Help! My ball wants to eat me! D:

[Skittles1101]

I think you're mixing up thermometer and thermostat. Thermostat regulates the temperature of the uth. Get an acurite digital thermometer from Walmart for $12. It can measure the hot and cold side as well as the humidity. It's a good investment. You can also get a temp gun. But as everyone has said, the stick on ones aren't reliable or accurate.

I use both an acurite and temp gun.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

I agree, regardless you NEED a thermostat, otherwise you risk serious burn.
Here's a thread I created last year on the subject, graphic picture warning.

You can't fry a snake from a shorted/damaged thermometer. So the horror stories you heard, may have been people who placed the thermoSTAT probe in the enclosure (which....it should be on the outside secured directly to the UTH).

[satomi325]

Also, I would think feeding out of enclosure would induce a more aggressive response to you. The snake will associate you taking her out as food time.

But in the end, its your decision on what to do. We're only here to provide answers and suggestions.


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[Dember]

"Sounds like you have all your own answers. Nothing I can help with here. Good luck!"

For the most part, I have a good idea, yeah. My question was basically "what can I do to prevent her from biting" -- going to try the paper towel roll trick, and glad to know that it's not harmful or otherwise bad to mist them in the face to discourage them if they're considering striking.

That, and "will she settle down on her own once she realizes that she no longer gets fed in her enclosure here" -- maybe to see if anyone else has had this problem with a snake who strongly associated a certain kind of enclosure with feeding time.


"I think you're mixing up thermometer and thermostat. Thermostat regulates the temperature of the uth. Get an acurite digital thermometer from Walmart for $12. It can measure the hot and cold side as well as the humidity. It's a good investment. You can also get a temp gun. But as everyone has said, the stick on ones aren't reliable or accurate.
I use both an acurite and temp gun."
That may well be it. The ones I hear people talk about seem to speak as if the object that reads the temperature, is the object that regulates the temperature of its own accord, and that is NOT what I want.
Just a digital temperature reader would be fine, as long as it's not going to do that. I'll definitely check into those. There's nothing harmful about the probes? No tangles? I've heard of some people having to use tape to keep them in the right places, which can snare a snake and really mess them up. Are they easy enough to keep down with nothing to secure them in place?
Thank you!


"I agree, regardless you NEED a thermostat, otherwise you risk serious burn.
Here's a thread I created last year on the subject, graphic picture warning.
You can't fry a snake from a shorted/damaged thermometer. So the horror stories you heard, may have been people who placed the thermoSTAT probe in the enclosure (which....it should be on the outside secured directly to the UTH)."
H-- .. holy
........... I do not know if profanity are banned on this site, but I swore out loud to compensate.
That poor snake. I can't stop gritting my teeth as I look at those pictures, it feels like my stomach is in a knot. This is like when I've seen photos of people who have left live rodents in with their snakes unattended to return to a mutilated snake. I don't even have any words left for such sheer irresponsibility worse than most intentional cruelty.

I have tried three different UTIs and none got more than lukewarm to the touch, let alone penetrated the glass, much less the substrate. I eventually gave up on them altogether because they were useless in creating hot spots. Recommended over just a lamp or not, I can't seem to get any to work properly.
Does anyone know what substrate was that person using, if any? I don't think even one hot enough to burn one's hand from touching it could go through the substrate I use very well, but I don't have a lot of experience with really-really-hot ones, only really-really-pathetic ones. If that's a risk factor, I'm positive I'll stick with my lamp.


"Also, I would think feeding out of enclosure would induce a more aggressive response to you. The snake will associate you taking her out as food time.
But in the end, its your decision on what to do. We're only here to provide answers and suggestions."
I would think she would associate wherever I happened to feed her as meal time, not being handled in general, which will happen much more than feeding her, once she's had time to adjust to a new environment. If I have to get bitten upon occasion, I can deal. After a german shepherd once biting halfway through my forearm, I suppose I sure can't complain about a few teeth about the size of a needle.

I definitely do appreciate all of the input and advice, this community really does feel like a safety net at my fingertips. Thank you, all of you. I really do mean it.

Once I can construct a couple of non-tank enclosures, I think I'll post photos here to get some opinions on them.
Speaking of more opinions: what are everyones' views on automatic misting systems (sort of like the ones used on produce in grocery stores)? I've heard of some people using them on lizards. Yes, no? Why, why not?

[Skittles1101]

"I agree, regardless you NEED a thermostat, otherwise you risk serious burn.
Here's a thread I created last year on the subject, graphic picture warning.
You can't fry a snake from a shorted/damaged thermometer. So the horror stories you heard, may have been people who placed the thermoSTAT probe in the enclosure (which....it should be on the outside secured directly to the UTH)."
H-- .. holy
........... I do not know if profanity are banned on this site, but I swore out loud to compensate.
That poor snake. I can't stop gritting my teeth as I look at those pictures, it feels like my stomach is in a knot. This is like when I've seen photos of people who have left live rodents in with their snakes unattended to return to a mutilated snake. I don't even have any words left for such sheer irresponsibility worse than most intentional cruelty.

I have tried three different UTIs and none got more than lukewarm to the touch, let alone penetrated the glass, much less the substrate. I eventually gave up on them altogether because they were useless in creating hot spots. Recommended over just a lamp or not, I can't seem to get any to work properly.
Does anyone know what substrate was that person using, if any? I don't think even one hot enough to burn one's hand from touching it could go through the substrate I use very well, but I don't have a lot of experience with really-really-hot ones, only really-really-pathetic ones. If that's a risk factor, I'm positive I'll stick with my lamp.

My small zoo med also doesn't "feel" warm to the touch, but without a thermostat it reaches well over 130 degrees above the glass according to my temp gun, and that's with paper towel on top of it. Regardless of how you think it feels, you need a thermostat. Feed out of the enclosure all you want, but using a thermostat is not debatable. I can't stress it enough, I can find more evidence of severe burns from "luke warm feeling" UTHs if you want more proof...

Just because it hasn't happened to you yet, doesn't mean it won't...

[weofui]

Speaking of more opinions: what are everyones' views on automatic misting systems (sort of like the ones used on produce in grocery stores)? I've heard of some people using them on lizards. Yes, no? Why, why not?

I've used them with lizards/amphibians, but I wouldn't use them with my bp - the ones I've seen deliver a constant haze of mist, resulting in heavy condensation, which is far more humidity than the poor guy needs (even in a shed). I suppose there may be models that mist at intervals... but that still seems excessive to me.

I use ground coconut husks for substrate, which retains moisture very well, combined with a large water dish and I haven't had any issues with humidity - even in arid Colorado with the heat on all winter.

[Dember]

"My small zoo med also doesn't "feel" warm to the touch, but without a thermostat it reaches well over 130 degrees above the glass according to my temp gun, and that's with paper towel on top of it. Regardless of how you think it feels, you need a thermostat. Feed out of the enclosure all you want, but using a thermostat is not debatable. I can't stress it enough, I can find more evidence of severe burns from "luke warm feeling" UTHs if you want more proof...
Just because it hasn't happened to you yet, doesn't mean it won't..."

Like I said, I don't use them anymore, so that's not a concern.
And I mean "did not get warm to the touch" as in "this thing is so damn cold the cool end is identical"-cool, even after scraping all of the substrate away and feeling the glass directly above the heating mat. Perhaps the ones I got were just of a very poor quality, or (seems unlikely) all three had sustained some kind of damage?
I don't know, but I'd rather not mess with them at all when a ceramic heat emitter can keep both sides at a proper temperature. I'll definitely go for a digital thermometer as soon as possible. As for a thermostat that raises or lowers temperatures itself, I'm still extremely cautious here. Why do I need one if I don't use a UTI?
I'm genuinely afraid that it's going to malfunction due to water spills or for any other interference or reason, and if it runs the risk of frying my snakes...I have to disagree on how debatable using one is.


"I've used them with lizards/amphibians, but I wouldn't use them with my bp - the ones I've seen deliver a constant haze of mist, resulting in heavy condensation, which is far more humidity than the poor guy needs (even in a shed). I suppose there may be models that mist at intervals... but that still seems excessive to me."
I think a simple automatic light timer or something might work well enough. The reason it occurred to me was due to my Nicci promptly going and hiding under his greenery like it's an umbrella, because he dislikes me misting him so much. I thought that not only could I rig that up to where it doesn't touch or disturb him, but it would be a lot less invasive than wrenching the lid up just to spray him down and close it again several times a day. Best of all, I wouldn't have to worry about his humidity dropping, even if I'm gone all day upon occasion.

What about waterfall filters in a drinking/soaking bowl, to both filter the water and help raise humidity and cut back on the need to mist and disrupt them? I've seen these used on a lot of reptiles and especially amphibians. My boy loves soaking in the sink and swimming in the tub, so the thought of a little miniature snake-sized pond (not with deep water, of course), rather than just a bowl for him to climb into should he so desires, really intrigued me.

"I use ground coconut husks for substrate, which retains moisture very well, combined with a large water dish and I haven't had any issues with humidity - even in arid Colorado with the heat on all winter."
Isn't that akin to sand, which is highly inadvisable for BPs? I saw ground walnut shell bedding that looked and felt identical to sand, so I wouldn't touch it, myself.

[heathers*bps]

I don't think its just me, ( maybe I'm wrong ) but it seems like everything everyone is trying to help you with, you are so quick to argue. I just don't understand why coming here and asking for help with things, yet argue with what we say?

[Wiggy]

When I was younger I had a heat bulb burst on me, showering the enclosure with scalding hot bits of broken glass.

I'm not trying to deter you from using the lamp. I'm just saying that whenever you use electricity to make something hot, there are risks and chances that you take, regardless of the method or equipment involved.

Don't let other people's stories spook you, or cause you to dismiss viable options. Learn from them, and learn what went wrong, and what they could have done differently.

[Dember]

"I don't think its just me, ( maybe I'm wrong ) but it seems like everything everyone is trying to help you with, you are so quick to argue. I just don't understand why coming here and asking for help with things, yet argue with what we say?"

I apologize if you feel that way, but with as much reading as I've done, every individual website, person and book is going to have their own opinions. Some swear by one thing and say there's nothing better, others claim that the same thing is horrible and that you should never use it.
When it comes down to it, I have to do the very best I can for my animals, and that's bound to involve doing something that, by consequence of being incapable of pleasing everyone, someone does not agree with or approve of.

For every person here who has said to feed a snake in its enclosure, I can get a credible source that strongly advises the exact opposite. It's really no different than "you should feed live food because I do/because so-and-so does, and I/they have done it for years with no problems." As has just been said on this thread, "just because it has not happened YET does not mean that it won't."

When it comes to my animals' health and safety, I am not a risk taker. I am not a gambler, they mean far too much to me to do something that has a chance of hurting them. Thus far, I have to choose a "risk"; should I worry more about my snake bumping her nose from striking at the glass, or should I risk making her much worse and even risk her life by offering her food in her enclosure?
It seems that I run a risk of being bitten either way, so that's no longer really my concern -- even if I do, like I said, I've definitely had worse. Sure, I'd like that to go away so I don't have a snake who treats my hand like a freshly thawed rodent several times a day, but I can deal with that over running the risk of something that could be harmful to her.

If she was refusing all food offered outside of her enclosure, I would be a lot more concerned, but she eats outside perfectly fine (and would probably eat until she either barfed or ruptured), so that does not appear to be the issue.
If anything, being too enthusiastic is the 'problem', but as I said, I'd opt for a snake who bites at everything, over a shy and timid one who won't even look at food. She may be a nipper, but it could be so much worse.

I honestly do appreciate all of the input, or I wouldn't still be here. I'm not trying to be argumentative, and I'm sorry if anything I have said has been interpreted that way.
I'm simply discussing and weighing the options.
As an owner, I, like everyone else, have things that I just won't consider, be it feeding live food or walking dogs off-leash or letting my cats go outdoors. If it could hurt my animals, it's something I won't do. Otherwise, believe me, I am all ears.


"When I was younger I had a heat bulb burst on me, showering the enclosure with scalding hot bits of broken glass."
I have actually heard of the exact same thing, which is just one more reason I went for a ceramic heat emitter rather than a heat bulb, infra-red or otherwise. This thing guarantees that you can throw the thing into cold water after half an hour of power-on and it won't break. I have seen ones that have been busted before, and they tend to be in large chunks, much more like a shattered porcelain doll than a broken lightbulb, and way too big to fall through a screen. It was the best and safest option I could possibly find, and so far I haven't heard anything bad about them, thankfully.

[weofui]

I think a simple automatic light timer or something might work well enough. The reason it occurred to me was due to my Nicci promptly going and hiding under his greenery like it's an umbrella, because he dislikes me misting him so much. I thought that not only could I rig that up to where it doesn't touch or disturb him, but it would be a lot less invasive than wrenching the lid up just to spray him down and close it again several times a day. Best of all, I wouldn't have to worry about his humidity dropping, even if I'm gone all day upon occasion.

Is the humidity level in his enclosure really so fickle that it might drop to an undesirable level in a single day? I don't mist Jackson at all, and the humidity in his enclosure stays between 50-60%. During a shed I place a wet washcloth in his "shed log" and drape a damp towel over the top screen.

What about waterfall filters in a drinking/soaking bowl, to both filter the water and help raise humidity and cut back on the need to mist and disrupt them? I've seen these used on a lot of reptiles and especially amphibians. My boy loves soaking in the sink and swimming in the tub, so the thought of a little miniature snake-sized pond (not with deep water, of course), rather than just a bowl for him to climb into should he so desires, really intrigued me.

I can't see that a miniature pond would be harmful, but it shouldn't be necessary just to maintain proper humidity levels. As I understand it, BPs only soak themselves regularly if there's a problem like mites or high temperatures.

Isn't that akin to sand, which is highly inadvisable for BPs? I saw ground walnut shell bedding that looked and felt identical to sand, so I wouldn't touch it, myself.

Ground/shredded coconut shell fibers don't carry the impaction risk attributed to sand or ground walnut shells. It's actually very similar to the forest bedding of their natural habitat, resists molding, and is very environmentally friendly.