Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 2,862

1 members and 2,861 guests
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,031
Threads: 248,489
Posts: 2,568,439
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, isismomma
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: Help please.

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-09-2019
    Posts
    5
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Help please.

    Hi everyone. I've just got my first BP. He (I say he but Ive no idea) is around 5 months old. Bought him from a local reptile centre and he's a normal.
    He's been absolutely great. Docile and friendly and eats with no problems.
    Just one thing I wnated to check.
    He's in a 3ft vivarium with sliding glass doors. The hot end is around 30 degrees and the cool end is 25. I've put matching hides at each end.
    He explored everywhere on day one - but since then I have never seen him in the hot end. He lives exclusively in the cooler end either in the hide or half in and half out. As I say he sems fine in every way.
    My question is why does he stay at the cooler end? I have a new thermostat connected to the ceramic heater and a digital thermometer at each end so I'm pretty sure the temps are accurate. Even after eating he retreated to the hide at the cooler end.
    Something to worry about or just his own preference? Any help would be much appreciated.

  2. #2
    Registered User Snakemom85's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-12-2019
    Posts
    122
    Thanks
    3
    Thanked 159 Times in 69 Posts

    Re: Help please.

    Do you have a heat gun to spot check actual floor temps? The hot side may be too hot for him.

    Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Snakemom85 For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (12-10-2019)

  4. #3
    BPnet Royalty Zincubus's Avatar
    Join Date
    02-22-2011
    Posts
    6,948
    Thanks
    2,510
    Thanked 4,897 Times in 2,992 Posts

    Re: Help please.

    Quote Originally Posted by Snakemom85 View Post
    Do you have a heat gun to spot check actual floor temps? The hot side may be too hot for him.

    Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk
    This ^
    That said some do prefer the midrange and/or cooler end and will maybe use the warm hide less and for aiding digestion after a feed ..


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro




  5. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-09-2019
    Posts
    5
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Re: Help please.

    I don't have a heat gun. I have made sure that the sensors for both the thermostat and the digital thermometer are on the surface of the aspen right next to the hot hide.

  6. #5
    bcr229's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-18-2013
    Location
    Eastern WV Panhandle
    Posts
    9,494
    Thanks
    2,888
    Thanked 9,842 Times in 4,771 Posts
    Images: 34

    Re: Help please.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sonic View Post
    I don't have a heat gun. I have made sure that the sensors for both the thermostat and the digital thermometer are on the surface of the aspen right next to the hot hide.
    I would find a different place for the thermostat probe. Usually with an RHP or CHE you let it hang down one wall under the appliance, and adjust it up or down accordingly to get the desired hot spot. With it on the floor the snake can move it, pee on it, bury it under the aspen, etc. and then your heat source will run too hot.

    Also 30*C is 86*F which isn't really all that warm for a ball python.

  7. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to bcr229 For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (12-10-2019),Craiga 01453 (12-10-2019)

  8. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-09-2019
    Posts
    5
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Re: Help please.

    I'm really confused now!
    i put the sensors on the surface as I thought I would get the temp where the snake actually is.
    I agree he could mess with them if he wanted but as I said, he never goes anywhere near that end.
    You say that maybe the hot end is too hot - but also that 30 degrees isn't that hot for a BP.....

  9. #7
    bcr229's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-18-2013
    Location
    Eastern WV Panhandle
    Posts
    9,494
    Thanks
    2,888
    Thanked 9,842 Times in 4,771 Posts
    Images: 34
    There was speculation that your hot side may be too warm if you weren't using a heat gun or digital thermometer with probe to measure surface temps. It looks like you're fine on that score, though you may want to buy a heat gun or IR/point thermometer just because sometimes they are in accurate. If the hot spot is truly 30*C then that's not too hot for your snake.

    Your baby may just like the other hide better for some reason.

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to bcr229 For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (12-10-2019)

  11. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-09-2019
    Posts
    5
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Re: Help please.

    I think that might be the case as I can't think of anything else.
    He seems happy though so it's all good I guess.
    Thanks for taking the time to give me your advice.

  12. #9
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,182
    Thanks
    28,081
    Thanked 19,739 Times in 11,797 Posts
    Remember also that BPs are more active in the dark, so maybe he uses the other end more after you're asleep. Snakes are notoriously "sneaky".
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  13. #10
    BPnet Veteran
    Join Date
    05-23-2015
    Location
    South Carolina, US
    Posts
    314
    Thanks
    275
    Thanked 172 Times in 119 Posts
    Images: 6

    Re: Help please.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sonic View Post
    I'm really confused now!
    i put the sensors on the surface as I thought I would get the temp where the snake actually is.
    I agree he could mess with them if he wanted but as I said, he never goes anywhere near that end.
    You say that maybe the hot end is too hot - but also that 30 degrees isn't that hot for a BP.....
    Are you heating with a uth,rhp,or over head heat bulb of some type? If using a uth it is very important to measure the inside bottom glass/plastic temp. and not the substrate temp. because snakes will push aside the substrate and will lay on the bottom. An example to see is in my gallery. If the bottom is higher than the 30 C it could be reason your snake stays away. So that is the area that could be too hot. So when anyone uses a uth it is important to also have a infrared dot temp gun since that is the best way to quickly measure the inside bottom temp. You can use the gun to measure through out the enclosure, check the warm end and the cool end. You can use them to measure the temps of f/t feeders when warming them up. They really come in handy.

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to ballpythonsrock2 For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (12-10-2019)

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1