First Ball Python Questions and Concerns

[Fire Bird]

Hello everyone! I am new to this forum and I just got my first pet snake! I have been researching like crazy for the last couple of months, using this web site as a resource. I have a few questions that was not about to come to a conclusion about on my own. First, I see a lot of discourse here and on other sites about the ideal substrate. I had planned on using aspen, but now I am questioning my choice. I noticed in the thread here on tank set up that they recommend aspen, but others do not agree with that. What are your opinions?

Second, is it normal for an UTH to have inconstant temps across its surface? I ordered a UTH from Reptile Basics .com based on recommendations I saw on this forum. I wanted to ask if this is typical or not before I attempt to contact the site. I have at least one patch that is the idea temperature, and I have been checking the temps constantly to make sure nothing changes. I do have a rheostat attached to it. An additional issue related to this that I have is that I cant seem to get the center of the heat mat to rest against the tank bottom. This is not just because I put the probe sandwiches between the glass and the UTH as suggested in the tank set up thread. This also does not account for the inconstant heats inside as when I feel the heat mat on the bottom, I feel very different areas of warmth.

Lastly, any advice on noob mistakes I can avoid? I did my best to research but I wouldn't be surprised if I missed something.

I would really appreciate any feedback you guys can give! Thank you in advance!

[Virago]

aspen is too dry an doesn't hold moisture well, I also hear it molds easier. I use cypress chipps, coco substrate i hear is also great.
The temps dont really need to be 100% consistent aslong as its within a few degrees an not too hot or cold. Where are you taking your temp readings? should have a thermometer probe right on top of where the uth is under the substrate. dont need to check the temp on top of the substrate, your bp will burrow an push the substrate around usually. Also the substrate should be no more than 1/4in thick where the uth is.

[Caali]

First of all welcome to the forum


1. Bedding
Someone already said that but Aspen is a real humidity killer and unless you live an a very humid area, that's something you want to avoid. Cypress mulch and these Coco chips are the best way to go. They maintain lots of humidity and it's just easier. With Aspen you'd have to spray way more.

2. UTH
I really don't know lots about UTH, so I don't know the answer to your question. Maybe you should try to measure the temperature at different points of the UTH. It sounded like you just touched it and determined whether it was colder or warmer. Depending on your body and surroundings these examination can be faulty.

3. Other mistakes
Three things come to my mind.

• Even if it's your first snake, quarantine it. You don't have to do the regular three months if you don't have any other reptiles but I'd do at least about 2 months. Look for mites and examine the ball python's behaviour closely. I know people here don't agree with this but maybe even do a fecal.

• Don't handle the snake until it has eaten at least three meals in a row. Make sure to feed whatever the breeder was feeding. Start feeding about a week after the snake arrives.

• The last thing was a mistake I made myself. Keep your enclosure secure! If it's not secure, the snake will escape. On the first night I had mine, I found him in some newspaper pages right next to his quarantine box.

[MD_Pythons]

Just curious, you have a heat gun right? You aren't just going by what you feel right? The human body temp is around 98.6 F so if it feels warm to you it's probably too hot.

[Fire Bird]

Hey, thanks for the responses!

I was not very specific. I do own a temp gun and that is what I was using to measure the temps. I have the one warm spot which read about 92 degrees, and everywhere else varies from 75 to 85 degrees. I was also hoping it would be enough so that I would not have to use a heat lamp for ambient temps, but I am finding this not to be the case. I definitely should have set up the tank days before instead of the day before -_-'. I did use flat cork along the back and sides to make it more secure and help insulate. When I used the heat gun I was pushing the aspen out of the way and using it on the glass bottom.

I do have a temp/humidity probe right on top of the substrate!

I will also definitely be switching out the aspen. Thankfully my skink can use it too. I currently have it about 1/4th of an inch over the UTH and 1 inch everywhere else. I have noticed it to be pretty dry in that.

I have some clamps for the screen top, but I will be buying more to be extra safe -_-' The snake is actually a class pet and it was be super bad news if she got out. I currently have some potted plants on the corner in addition to the clamps, mostly to make me feel better about it.

She has a name now too! The kids named her Caramel

[IMG][/IMG]

[Virago]

Hey, thanks for the responses!

I was not very specific. I do own a temp gun and that is what I was using to measure the temps. I have the one warm spot which read about 92 degrees, and everywhere else varies from 75 to 85 degrees. I was also hoping it would be enough so that I would not have to use a heat lamp for ambient temps, but I am finding this not to be the case. I definitely should have set up the tank days before instead of the day before -_-'. I did use flat cork along the back and sides to make it more secure and help insulate. When I used the heat gun I was pushing the aspen out of the way and using it on the glass bottom.

I do have a temp/humidity probe right on top of the substrate!

I will also definitely be switching out the aspen. Thankfully my skink can use it too. I currently have it about 1/4th of an inch over the UTH and 1 inch everywhere else. I have noticed it to be pretty dry in that.

I have some clamps for the screen top, but I will be buying more to be extra safe -_-' The snake is actually a class pet and it was be super bad news if she got out. I currently have some potted plants on the corner in addition to the clamps, mostly to make me feel better about it.

She has a name now too! The kids named her Caramel

[IMG][/IMG]

you temp gunning the substrate or right on the glass where the heat pad is? if the top of the substrate is 90 it could be too hot underneath on the surface of the glass, they do burrow, a thermometer with probe is what i use.

Also nothing sticky in the enclosure AT ALL, that includes thermometers and hydrometers. i saw a thread where a guy posted at least 50 pics of snakes stuck on tape an other things. very dangerous for the snake.

[Virago]

beautiful ball btw

[Fire Bird]

Right on the glass under the substrate. It is not 90 above the substrate.

Yeah I definitely do not have any sticky stuff in there. The probe is just kind of floating in there right now. I need to get me a suction cup to get it to stick to the inside and quit moving around.


Also today I was checking temps again and that constant 90 spot is gone. The highest temp I could find was 83 degrees I am going to need to contact the company and ask for help. Unless my rheostat is faulty? Does anyone have issues with those? I keep bumping the temp up but the inside temps are not reflecting what it says on the rheostat box. I also do not feel comfortable setting the rheostat above 95. Thoughts?

I got the heat lamp set up today and my ambient temps are perfect. Do you guys have any feedback related to having the heat lamp sitting on the top of the screen versus clamped above the tank some how? I am worried that if I have it right on the screen she will burn her nose. I have already caught her with her nose up on the screen a couple of times. The way I have it now is not as secure as I need it to be and I want to fix that.

The humidity also tanked -_-' I will definitely be getting some cypress chips in there.

[Sunnieskys]

The temp at the glass should read 90, not above the substrate. My lamp is sitting right on my screen top regulated by a dimmer. I have a Che. I use reptile prime which is great for humidity. Also is your screen mostly covered to also hold humidity?

[Fire Bird]

Right, I was originally checking the glass to make sure it was 90. I was trying to clarify that I was not checking above the substrate. Sorry for not being clear. My new issue is that I am no longer getting a 90 reading even though the rheostat reads 90, so I am inclined to believe that the UTH is faulty.