Are these necessary items???

[vintod]

So, this is another multi-part question... The people I adopted my ball from had an overhead light apparatus. it has room for three bulbs - 2 regular light sockets and a small flourescent tube type bulb. I've read in various places that lighting is not necessary for a ball, and that if anything is used it should be a blue light for daytime and a red light for night time. Currently I have a blue and red light in the sockets, and nothing in the flourescent part. Do I even need these lights? Can I just junk the light apparatus altogether?

Second part -- After doing the NIX treatment for mites last week (which got directly on her in copious amounts - please don't yell I followed bogus info from another online source), and moving the set-up to a different room in the house, I noticed my BP is hanging out in a different spot than usual. She used to hang out under a little rock bridge hide, so I added an undertank heat source in that area for her (zzoo-med pad). She seemed to like it.

After the NIX treatment, however, she stopped hanging out under there. The bugs ae gone and she shed, and now hangs out across teh tank, balled up behind the water dish. I didn't have a second hide for her, so I put a wide cardboard tueb in there for her (she liked going in them when I had her out to handle). She hasnt gone in there much - just hanging out in her new corner. She ate well and everything since the NIX & shed episode.

Just wondering if it is anything to be concerned about or if she is just adjusting. I thought maybe the zoo-med pad was too hot but it seems fine to the touch. nice and warm, but not HOT. Anyway - I just unplugged it to be safe. She didn't seem to be using it to aid in digestion. Its really hot and muggy here in NY lately -- 80-90 degrees all week since i've fed her, and I am not using the AC specifically out of concern for her digestion.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[don15681]

The lights can go. they tend to lower the humidity in the tank that is needed for a ball python. the under tank heater needs to be on a thermostat. if it's 90 air temp there and the pad feels warm, it's alot hotter than you think. those pads are known to burn snakes. so use a thermostat. your snake is in different parts of the tank. if this was a concern the snake wouldn't be eating. don't handle too much until the snake settles in. you don't want to throw it off feed.

[vintod]

okay thanks. Is there an item I can get for reading the temp of the heating pad other than sticking a thermometer right on the warm spot in the tank? What temp should it be at in the warm spot? I was hoping the thickness of the glass + the thickness of a felt table setting and then the thickness of the zilla green mat would lessen the temp of the heat source but it still gets pretty warm.

I wonder how much of an issue the temp will become in the winter... cross that bridge when I get to it I guess.

[iCandiBallPythons]

If your using any type of undertank heater you will need a thermostat to control the temp. Reptitemp 500 is an economical one to start. Read over this care sheet. http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=59

[Vilenica]

okay thanks. Is there an item I can get for reading the temp of the heating pad other than sticking a thermometer right on the warm spot in the tank? .

The mini temp guns from proexotics are great ... just point and read. Also if your getting to much heat in the hot spot (more than the debated 88-90) you might need to raise up the terrarium so there is an air pocket between the glass and uth or get a proportional thermostat.

[vintod]

awesome suggestion with the IR one - I can use it for cooking too. I guess I will just have to unplug and plug the UTH until I can get my hands on a better one with an adjustable temp dial

[WingedWolfPsion]

I haven't seen too many heat pads with adjustable dials. You will probably have to buy a separate thermostat or rheostat for it.

If you're going this route for now, make sure room temperatures do not fall below 80F nor exceed 90F.

The lights were probably making the tank too hot, if your room temps were that high.

The temperature inside the tank should be 80F with a 90 to 93F basking area. Temperatures below this can lead to infections and poor digestions--temps above this can lead to heat stress, neurological damage, and possibly death, depending on the time frame and how high they get.

[stevepoppers]

I wouldn't even use the UTH for the time being. Your ambients sound the same as their natural habitat.

This is just as cheap as the Repti-temp, but much easier to use if nothing else.

At walmart there's a $12 Accu-rite indoor/outdoor weather station. Put the probe under the substrae against the glass right above the UTH. The more substrate you have, the hotter it will be underneath. Once it's set, you never have to move the substrate to check the temp.

Get two identical hides if you can. It will make them more comfortable.

And yeah, lights are only a last resort when your ambient temps are too low.

I've been told temps down to 75 are acceptable.

[snakesRkewl]

I've been told temps down to 75 are acceptable.

Not in my tubs it isn't
80 degrees cool end, 85-87 warm end 90 hot spot

Yes they can survive at 75 no problem but they thrive at 80

[angllady2]

Well, I think AMBIENT air temps of 75 are ok, aren't they? As long as they have their hot spot when needed.

I don't think I could get my ambient temps up to 80 if I tried.

I've never seen an adjustable UTH myself, I bought a thermostat from Petco, a Zilla brand I believe, and with some minor fiddling, it works very well for me. O thnk it was around $40 ?

I also have the Accurite weather station from Wal-Mart, it works wonders for me.

Gale