Recent Vet Visit

[Auberry]

Okay, So I am a new mother to a juvenile ball python, Nakia. Today I took her to the vet for a checkup and for some general concerns. The vet says that she's in good health and my husbandry is mostly correct, except for a few changes I should make. I just want some of your opinions on what she said. The first thing she mentioned was that I needed a basking spot of 96 degrees, not on the warm side of the tank, which I have at 90. She said that I should have a BASKING spot of 96 degrees so that my ball python can digest her food properly. I thought that was interesting because don't snakes digest using belly heat? The other thing she said was that I should change the substrate from coco husk to carpet or newspaper. What do you all think? Is coco husk bedding a risky substrate? I've heard many good things about it from MULTIPLE sources so that's why I chose it. Thank you for reading!

[pretends2bnormal]

The basking spot is definitely not needed. Temps that high are definitely no food for BPs. We here prefer belly heat with hot spot of 88-90.

Also, carpet is very bad since it is tough to thoroughly clean it and can harbor bacteria which is no good. Newspaper would be fine, but not if it causes humidity to drop. In tanks with screen lids, it is nearly unheard of except maybe very humid climates/houses. Newspaper is common in tubs, or unmarked Kraft paper or imprinted newspaper. In tanks, coco chip and fiber tend to be the best.

Some snakes will bask, but that is largely a lizard thing and even snakes that do bask will use belly heat under a hide to digest most of the time or especially if the basking spot is not present.

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[Godzilla78]

Coco fiber is the best for waste absorption and humidity boost.

[Godzilla78]

96 is too hot. 92 hot spot is the highest most of the experts recommend.

[Godzilla78]

The advice the vet gave sounds good for a desert lizard, not a ball python.

[Auberry]

Thank you so much, I had a feeling that what she was saying sounded a bit off. Thank you for your input and advice!

[Auberry]

Thank You!

[Bogertophis]

Thank you so much, I had a feeling that what she was saying sounded a bit off. Thank you for your input and advice!

We're happy to help, it never hurts to ask if something a vet says just sounds "off": I've seen my share of vets over the years & very few have impressed me with
their knowledge of snake care. Their training is in medical management, and even if they keep snakes at home for experience, it's not the same thing as breeding
& keeping the number that many of us have for years, & though they mean well with husbandry advice, vets are mostly just too busy with their practice. I once took
a rosy boa to a vet for an abnormal swelling & she was positive the snake was gravid, even though I've bred many rosy boas in the past & this swelling was way too high
up on the snake's body; that snake later died of an inoperable tumor that the vet thought was baby boas. Finding good vet care for snakes can be very discouraging.

[PitOnTheProwl]

96 is too hot. 92 hot spot is the highest most of the experts recommend.

It is interesting how this number has changed over the years.
Sounds like your vet read an older husbandry book right before you got there.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Find a new vet that have has no clue