Basking ball python - is this normal? (Photos)

[targciv]

Over the past 2 weeks, I’ve noticed Bella basking. She climbs up onto the branch and lays on it, directly under the heat lamp (which i have on a dimmer, and I’ve been keeping the dimmer almost all the way down since I’ve noticed her climbing up so close so she won’t get too hot). I first only noticed her doing this at night, but now she sometimes comes out during the day. I figured maybe she was cold, but her cage set up and temperatures have been the same for the past month, and for the past month she spent most of her time hiding like normal. If you look at the digital thermometer, her hot spot (thermostat regulated UTH with thermometer probe to take the temp right underneath where she lays) is 90F, air temp is 77F and yes, humidity is high but that is because I just cleaned her cage and the coconut fiber substrate holds moisture for a few days before humidity gets back down to 50-60% and I keep it that way. Could she be doing this because humidity is too high? She didn’t do this the last time though when I cleaned her cage and replaced the substrate. Her behavior and temperament when handling or being in her cage is not any different other than this basking. She does not show any physical signs of illness either. I know snakes bask, but it seems that it’s abnormal for bp’s who naturally prefer to hide all day. What do you think? Thanks in advance. [IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[Sunnieskys]

Completely normal.

However, those stick on gauges need to come out...now. They crawl over them and pull them off and get stuck. I had three at work do it and my own as well. Please nothing sticky in the enclosure. You can rip off scales and skin.

[targciv]

Okay, that’s good to know!

those gauges are actually Velcro, though. Will that be okay?

[Zincubus]

Okay, that’s good to know!

those gauges are actually Velcro, though. Will that be okay?

How is the Velcro stuck on though ?


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[Sunnieskys]

No. It is sticky then Velcro attached to another Velcro then sticky to the gauge. Take them out. I have seen it first hand myself and dealt with it from work snakes and my own. Please, before your baby gets hurt take them out.

[CALM Pythons]

Id listen to the above comment ASAP.. Sticky tape or backing of any kind is the #1 NEVER in a enclosure rule. Thats a recipe for disaster. It tears the scales and skin right off a snake.


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