Very active Ball Python????

I have a BP who is very very active. I notice mostly that she comes out when I play my music in the house (which is fairly often), but besides that her tank has a warm and cool side, warm side is at 95-97, cool at around 80, humidity is good. I don't understand? Does she need to eat? I feed her every Wednesday. Should I be feeding her more often? She's at least 5 months old, I've never weighed her gram wise. I have a lot of things in her cage that allow her to climb and explore, is she just taking advantage of that? Please let me know because I'm pretty sure BPs aren't supposed to be this active.

The music shouldn't be an issue unless you have massive bass going on. They would feel the vibrations. Make sure you are feeding the right size. Unless they are really active during the day when they would normally be sleeping I wouldn't worry about it.

For starter your temperatures are too high 86/90 would be best, 92 at the very most. (That means measuring your temps with a DIGITAL thermometer on the surface of the substrate.)

After that it depends on security and whether the enclosure is appropriate based on the animal's size, the hides are tight, whether or not you are feeding enough etc. Without details hard to tell if there is something else in addition to temperatures.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by cletus

The music shouldn't be an issue unless you have massive bass going on. They would feel the vibrations. Make sure you are feeding the right size. Unless they are really active during the day when they would normally be sleeping I wouldn't worry about it.

---

That's the problem, she's active during the day. It's 12 pm where I am and she's been cruising around her tank all morning. We've been playing music, but I doubt it's loud enough to affect her. I usually have a lot of people in my house and when she hears them she'll periscope in her tank for as long as we're in her view just checkin us out, she's really social, she loves watching everybody, but sometimes I wonder if it's just too much going on.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steviesmomma

That's the problem, she's active during the day. It's 12 pm where I am and she's been cruising around her tank all morning. We've been playing music, but I doubt it's loud enough to affect her. I usually have a lot of people in my house and when she hears them she'll periscope in her tank for as long as we're in her view just checkin us out, she's really social, she loves watching everybody, but sometimes I wonder if it's just too much going on.

---

Maybe you should try experimenting? Process of elimination type thing. Where is the music playing from? If its a different room, you could close the door or stick to headphones for a day or two and see if that changes anything. If that doesn't work you could try putting a blanket over her cage to provide privacy for a while and peak in to see if she has chilled out?

Back to the temperature .... what kind of gadget are you using ?

A circular stick on the side thermometer or one of those rectangular ones with a wire and a probe on the end ??


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Coincidentally, a day after posting this her behavior is completely back to normal. Thank you all so much for all of your help and suggestions, I took all the advice I got and will use it for the future. :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zincubus

Back to the temperature .... what kind of gadget are you using ?

A circular stick on the side thermometer or one of those rectangular ones with a wire and a probe on the end ??


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

---

I use one of the circular ones you stick on the side of the tank

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steviesmomma

I use one of the circular ones you stick on the side of the tank

---

You need a digital thermometer those are very inaccurate and you need to lower those Temps if they are really that high when you take a reading with a reliable thermometer.

Temp reading should be done with a digital thermometer on the surface of your substrate.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

You need a digital thermometer those are very inaccurate and you need to lower those Temps if they are really that high when you take a reading with a reliable thermometer.

Temp reading should be done with a digital thermometer on the surface of your substrate.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

---

As above really ..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

You need a digital thermometer those are very inaccurate and you need to lower those Temps if they are really that high when you take a reading with a reliable thermometer.

Temp reading should be done with a digital thermometer on the surface of your substrate.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

---

Are they only available online, or would I be able to find one at a local pet store? If so I'll get one today. And also, is there a specific brand/thermometer you prefer over the rest?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steviesmomma

I use one of the circular ones you stick on the side of the tank

---

Just as I feared , more and more newbies are being conned into buying those completely useless stick on plastic thermometers . You can buy a digital thermometer with a wired probe for about 3 dollars which will do the job AND when you get chance get a 14 dollar digital thermometer / temperature gun ( both off eBay ) . The temp guns are great for taking accurate readings in the vivs , checking warm spots and cool areas ...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zincubus

Just as I feared , more and more newbies are being conned into buying those completely useless stick on plastic thermometers . You can buy a digital thermometer with a wired probe for about 3 dollars which will do the job AND when you get chance

---

Do these monitor humidity as well? Or are they purely for temperature?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steviesmomma

Do these monitor humidity as well? Or are they purely for temperature?

---

There are some of them with wired probes that also show the humidity , they're usually a dollar or two more . I'm not sure how accurate the humidity readings are tbh though .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zincubus

There are some of them with wired probes that also show the humidity , they're usually a dollar or two more . I'm not sure how accurate the humidity readings are tbh though .

---

Well then here comes my next question: How do you properly monitor humidity? Is there a completely different device or do you just take the chances with the digital thermometers that come with the humidity monitor?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steviesmomma

Are they only available online, or would I be able to find one at a local pet store? If so I'll get one today. And also, is there a specific brand/thermometer you prefer over the rest?

---

All you need is something like this https://www.amazon.com/LingsFire-Dig...ter+hygrometer sold in any store like walmart home depot etc for $10/$15 there are several brands , you put the display on one end the probe on the other and you get reading for both side + humidity

I personally prefer a temp gun myself and take random reading daily.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steviesmomma

Are they only available online, or would I be able to find one at a local pet store? If so I'll get one today. And also, is there a specific brand/thermometer you prefer over the rest?

---

Try your local hardware store, I got ours at Home Depot, IIRC in the tool corral. You may find them at pet or kitchen stores, but probably for more than at a hardware store.

Reptile Basics has a nice article about temp guns and what to look for:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/tempgun-faq

The key is to look at what the temperature/error range is and the effective distance - so one that is (pulling numbers out of the air!) +/- 2 degrees is better than one that's +/- 10 degrees; and one with a useful range of only 4-6" away is less useful than one with a range of 6-36".

And remember that if you try using one through glass/clear plastic you'll be getting the temperature of the side nearest to you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What Prognathadon said. A temp gun is indespensible, and that article cited is very helpful. I use mine multiple times daily. If you think you are getting strange reading, test the gun against the palm of your hand. Surface skin temp is high eighties F.