Quote Originally Posted by Inarikins View Post
Our internal temp is about 93 degrees, which isn't too warm for them. Our actual skin temperature is more like 89-90, which is actually about perfect for a ball python. Ball pythons aren't intelligent enough to get off a too-hot spot. They would rather be too hot and burn than leave the heat and be cold. A ball python laying on a 114 degree hot spot is the same thing as laying your hand on a hot stove.
I disagree. I think a hot spot of 110 degrees is okay, as long as it is only a spot, and not the ambient temps. sometimes it is hard to get the rest of the temps correct and not have a spot that warm. under the substrate, right above the heat cable in my tubs is about 112. above the paper on the same exact spot is about 90 degrees(three layers of paper). I have some a couple balls that will lay directly on the hot spot, under the paper about ten hours after eating....at 112. they do just fine. it is not at all like putting your hand on a hot stove, if it was...they would not stay there. I think it is funny that so many people think that THEY can better choose the temps the snakes need, better than the snake its self. I have also seen corn snakes lay on a hot spot of 115 degrees, and corns can survive in a normal house, with no additional heat at all...this just proves they will utilize more temps than people realize. as long as your ball has temps down in to the mid 70s, they are fine. I would not want the ambient temps above 84 personally, but having a hot spot up to 115 degrees is absolutely no problem at all...and several of my snakes will utilize it if offered. I do agree that some snakes will lay on a heat source and burn themselves, and I have seen it with people using hot rocks, but I also believe this happens when the rest of the enclosure, and the ambient temps are too low. if you offer them warm enough ambient(air temps in the overall enclosure) of 80-84 degrees, you will not have a problem with them burning themselves...especially as long as your hot spot is not above 115. they KNOW what temps they need to properly digest their food. they have been doing this for thousands of years without our help, they will continue to do it without our help, as long as they have the proper temps and humidity ranges. I would not worry too much about it.