Ball python climbing on glass doors

My ball python has recently been climbing on the glass doors of his viv but has also been climbing on the branches and around the rest of his viv. He has also stopped eating for about a month. He is roaming his viv in the day and resting all night. Is he ok?

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roaming is a sign of stress, of which there can be many causes. first cause could be your husbandry: how old is the snake? what are you feeding it? what are your temps/humidity and how are you measuring them? are heat sources regulated?

answering these questions can get us on the right track to helping you.

My snake is 4 years old, I am feeding it large weiner rats once every 10 days, my Temps are 87 hot side and 78 cold, my temp gun just broke so that is the ambient temp, the heat source isn't regulated

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Originally Posted by bugginben

My snake is 4 years old, I am feeding it large weiner rats once every 10 days, my Temps are 87 hot side and 78 cold, my temp gun just broke so that is the ambient temp, the heat source isn't regulated

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weener rats are probably pushing too small for that snake...

what type of heat source are you using, and how are you keeping steady temps if its unregulated? I'd also bump those temps by a few degrees and get a tstat for whatever you are using to regulate your heat source. The snake is stressed if its roaming especially in daylight.

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Originally Posted by bugginben

the heat source isn't regulated

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ALL sources of heat MUST be regulated: this is non-negotiable. what is your heat source: UTH, bulb, both? regardless, UNPLUG THEM IMMEDIATELY. an unregulated UTH can easily reach over 100° and will kill your snake. Lowe's sells dimmers for about $15 (i'll post a link later) or you can buy a Jump Start thermostat from Amazon for about the same price.

https://vimeo.com/201865626
Short video of what he is doing

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Originally Posted by bugginben

https://vimeo.com/201865626
Short video of what he is doing

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is there only one hide in there? on the hot side? You need a hide on the cool side too if there isn't one. That snake is stressed for sure, I'd immediately check your temps, ambient and hot.

I can't say he ok or isn't ok but I can say after 29 years of snakes that has happened to mine. Every now and then one gets a little funny for a couple days and does some odd stress related things. Who is to say whats going on in his mind or NOT going on for that matter hahaha. If nothings changed "Hides/Heat/Water Bowl/Feed" then i'd watch him and see if it doesnt stop after a few days... Ive had this happen and all the sudden they would pass old cold for a couple days and then be back on schedule by the following week which is up and climbing by 8pm every night until 1-2am or so... :)

https://vimeo.com/201867155
Could putting a hide there be ok, that is as far over as I can get it

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Originally Posted by bugginben

Could putting a hide there be ok, that is as far over as I can get it

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absolutely. buy the exact hide you have in there already and place it on the other side. that way they won't have to choose between security and regulation if they have a preference to a certain hide.

(pretty snake, btw! :))

I had a spare one of them hides

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The same one as one the hot side

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Originally Posted by bugginben

The same one as one the hot side

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perfect!

Thank you

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Oh yeah what regulator for you recommend for the bulb

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Originally Posted by bugginben

Oh yeah what regulator for you recommend for the bulb

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i don't use bulbs so idk what would work best; hopefully someone else will chime in.
however i'd maybe place a blanket over the front of the enclosure to try and give the snake some security for the time being, until they settle down. i just moved Yellow into a T8 not too long ago and he was doing the same thing as yours is now. for a couple days i put dark fabric over the front so he could feel secure figuring out his new space. took a couple days but he settled in.

Ok will look online for a good regulator, thanks and would tell you my surface temperature but amazon sent the wrong item instead of my new temp gun so

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Originally Posted by bugginben

Oh yeah what regulator for you recommend for the bulb

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I don't use Bulbs but I do have a CHE on my quarantine enclosure and I use a $15 dimmer from lowes and have the Probe thermometer in the enclosure. I use Herpstat 2's on my Display enclosures and yes they are expensive $195 but they regulate 2 sources. It can be a Heat mat and a Bulb/CHE/RHP ect...or if you use Radiant Heat Panels like I do i can regulate 2 enclosures :)
if money is slow right now grab a dimmer or a JumpStart Tstat off Amazon. Ive never used one but others have. Better than nothing. Here is a dimmer i use.
https://m.lowes.com/pd/Lutron-Creden...Dimmer/4462387

I've had thermometers go wonky. after incubating eggs I've come to appreciate having two or three thermometers to cross reference, in case one is off. it's good to check thermometers off of one you know to be accurate from time to time.

as for heat lamps, I've given up on them, they require so much ventilation that controlling the humidity gets to be quite a game of crazy making.