Sick BP? Help!

[Loke]

Newb here. I'm taking care of a ball python for a kids' summer camp that closes down for the rest of the year. I brought it home almost two months ago, and in the beginning it was very active. Every evening I would see it climbing all over its tank, and when I took it out it would explore all over the place. But suddenly about a week and a half ago it became totally inactive (though there has been no change in its environment). I barely see it moving at all, and when I take it out of the tank it just sits there. All day and night it lies in the same spot next to its hide. It is still eating (so far), but I'm very concerned. I tried raising the temperature in the tank (because the heat lamp it came with wasn't bringing the hot side quite up to 90), but it hasn't had any effect.

Also, I don't know if this is related, but when I brought it home it was just finishing shedding, but it hasn't shed again since then. Is that normal? I don't know how old it is, but it's about a foot and a half long.

I just noticed that the ball python caresheet on this site says not to use cedar as a substrate. This animal came with cedar in the tank and I was given a big bag of cedar chips with it, so that's what I've been using. Could that be making it sick? It's been okay with it up until now, though.

[ballpythonluvr]

Oh my goodness! Cedar is a big NO NO for ball pythons! When you say the snake seems like it is sick, what kind of symptoms is the animal displaying? Please get that poor snake off that bedding ASAP!

[KMG]

Sounds like regular ball behavior but you do have issues.

First get rid of the cedar.

Second the hotspot in the task should be between 90 and 94. This is surface temp. If you get the air temp to 90 the hot spot under the lamp will be way to hot and could burn your snake.

Create a hot spot on the surface between 90-94 and an air temp of 80. Most snakes will be active after a move and then will settle in. If you provide the right temp and humidity and the snake continues to eat and shed fine being inactive is not a problem. Remember they are nocturnal so you usually will not see them moving about.

[Savannelee]

Thats not good:/
I would get the cedar out of there asap and replace it with some newspaper.
I use Aspen bedding for my pythons, but there are a few other options to choose from.
Hope your snake starts feeling better

[Daybreaker]

He could be more inactive right now if he may be going into shed. Mine become hermits when they're going into the blue stage and stay that way until they shed and are excited to eat again.

[Loke]

Thank you all for your advice. I'll get rid of the cedar.

Maybe its inactivity nothing to worry about; I just freaked out because it seemed like such a sudden and drastic change in behavior. I guess I'm inclined to worry too much because years ago I kept several ribbon snakes (sequentially) and they all stopped eating and died within months. I never figured out what I was doing wrong (the folks at the pet store couldn't explain it). So I'm kind of paranoid that the same thing will happen to this snake.