Cool and Warm hides... Question?

[OFRD_GRL]

I have noticed that my new girl hangs in her cool hide WAY more often than her warmed one. Is this typical? (Sorry probably a pretty newb question)

If I pick her up from the cool side she feels pretty cool to the touch.

I am planning on re-doing her setup anyways, I want to give her a bigger one with more things like plants and such in there to climb on and hide in, and be a little more natural for her.
Right now she is in an oversized plastic tub with holes drilled in it, cool hide, hide on a heating pad and water dish and thats it. Its what I got her with but I want something a little more natural and whatnot

[cartman89]

Mine stays in the cool side all the time. After she gets done eating she will go to the hot side for the day

[Shin86]

ya mine does as well.....she generally avoids her warm side,cept around 1-3 in the afternoon when she chills there..

[OFRD_GRL]

awesome, thanks for the info I just figured since she was cold blooded she would be on the warm side more often

[iCandiBallPythons]

awesome, thanks for the info I just figured since she was cold blooded she would be on the warm side more often

Just curious.. What are the temps reading on the hot side? What are you using to measure the temp?

[Spaniard]

While its typically not a problem you'll want to make sure you're taking your temperatures with some sort of digital thermometer. Sometimes people use the dial stick on ones and they are about as good as you can throw them. The dial says 92 when in reality its 100+ and the snake is pinned to the cool side trying to escape the heat.

Also this species of snake tends to fair well in a smaller enclosure, its a topic that still has a lot of debating surrounding it but its mostly accepted that ball pythons prefer smaller enclosures. There are many issues in maintaining a large enclosure, it can be done successfully but requires a lot of work.

[OFRD_GRL]

Hrmm Thanks for the info on enclosures. I will have to take a picture and get opinions on hers!

It is a heating pad and a reptile thermostat w/ digital readout and then a digital thermometer. It ranges between 89* and 91* (it is set for 90*). I check it daily am & pm via gauges and touching it. I'm a pretty paranoid mommy.

[TheNunciate]

My girl stays under her warm hide just about all the time. Sometimes I find her on the cool side but she likes it warm. The fella I got her from kept a really cold tank so I'm thinking maybe she just likes the change.

FYI my bask spot is 91, warm side of the tank hangs out around 84 and the cool side is about 78. Under her hide it's about 88. I have 2 digital therms and a hygro as well as taking multiple measurements every day with the infrared therm. This mommy is also obsessed.

[OFRD_GRL]

I didn't even think about infrared one, Ive got one at home

[TheNunciate]

They're awesome: quick and accurate. I use it to take the temp of the substrate in various places, under the hides, the cool spot, the hot spot. I can even get Shai's body temp with it. Well worth $25 for the peace of mind it's given me.