Hello.

I got recently (litteraly 5 days ago) a Ball Python (unknown Morph, from what I've seen he/she is just a normal). I've had a couple of problems like not having a thermostat (shipping mistake) for the first day and not having snug hides for the same period of time, but now I think he's set and good to go. The thing is, while I have the right setup (right temperature, humidity, two hides, water dish etc.) I've come to the conclusion that either my BP isn't shy at all (or something is wrong, because he's too friendly?).

Here are my questions, though.

1- For now I always found him in the hot hide. Never in the cold, I suppose this is normal, yes? The hot side is 94-95F (the probe is under less than an eight of an inch of paper towels). Slightly hotter than what is recommended, but my room is pretty cold, as I don't enjoy heat. I believe it's between 72 to 75°F at it's coldest (otside of the tub). Just want to make sure he's not suffering or anything. Even if I think he's ok, as he ate fine yesterday.

2- I have his enclosure in my room, and one of the reasons I got a BP in the first place is because I'm always up past 3am, and while I did have parrots, they are usually active during the day and not the night. Thing is, I always keep a desk lamp on, and while during the day daylight actually comes in, during the night do I have to cover the enclosure with something so the BP can get his dark fix? Or as long as it isn't shining 300w lamps on his hide everything is fine? At the moment I have a barrier between the enclosure and the lamp. It isn't pitch dark, but I'm sure the snake can see some light. Not much, but enough. Think baby lights.

3- When I picked him up (actually after, 10 minutes after) i noticed that he had a white dull scale on his head. On his head, and also on like 1inch of his body. I thought it was stuck shed from his last, and thought nothing of it (I had read that it's kinda normal, and unless the shed is stuck on major parts of the body it would come away on the next shed if proper humidity conditions are met). But now I think it's expanding, there are multiple single scales that are whiteish, flakey kinda. My first thought was that he was shedding, is he? He didn't went blue though. I handle him every day 15 minutes or so to make sure he isn't agressive, and didn't notice a thing. Should I be worried? From first search it isn't scale rot.

Thank you for taking the time for reading this, sorry if they are silly questions, just a concerned new snake owner that wants to make sure the new Snake feels comfortable at home ^^ Sorry for the grammar, I don't speak english as a native language.