Question about hiding spots.....

[EvesFriend]

I would like to get two hiding spots for my BP and I am alittle confused as to which ones are adequate for a small BP. I currently have one hide over my underbody heater that my snake likes to lie in the majority of the time. I have been told it is good to hhve a hide near the basking spot however I don't want to shut the snake off too much from the basking heat source. I am already in the works to get a rock or something for the snake however I am wondering if instead of getting a cave like hide for the basking area, would a branch/leaf type structure suffice? Would this provide ample hiding area as well as anice comfortable place to bask, or should you provide a basking rock/branch as well as a seperate hide?

[A.VinczeBPs]

The under body heater (UTH I assume?) should be the only heat you need. Ball pythons don't "bask". If your UTH is getting to the correct temps, then you just need a hide on the cool side of the tank.

[mr. s]

Um, the snake is going to be best off with 2 cave-like hides. Any extra foliage, branches or rocks are just for added security. If it is not a cave hide, it will generally be too open to help the snake feel secure. If the only secure hide is over the heat, you don't want the snake trying to decide between temperature and security.

[EvesFriend]

Thanks a lot for the help so far.

I was under the impression that I needed not only an UTH to maintain the 80-85 degree temperature, but also a heat lamp to provide a basking area. One example, quoted from a book I have states "An under the tank heating pad designed for reptiles works well for providing the cage heat, with an incandescent bulb or ceramic heating element used to provide the basking temperatures."

Am I misunderstanding something here?

[A.VinczeBPs]

How old is that book? Are you sure it's for ball pythons?

The UTH should be fine as long as you have a thermostat and make sure the temps are anywhere from 89-92.

And cave-like hides are the way to go, on both warm and cold side...if you don't have another, a small box (KD box for a small bp) should be fine.

[EvesFriend]

So do I only need heat generated on one side of the cage while the opposite side had no individual heat source? What is meant by a "85 deg. temperature with a 90 deg. basking spot"? Are these supposed to be on the same side?

[shootingstar26]

It means that the ambient air should be 85, and the temperature of the substrate (not the air above it) should be 90. If you can get the right temperatures without a lamp, then don't buy one. If your temperatures are NOT right (i.e. too low) then buy one. Also...if you just have a hide over the UTH, be careful your snake doesn't burrow and burn itself.

As long as the hide is tight and secure, your snake will be fine. You should put one on/near the heat source and one on the cool side; as Mr. S said, and anything extra that provides cover will only be beneficial.

[waltah!]

You can use a plastic bowl with an entrance cut out in the meantime. They are like 3 for a buck at most stores.

[A.VinczeBPs]

Yes, only one side needs to be heated. What they mean by the two temps is hot spot and ambient temperature. If the hot spot is at the right temperature, and the tank isn't too big, then the cool side should be around 78-84 on it's own without any heat source. That way the ball python can choose if it wants to be warmer or cooler.

[EvesFriend]

How old is that book? Are you sure it's for ball pythons?

The UTH should be fine as long as you have a thermostat and make sure the temps are anywhere from 89-92.

And cave-like hides are the way to go, on both warm and cold side...if you don't have another, a small box (KD box for a small bp) should be fine.

Well ont only is that stated in a book written in 2005 but it's also on pretty much every single website I check. They all mention you needing a basking spot of 90 deg. and a regular temp of 85 or so deg.

Even on the Caresheet for BP's on this website it says:

~80F (ambient temps)
~90F (basking temps)

Ball pythons do very well when heated from below (UTH = under tank heat). This can be achieved with heat mats made specifically for this purpose and found in most pet stores. Also available through online retailers is a product called Flexwatt, which is a thin sheet of heating elements that comes in a wide variety of customizable sizes.

And finally, overhead heat in the form of light bulbs or Ceramic Heat Emitters (CHE). A CHE screws into a socket like a bulb, but provides only heat without any light. These can be used as a supplement to a UTH to help maintain warm enough ambient temps.