Help!

[Kimk]

I have a new 175 watt bulb for my full grown ball python he’s in a 55 g tank. Is 175 too much??

[Bogertophis]

Maybe- not enough information to answer. You're the only one that can take temperatures IN the tank, where the snake is. And temperatures must be taken accurately- what are you using? What is the lowest (coolest) temperature & the warmest?

Makes a big difference how cold (or warm) the room is where the tank is too. And is the tank insulated to keep warmth inside the tank? or not? Is the air-flow restricted? or not?

You ask about the bulb wattage being "too much?" but remember that if this heat source is on top of a screen top on this tank, most of the heat is rising & not going into the tank where the snake is. (This is not the most efficient way to keep this tank warm.)

You say this bulb is new...what were you using before this? It's not the wattage that's important, it's the actual results you're getting in the tank.

And please tell me this bulb is regulated by a thermostat (preferably) or a rheostat (lamp dimmer) for safety???

[Armiyana]

An exo Terra night light 150 watt bulb at a distance of 12 inches is around 82 degrees. Your average 55 gallon is 13 inches tall.
Your bulb is going to be warmer and if it's not a night bulb it might stress your snake out as well with the bright light.

As long as there aren't any branches or items taller than 4" in there under the lamp then as a temporary measure it might be okay...unless it's the desert spotlight version of heat lamp which is far too strong. This will bake your ball python.

But you need to be measuring the temperature in there and making sure of that. The temperature charts that some brands up on there are a guideline, not always accurate.

I'm going to second the question of if you have a light dimmer or thermostat? Is this the only heat source? Ball pythons don't do as well with a basking heat and prefer belly heat. There's far too much info missing for anyone to tell you if the bulb is okay