Not sleeping and freezing

[Megz]

Hey everyone, I could really use your opinion on this because i am getting worried:

I have had my snake for 2months and she's great. She has never had this problem before. But all of a sudden she wont go into her hide. She climbs on her branch and looks at all the sides of the cage and looks at how to get out i think. I took the branch out and she continued just stretching herself up the sides and the occasionally falling sideways. I don't understand it?? I took her out and she's freezing cold. I have a UTH that is regulated by a thermostat and its at perfect temp, the humidity doesn't drop below 60% and she eats regularly and has never missed a meal or refused. The hide is an exo terra cave and she has been going in it no problem. She was fine yesterday and now all of a sudden she's not going in. She will not sleep or anything and she's cold. Then i take her out and she goes and stops and doesn't move for a solid 5min. i have never seen this from her. Can somebody help me, does anyone know whats wrong?

[KMG]

What kind of tstat are you using?
Do you have a separate thermometer also monitoring the uth?

[Megz]

Yes i do i have a probe measure humidity and temperature. The thermostat regulates the temp of the UTH. She just doesnt go in her hide

[Exotic Ectotherms]

Before you assume that your BP is "freezing" you should remember that even when they are at their optimal temperature it will still feel cold to our touch since our bodies are 98.6 degrees. The best way to determine the correct temperature of your BP is to get an infrared temperature gun. You can find them for under $20 and they are an invaluable tool. Another thing that I read in your post is that it seems like you only have one hide. Do you have a hide on both the warm and cool side of the tank? If not, your BP may be stressed out by having to choose between security of being in the hide and being the correct temperature.

Here's a link to a cheap temp gun....http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Tempe...emperature+gun

[Megz]

yah i have two hides but she just climbs around.
The temp gun is a great idea, could i use it to check the temp of areas of the tank aswell?

[I-KandyReptiles]

Yes

[Marduk]

Good on you for monitoring your snake's behavior and trying to track changes and signs of distress.

That said, if I'm reading your post right, all of this has happened in the past 24 hours? And your snake has otherwise been eating fine and temps/humidity are good?
I wouldn't worry about it and see how things progress. Sounds like you're picking up your snake repeatedly, removing it from it's enclosure, taking things out of it, and just staring at it a lot. It may be stressed at this point.

Just let it chill out for a bit. If your temps and humidity are good (both on hot and cold side), your snake should be fine. A day isn't much time to observe anything. And my snake definitely goes through variations from day-to-day and week-to-week about how much time he spends in his hides, whether he sleeps or wanders around, etc. That's pretty normal.

[loonunit]

Well, she could use a warmer ambient temperature in that tank. I would check to make sure your warm hide temps aren't too high, because she won't sit on a spot that's too hot. And then I think I would add some insulation around the tank (1-inch styrofoam around 3 sides), and maybe a red heat lamp over the warm side. (Assuming it's a screen-top tank).

But honestly, my guys do this all night: they come out and climb around and fall of their branches and then climb right back up pretty much constantly, from the time we turn the lights out until about 1 or 2am. I've gone with my flashlight and looked in the tubs at midnight, and everyone is trying to do the exact same thing---they just can't crane their necks up higher than a few inches in there.

So I'd give her her branch back and let it go. Ball pythons really are much more active at night then we give them credit for. We just usually don't notice because they're in tubs, and we're asleep.

[Megz]

Thanks so much,

Yah temps and humidity are fine. I was worried cause she was like that all night and this morning and obviously i was sleeping so i didnt handle her. ill let her chill and see how that goes. If it continues are the any suggestions?

[KMG]

If the humidity and temperature is combined in one probe. One of two things is happening.

1. The probe is under the substrate and will show the temperature of the cage floor but the humidity gauge will give a false reading because is buried in the substrate.

2. The probe is on the cage wall and will show a closer correct number for humidity but it will show the air temperature and therefore gives you no indication what the cage surface in the hide is.

Now if they are two different probes and the temp probe is under the hides over the uth. Check the batteries. Sometimes low batteries will give you incorrect data.

That is important because the number you set your tstat to does not necessarily mean that is what your snake is getting. Or that the tstat is working correctly.

Just last night my brb setup showedlow uth temps. I Checked everything and it all seemed to be in working order but I figured out the tstat was not delivering the right amount of power to the uth. Lucky for me I just got a Herpstat 4 and the probe is really long.

I heavily recommend a temp gun as well. It has proven an invaluable tool and saved my butt last night. That and the fact that I like you watch my snakes very closely.

I also go by "one is none" meaning I try to have a spare everything. So if like last night something breaks at midnight I can make things right.

All that said your snake could just be acting alittle off. But I would check your tstat and make sure it is working right and check all the thermometers batteries.