inconsistent temps

[otiswest]

Greetings fellow repti-lovers!

I recently brought home my first Balls (2)! Many years of wanting to finally came true. I did much reading/research before making the commitment, and had their home set up 48 hrs. before introducing them to it. Since then, the ambient air temp here has dropped and I am having a very hard time maintaining consistent temps in their habitat. I am able to get the warm side up to around 90 during the day, but I am very worried because it gets as low as 75 - 78 over night. The cool side seems to be more consistent at around 75 - 80 during the day, but has gotten down to as low as 73 over night. I am using a 75w basking lamp above the enclosure to warm it. However, to get the warm side up around 90 I have to move the lamp nervously close to screen. It seems like the utc heat pad just isn't cutting it, especially at night. I imagine that the substrate above the heat pad is a little warmer than the thermometer reads, but not that much. Please, any suggestions are welcomed. I am worried about my beautiful babies!

[unrezt]

Greetings fellow repti-lovers!

I recently brought home my first Balls (2)! Many years of wanting to finally came true. I did much reading/research before making the commitment, and had their home set up 48 hrs. before introducing them to it. Since then, the ambient air temp here has dropped and I am having a very hard time maintaining consistent temps in their habitat. I am able to get the warm side up to around 90 during the day, but I am very worried because it gets as low as 75 - 78 over night. The cool side seems to be more consistent at around 75 - 80 during the day, but has gotten down to as low as 73 over night. I am using a 75w basking lamp above the enclosure to warm it. However, to get the warm side up around 90 I have to move the lamp nervously close to screen. It seems like the utc heat pad just isn't cutting it, especially at night. I imagine that the substrate above the heat pad is a little warmer than the thermometer reads, but not that much. Please, any suggestions are welcomed. I am worried about my beautiful babies!

Are you using a thermostat? These are very important, and will keep your uth at a constant temperature regardless of ambient room temps. A heat pad will have no trouble going well over 100 degrees if uncontrolled. Also I have learned from asking around here that you won't necessarily feel the warmth on the substrate, even if the temps are right, but this depends on outside factors like the temperature in the room.

You said screen, so I am guessing you are using an aquarium. If this is the case, I recommend you do the "foil treatment" to the screen top. It helps a lot keeping heat in the tank, and also combats the humidity loss that the heat lamps cause. You can find out more about that here... http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...highlight=foil

Also if you are using an aquarium, you should insulate the back, and sides in some way. Not only does this keep heat in, but it adds privacy to the enclosure making for a happier snake.

What type of thermometer are you using? A lot of people here recommend an Indoor/Outdoor thermometer with Hygrometer, from Acu-rite brand. This does everything you need with one device and is cheaper than buying three separate units. I found mine at Wal-mart, just ask an employee to direct you to the thermometers or you will never find them

From what I gathered, the temperature inside the warm side hide should be 92-94, and the temperature inside the cool side hide should be 82-84. The are temperature outside the hides should be mid 80s. This is important in determining your temperatures because the placement of the thermometers does make a difference. I was told its best to place the thermometer probe on the glass, under the substrate, under the warm hide, and make sure that that temperature is not higher than the max temperature a ball python should have. Then place the probe on top of the substrate, under the warm hide, and make sure that it is warm enough. Depending on the substrate you have you may have to adjust the depth...I actually had to change it completely under the warm hide and use paper, as no heat was being transferred through it.

A uth should be more than enough to heat the warm side of the hide. I have my light over the middle of the enclosure to keep ambient temperatures up. I don't know where you live, but here it has been getting down to the low 50s at night, and I have had no trouble with this setup. Make sure your enclosure is not located by any drafty areas.

Good luck, I hope this helped a bit. It is pretty much everything I was told this past week after asking a lot of questions and getting an awesome amount of help from the users on this forum. So thank you, guys!

[Kaorte]

Well first of all, WELCOME!!! Please remember everyone here is very passionate about their animals (just like you) so please listen to all of the advice given.


From what you described, it sounds like you are housing them together. Although it seems like they can get along and be "friends" it is very untrue. Ball Pythons are unsociable animals and do not make friends and do not do well when housed permanently with other ball pythons. They WILL compete for dominance and if one gets sick, they both get sick, double vet bills. Also it is very hard to keep track of who has pooped and who has shed and who has peed. It is important to know these things because they are indications that you have a healthy ball python.

That being said, your best bet is to separate them.


When you use the word "habitat" I get this image in my head of a huuuge enclosure with lots of foliage and hides (I hope!). Well it is surprisingly quite the opposite for ball pythons. They actually prefer smaller enclosures with two identical TIGHT fitting rock cave type hides (the kind with one small opening). So if you do indeed have a larger enclosure, it shouldn't be too hard to put a divider in the center and give each their own smaller space.

Since you are worried about temps (which you very well should be!) I will make a few assumptions. I assume that you are not using digital thermometers with a probe. You will absolutely need some of these to get accurate readings of the SURFACE where your ball python will be. Remember, Ball pythons are ground dwelling snakes so you need to measure the temps at their level.

A UTH doesn't really raise the air temperature very much (which is what those stick on gauge thermometers read). They do get the ground VERY hot if used without a thermostat. A thermostat is required to be used with any heating element. A UTH can get up to 115* easily and that is way more than enough to cook your snake.


I really hope this helps point you in a new direction for taking care of your new kids! If you have any more questions or need more help with your setup, don't be afraid to ask. All we want to do here is help teach other BP enthusiasts how to successfully care for their babies

[otiswest]

Thanks so much. The reason I joined this forum (took a lot of searching) was for this very reason. Rather than ask some 17 yr. old in a pet store, I wanted to hear from people like yourself, who are passionate and care. I will heed your advice!

[otiswest]

Much thanks!! Are you suggesting just probing the substrate on each side from time to time, or leaving the probe under the substrate permanently?

[Kaorte]

Well, what is your substrate? A picture is worth a thousand words (if you have one).

Generally you put the probe under all of the substrate on the hot side right above the UTH. This gives you the hottest point that your ball python can reach. So if you set that to 94* it ensures your BP will not get burned at any point in the tank. In this case though, your surface temp will be much lower. I have never found this to be a problem because mine always coil up and rearrange the substrate. I usually find it pushed to one side of their tub every morening. Try as I might, they would rather lay on the plastic, haha!

[otiswest]

substrate is 70 - 30 fir chips / tropical soil. i know to definitely stay away from cedar, but i also read somewhere that some people suggest no fir bark either. your thoughts? oh, and the enclosure is not huge (20 gal.) with two hides, water dish, and some driftwood. so not too overcluttered.

[Kaorte]

I haven't heard anything about fir bark, I think it is just pine and cedar that are toxic.

Personally I don't like to use soil or bark because it feels too much like I am cleaning dirt. I like to use aspen bedding. It is cheap, absorbs liquid very well, and it is easy to spot messes on.