HELP PLEASE! Quick Question

[Dumoulin]

Hey guys Im semi new to owning ball pythons and I just have a quick question. My male ball python seems to spend more time under his cool side hide then his warm side hide. Is that normal?
The warm side hide had a under heater and a heat lamp over top, I have a digital thermostate wired into his hide so i know its not to hot or anything is there anything to be concerned about or am I just being perinoid?

[ballpythonluvr]

Nothing to worry about as long as your temps are stable. Both of my ball ptyhons spend most of their time on the cool side unless I have fed them of course, then they seek out the heat for digestion.

[JLC]

You really can't fret too much about which side of the heat they want to hang out in. You'll drive yourself batty if you do. Double-check to make sure your temps are in the correct range...and then just let them be.

I've only got four ball pythons...but just among those four, I've got one that always hangs out on the warm side, and two that always hang out on the cool side. And one of those two seems to NEVER go to the warm side, even when he's digesting a meal.

THEY know what they need to do and they'll do it. We can't expect them to live up to our meager understanding of what they should do.

[Dumoulin]

Nothing to worry about as long as your temps are stable. Both of my ball ptyhons spend most of their time on the cool side unless I have fed them of course, then they seek out the heat for digestion.

Okay thankyou also if you wouldent mind answering me another question? Hes about a foot and a half long no bigger then two and about the width of a peeled bananas maybe a little thicker. I feed him one live hopper every friday is that enough? Oh and I was told hes was around a year old.

[mpkeelee]

Live hopper rat?? That should be fine. Just something about the same girth as his fattest part. And what is the temp on ur cool side?

[Dumoulin]

Live hopper rat?? That should be fine. Just something about the same girth as his fattest part. And what is the temp on ur cool side?

A live hooper mouse, my hot is 85-95 f at all times and my cool Is between 70-80 f.

[mpkeelee]

U can prolly change to a weaned or hopper rat. One hopper mouse a week isn't enough for a year old bp.

[snake lab]

At that size he could easily handle small rats. My animals in the 350 to 500 gram range are all eating small rats. As far has where hes hangin, hes gonna chill where he wants to. What you want idealy in any setup is an ambient temp in the enclosure of 89 degrees so however you have to heat the enclosure to get that ambient temp is what ya gotta do

[Dumoulin]

Okay next friday ill pick up a rat instead thanks guys!

[RestlessRobie]

My Little guy decided he wanted to stay under his water dish most the time. So as long as your temps are good I wouldnt worry about which hide yours uses. One question are both hides the same? As for feeding I would definatley move to a rat pup or wean. When we switched out noraml hey seemed much more agressive to eat the rat. Now as soon as he smells it thawing he gets to looking for it and hits it hard and fast
Robie