My setup/gear + temperature stability issues

[clark.matt9]

I have had my BP since august. I'm having trouble keeping the temperatures stable and at acceptable levels. She has eaten three times this past month, but I have not seen any feces (just a urate).
I don't think I've seen her on the hot side all month despite it being consistently warmer than the cooler side but not ever above 93.
Here is an album with the specific images:

http://imgur.com/a/rAa8s/all

I got the heat lamp because the cold side was consistently at 70F or lower without it.
I have been setting my herpstat to 100F because if I go any lower than that, the surface reading of the hot side gets too low. Is this the correct way to do this or am I possibly harming her?
(waterdish is empty because I was just refilling it)

My humidity is also too low as well since I started using the headlamp. Sphagnum moss as a solution?

Can anyone provide solutions/adjustments I need to make? I am very concerned that I am doing things wrong and harming her as this is my first pet BP.


Notes: She has never hissed or struck, and never refused a meal. I have also never seen her soak.
Whenever I take her out, she ALWAYS periscopes (but seems to have good control of it, and that I have had her since august leads me to believe she does not have IBD) which kinda concerns me.

[Yodawagon]

Put the thermostat probe between the heat pad and tank. Cover that screen with foil. That's your humidity problem. Babies use up a lot of their food, so might not poop much. What are you feeding her? Rat, mouse, size?

[Yodawagon]

I'd also feed her every 5 days. A rat pup or similar sized mouse.

[clark.matt9]

Baby mice that are never bigger than her thickest part....They're not pink though (I always hear about pinkies but have never gotten them, I've stuck with the size that the shop owner recommended to me when I first got her since she hasn't grown drastically larger)

edit:
Thank you, I've been putting the probe underneath the mulch. Also, I've been feeding her every 7 days but will change this tomorrow at your suggestion.

[Mr. Misha]

Here's a really good thread on how to set up a glass enclosure. You'll find a lot of answers you're looking for.

Definitely put the probe between the UTH and the glass. You're loosing a lot of heat because heat rises out of tank. You can trap it by getting acrylic pieces and putting them on the screen top.

Also, get some fake plants and give your BP some cover.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=201740

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[bcr229]

The thermostat probe goes between the UTH and the tank. If it's in the tank your snake can move it off the heat, causing the UTH to run unregulated.

Measure the surface temperature of the glass over the UTH, not the temperature on top of the substrate. The glass should be about 90*F. Don't worry about the temperature on top of the substrate; ball pythons burrow so they will just move the substrate aside. Just put a very thin layer of substrate on the glass.

Covering the screen top with foil will help but it's not ideal. When your snake is ready for a bigger home get a proper reptile enclosure made of melamine or PVC rather than a fish tank, unless you're planning on getting more snakes, in which case you might as well buy a rack now.

[clark.matt9]

Wow, THANKS EVERYONE!!! Very helpful and very prompt.
I've already done the foil and moved the probe underneath. I'm going to be putting a new layer of substrate tomorrow as I've had this batch on for a month at this point, and will copy every detail of the setup in that thread, in addition to getting some fake plants for cover.

Bcr, I remember checking out PVC enclosures on this one website while browsing through these forums...they looked very solid and I was planning to get one eventually, but due to the cost it might have to wait a few months...No plans on getting any more BP's for now, although I REALLY like BEL's and mayyyyy get on in the distant future. Can you perhaps refresh my memory of the website I stumbled upon? All I can say is that those tanks looked very....zoo grade? All good if not.

They looked like the ones that this guy uses: https://www.youtube.com/user/viperkeeper

[bcr229]

There are a lot of manufacturers, including:
Boamaster
Boaphile
Animal Plastics
Monster
ConstrictorsNW

I would also keep an eye on Craigslist and your local Facebook reptile classified forums, as you can find used enclosures available for sale.

[Yodawagon]

Animal plastics is a forum favorite. Their prices are good too. Maybe put less mulch in this time. It might be keeping the heat from penetrating through. I use a layer of paper towel in mine . doesn't look as nice. I use a plastic bin.

[SmoothScales]

Not sure if this will help you out with your current set up, but putting foam board up on the sides and back of my rack raised my temp 3-4°. It was pretty open air, though, so the foam board helped keep the heat contained and stopped any air from moving through - it was a bit 'open air'. It might help stabilize your temps or it might do nothing. It's should be available at any craft store if you want to give it a try. http://elmers.com/product/detail/902015