lighting for my ball python

[stacy5150]

Is it ok to use a day light that stays on for 10 hours and then shut off with no light at night for 8 hours ive just been reading about lighting and i have not been using any light at night but ive read something about a blue light at night. How important is this? stacy

[JLC]

"Light" isn't particularly important to a BP at all. What they need is warmth. If people use a lamp at night, its to keep the snake warm. You don't need a lamp just to provide light...as the ambient light in your room (even if its not very bright) is more than enough to provide a day/night cycle.


What are you using to keep a proper temperature gradient in the enclosure? (around 92 on one side...and around 82 on the other.)

[stacy5150]

Im using a light sitting on top of the screen and i have the foil on all of the screen with the black duck tape covering the foil. my temp gage in side the cage reads 90 during the day and when i shut the light off at night sometimes i notice in the morning that the temp gage reads 65-70 that seems cool to me but my pet store told me that was fine because what do you think snakes do at night out side ! So should i be using another heat source along with something at night to keep her warm. thank you stacy

[stacy5150]

the only temp gauge i have are the stick on ones that tell me the humidity and the temp and the humidity is 30 to 40 all the time so i know im sure im doing everything wrong please help thanks stacy

[jason221]

Go to Wal-Mart. In the hardware section, there will be a bunch of digital thermometers in one of the aisles. Pick the one that's about 12 dollars. It should tell you inside (cool side) temperature, outside (warm side) temperature, and humidity. Set up the actual unit on the cool side, then place the probe at the warm side. See what it is then. The stick-on gauges have a tendency to be wrong, especially the humidity ones.

[stacy5150]

so do that and firgure out what the actually temps are then see what i need to do? Also when she shed a couple of weeks ago it took her 13 days and it was in small pieces so maybe the humidity is all messed up. ? stacy

[jason221]

Do you ever spray the cage? That might help the humidity some. you say you have a light; is that the only source of heat? So it has no heat at night? If that's true, you need to get an under tank heater. To measure its temperature, put the probe directly on the glass, under the substrate, where the UTH is. To control the UTH, either use a plug-in lamp dimmer (also found in an aisle in the hardware section for about $9), which will control it to an extent, unless the room temperature changes, which is when you have to adjust it a little to get it where you want it; or you can use a thermostat, which will cost more but be more accurate. You can find thermostats online on mgreptiles.com, maybe reptilesupply.com, etc. They range from $30 to $300, depending on the quality, features, and accuracy of the thermostat.

[rmune0750]

my setup is similar to your's, I have a day light on during the day and 2 RED Night Lights for at night but im getting rid of the lights setup soon and getting a UTH, i think you should do the same.

[TekWarren]

Im using a light sitting on top of the screen and i have the foil on all of the screen with the black duck tape covering the foil. my temp gage in side the cage reads 90 during the day and when i shut the light off at night sometimes i notice in the morning that the temp gage reads 65-70 that seems cool to me but my pet store told me that was fine because what do you think snakes do at night out side ! So should i be using another heat source along with something at night to keep her warm. thank you stacy

That low of a temp is NOT fine. Your likely to help give your snake a respiratory infection. As to what ball pythons do at night outside...well ask if that pet store person if they have a clue as to where ball pythons originate from. If they even have that basic knowledge it shouldn't take long for it to click that temps in that geographic region don't drop that much.

You NEED an source of heat under the enclosure period! If you don't it will be harder for digestion to take place and then you could be deeling with RI and a non feeding snake. Please do some research.

[mmchoppers]

Im using a light sitting on top of the screen and i have the foil on all of the screen with the black duck tape covering the foil. my temp gage in side the cage reads 90 during the day and when i shut the light off at night sometimes i notice in the morning that the temp gage reads 65-70 that seems cool to me but my pet store told me that was fine because what do you think snakes do at night out side ! So should i be using another heat source along with something at night to keep her warm. thank you stacy

Most petshop people are sooo ignorant.. I went into petco to see if they carried any rheostats, and if they had any acceptable thermostats(buy online, most pet shops don't) and the 2 girls looked at each other and asked me, " Whats that"???