Constant Roaming

[Haxle]

So my bp Talia has been doing laps in her tank day and night without much stopping throughout the last week. She's not really going in her hides anymore. She's in a 31x12x18 long tank with paper towel substrate. Temps are 90 hot side, 83 cool side. Using a heat lamp as the source of heat, manually controlled. (if its a good idea i can get a thermostat) Humidity is at 40%. Measuring temps and humidity with Acurite thermometer with probe. I've tried the following things over the last week:


2 hides
1 hide
Big water bowl
Small water bowl
raising temp
lowering temp
feeding (adult rat, refused)
bathing (she pooped but didn't stop roaming)
covering all sides with black paper
leaving glass exposed
checking for mites (negative)
checking for RI (breathing is good, pink mouth)


only things left I can think of is the tank is too small (she's a little over 3 feet and about 2 lbs I think) she's currently in a 20 gallon long that she's been in since she was a baby.


Other thing is the bulb is too bright and bothering her cycle, but I've used these lamps before without her acting up. I also tested putting her in her 'cleaning bin' (a plastic bin with ventilation and a heating pad in a dark, quiet room) but that did not help.


Any help/advice/input is GREATLY appreciated; I hate to see her so stressed out!

[Haxle]

Update: I had her weighed and she's 1270 grams

[SRMD]

What kind of hides do you use?

How do you measure temps?

BP's not hiding is usually a sign of stress.

What color bulb do you use?

[Haxle]

Both hides are plastic; one is a dog bowl with a hole carved in the side (she used to use that one) and the other one is a large hide from reptile Basics. As I said in my OP I'm using a acurite thermometer with probe. The bulb is suppose to be a night bulb but it's a relatively light purple.


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[SRMD]

Both hides are plastic; one is a dog bowl with a hole carved in the side (she used to use that one) and the other one is a large hide from reptile Basics. As I said in my OP I'm using a acurite thermometer with probe. The bulb is suppose to be a night bulb but it's a relatively light purple.


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Are the hides of a nice snug fit?

As anything changed recently?
have you moved his enclosure to a new location?
can you think of anything at all that you may have changed?

[Haxle]

Hides fit her pretty well, they're definitely not too big. Her enclosure has been in the same place for the last few years. The only change I can think of was that she is kept in what used to be our bedroom, but we've moved our bed elsewhere and that room is now an office of sorts, but there's no more or less activity in the room she's kept in, and she's exhibiting the same behavior while we're sleeping too (I poke my head in during the night and she's still roaming)


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[SRMD]

I think it would be best to stop all handling. Maybe try and find a bulb that gives off no light? I use a CHE.

Make sure the enclosure is nice and clean, and try clustering it some more. Make your BP feel safe.

Also, if kept in a glass tank. You could try covering the sides and the back, with some sort of black material, so the only way you can see into the tank is from the front.

[Haxle]

Ok.

This is her current setup. I'll look into getting a CHE and I already ordered a thermostat (I live in MN so I'm concerned the temps are fluctuating when I'm at work)


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[SRMD]

Your temps are not controlled by a thermostat?


Good info about glass tanks have a read:
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-With-Pictures!

[Haxle]

They are not currently and never have been, but having read on this forum recently I purchased one (now I know the care sheet at petco was useless) there's not a UTH hooked up, just a bulb, but I can look into getting a UTH when the thermostat gets here. And I read that post it's a wonderful setup. Do you think a 20gal will be good enough now that she's about 3 years old? If I need to go bigger I can as well.


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