoping/making sure it wasn't due to early signs of scale rot, she doesn't have many or any signs of shedding yet but her belly from the middle to the end is getting a little pinkish. I can take pictures of her belly tomorrow before feeding, but it's not really a grand pink, its more like her belly scales are blushing in a pink shade apart from her normal white/beige. Otherwise her behavior has been pretty good, likes to explore a bit and squeezes my hand as i hold her (maybe for warmth?). I'm an over panicking, new snake mom but I always like to be safe than sorry!

Could just be going into shed. When was the last time it shed?

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

Could just be going into shed. When was the last time it shed?

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I'm not sure haha, this is actually the 2nd week I've had her. I've noticed the pink is only on the bottom half of her body. I'm going to the small reptile store I got her from tomorrow and
I'll probably ask them when she had her last shed.

A slightly pinkish belly usually is indicative of an impeding shed cycle.


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Some questions and observations:

1. Are you measuring temperature just above the UTH on the tank side?
2. Do you have a thermostat controlling the UTH?
3. Are you measuring humidity?
4. What are you using to take your temperature measurements?
5. You should have identical hides - he may just not like the hide over the UTH and is choosing security over comfort.
6. A light at night is not required. If you do want a light, I find red to be better since they don't seem able to see that part of the light spectrum. But you really should be able to get the right temps with the UTH. Ambient temps of 73-75 are fine as long as the belly heat is 87-90°. It'll be a little warmer in the hide since the heat gets trapped some.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

Some questions and observations:

1. Are you measuring temperature just above the UTH on the tank side?
2. Do you have a thermostat controlling the UTH?
3. Are you measuring humidity?
4. What are you using to take your temperature measurements?
5. You should have identical hides - he may just not like the hide over the UTH and is choosing security over comfort.
6. A light at night is not required. If you do want a light, I find red to be better since they don't seem able to see that part of the light spectrum. But you really should be able to get the right temps with the UTH. Ambient temps of 73-75 are fine as long as the belly heat is 87-90°. It'll be a little warmer in the hide since the heat gets trapped some.


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1.Yea, right above the UTH (using a temp gun) its at about 85/88, on the higher half of the tank it goes to about 95 in ambient air temps. The belly heat on the hide shes sitting in is about 75ish though and ambients are generally in the 80 range.
2. I do not.
3. Yes, its steadily in the 50-55% range, and sometimes drops to 40% if the water bowl is empty.
4. An instant temperature gun.
5. I may go back and buy another one of the same kind my next trip tomorrow when I get her mouse, hopefully they have another one. The strangest thing though is that the hide that is currently on the UTH side is the same type of hide they had in the enclosure she was sold in. Though, she was with another 2 baby BPs, I'm not sure if they fight over territory as such though.
6. I was going to get a ceramic one if the ambient temps were necessary, I'm thinking maybe the ambient light makes the UTH hide too hot since it traps heat from both sides? Still I'm not even sure cause as the light is on and the UTH is on, the inside of the hide is about 86-88. 83 if you point the gun directly into the cypress mulch. I feel like I have her setup rather correct even though I don't have a thermostat, but I'm just so unsure since she just wont use the 2nd warm hide at all.

It sounds like your temp gun is showing 85/88 on top of the substrate. If you push the substrate aside and measure the bottom surface of your tank it will be much hotter. That's where you need your temp to not exceed 90 since your snake can lay on that surface if it chooses. You also need a thermostat to regulate your UTH temp.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

It sounds like your temp gun is showing 85/88 on top of the substrate. If you push the substrate aside and measure the bottom surface of your tank it will be much hotter. That's where you need your temp to not exceed 90 since your snake can lay on that surface if it chooses. You also need a thermostat to regulate your UTH temp.


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Gotcha, I'm just still worried about the fact she won't even chose to go on that side at all still, non the less dig her way down into it. If it becomes a problem when she begins to dig into it I will buy a thermostat, but for now its mostly just the problem of her not using that side of the tank at all still.

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Originally Posted by Fae

Gotcha, I'm just still worried about the fact she won't even chose to go on that side at all still, non the less dig her way down into it. If it becomes a problem when she begins to dig into it I will buy a thermostat, but for now its mostly just the problem of her not using that side of the tank at all still.

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In my mind, common sense would tell me she's not going to that side for a reason. Try switching the hides and see if she follows the hide or stays in cool end. If she stays, it's probably too hot on the warm side. Get a thermostat now. For the safety of your snake.


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My guess is it's too hot.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

My guess is it's too hot.


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Do you think its too hot cause of the blue light? Maybe I'll try turning it off for a night and see if she goes into the hide. a lot of heat gets trapped in there though cause of the light shining down and then also the UTH.. ill take the temp of the glass at the bottom tomorrow morning, its sitting up like 1 and a half inches of substrate

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Originally Posted by Fae

Gotcha, I'm just still worried about the fact she won't even chose to go on that side at all still, non the less dig her way down into it. If it becomes a problem when she begins to dig into it I will buy a thermostat, but for now its mostly just the problem of her not using that side of the tank at all still.

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Go ahead and buy the thermostat before she begins to dig. It literally the most important thing you can buy for your BP. If you set up a thermostat to give you, say, 88-89 directly on the glass, she's more likely to use that hot side hide. Right now, I can pretty much promise you, she is too hot.

You've set up a great looking cage. Now it just needs to be properly temp-controlled, which will make it much better.

Definitely get the thermostat now. They can and will burrow.

So I've took the temperature of the UTH at the bottom of the glass... 100F!
Yikes. But yeah the 83-85 reading is at the top of the substrate (theres about like 1 1/2 or 2 inches of substrate seperating the two.)

Probably going to pick up a thermostat now, or order a nice one online if the store doesn't have any that shuts off the heating pad.
Is there one anyone could recommend?

Keep the glass at 93, no higher. And lower the depth of the substrate to a HALF INCH over the hotspot. I almost guarantee, that will help.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fae

So I've took the temperature of the UTH at the bottom of the glass... 100F!
Yikes. But yeah the 83-85 reading is at the top of the substrate (theres about like 1 1/2 or 2 inches of substrate seperating the two.)

Probably going to pick up a thermostat now, or order a nice one online if the store doesn't have any that shuts off the heating pad.
Is there one anyone could recommend?

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Ok... keep the glass at 93, no higher. And lower the substrate level OVER THE HOTSPOT to no more than a half inch... i almost guarantee you that will help.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fae

Probably going to pick up a thermostat now, or order a nice one online if the store doesn't have any that shuts off the heating pad.
Is there one anyone could recommend?

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Not sure what your budget is, but some of the cheaper ones that many people use are:

Jumpstart:
https://www.amazon.com/MTPRTC-ETL-Ce...art+thermostat

Inkbird:
https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Tempe...ile+thermostat

If you want to get fancy and have more money to spend, a HerpStat is a great choice:
http://www.spyderrobotics.com/index....=index&cPath=1

The Herpstat will offer higher accuracy and is a proportional thermostat. This means that it will gradually adjust the power to your heat source in order to maintain a near constant temperature. The other two will turn off completely when you reach the desired temperature. When your temperature drops about 2° they will turn back on until your heat source reaches temperature again.

When you do get your thermostat, make sure you place the thermostat probe between the heat pad and your tank. DO NOT place the thermostat probe inside your tank as your snake can move or bump it resulting in inconsistent heating.

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Originally Posted by BPGator

When you do get your thermostat, make sure you place the thermostat probe between the heat pad and your tank. DO NOT place the thermostat probe inside your tank as your snake can move or bump it resulting in inconsistent heating.

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Wait.. Is the Heatpad supposed to go onto the table? I have it stuck to the bottom of the enclosure itself..... Maybe this is the main reason why its so hot haha.
Theres about a half inch in between the table and the enclosure itself for ventilation as I've read, but i guess it didnt occur to me to put the heatpad on the table .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fae

So I've took the temperature of the UTH at the bottom of the glass... 100F!
Yikes. But yeah the 83-85 reading is at the top of the substrate (theres about like 1 1/2 or 2 inches of substrate seperating the two.)

Probably going to pick up a thermostat now, or order a nice one online if the store doesn't have any that shuts off the heating pad.
Is there one anyone could recommend?

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. Wow! Be careful also bc the pinkish coloration on the ball python's belly may already be a burn injury. Be sure to keep an eye on how it does or doesn't progress and or worsen.

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Originally Posted by Albert Clark

. Wow! Be careful also bc the pinkish coloration on the ball python's belly may already be a burn injury. Be sure to keep an eye on how it does or doesn't progress and or worsen.

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I don't think it's a burn injury mainly because she hasn't even dug at all into the warm hide yet. I check it every day to see if she has and to no avail its the same depth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fae

Wait.. Is the Heatpad supposed to go onto the table? I have it stuck to the bottom of the enclosure itself..... Maybe this is the main reason why its so hot haha.
Theres about a half inch in between the table and the enclosure itself for ventilation as I've read, but i guess it didnt occur to me to put the heatpad on the table .

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The heat mat does NOT go on the table.
The heat mat is doing exactly what it is made to do...... Get hot.
All heat sources should be regulated.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h1...psqcouxfgn.jpg

BTW IF you can get it back off the tank without damaging the element you can make it moveable with some foil/aluminum tape.
Cover the entire mat with the tape ,sticky side to sticky side.
Now you will then use the foil tape around the edge to tape it back to the tank with your thermostat probe between the two.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

The heat mat does NOT go on the table.
The heat mat is doing exactly what it is made to do...... Get hot.
All heat sources should be regulated.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...psqcouxfgn.jpg

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Oh I know it's supposed to get hot of course! It's just people on the forum have been saying that the heat -> glass temperature is too high if she decides to burrow (which is 100F right now if you dig to the very bottom of the substrate, 1 1/2 inches).
I had a misunderstanding as if the pad was supposed to go onto the desk then it heats up from there to the tank (which would make sense if the heat source isn't supposed to be directly on the tank itself and therefore would be at lower temperatures people recommended, 90-93).

So the probe for the thermostat should be in between the UTH and the glass, I'm not sure if I'm able to take the stick off of it, but I will try once I get home.