bedding and shedding questions plz help

[akskeeper]

Ok I have only had my ball python for about 3 weeks and when I purchased him they had me get a 10 gallon starter kit for a snake and inside it it had a carpet in it for the bedding well after 2 weeks we got a larger snake becouse the 10 gallon was just to small so hes now in a 20 also after doing alot of resurch I got the compressed coconut bedding that you put in water and exspands well I did everything and put it in the new tank and since I did so my snake will not touch the bottom he does everything he can to climb on everything to reach the other sidehe wont even go in his hides he will just sleep on top im really concerned becouse ive read they get most their heat through their belly im just concerned about him plz helpi want my guy health

[KMG]

Is the substrate still very damp? It may be which could be making the surface cold.

How thick is the substrate over the uth? It needs to be thin so the heat can reach your snake.

Do you have a temp gun? How are you measuring surface temp?

[Crazymonkee]

When I used the coconut I bought the bags...its perfect, just pour it in and done. I'm guessing it is too wet in there for your snake.

[akskeeper]

It was actually really moist when I put it in there its been 4 days since I did so it is almost completly dry now. The bedding is abouta 1/2 in deep on the side wih the heating pad on it and about a inch on the cool side and I have a digital thermometer that is on the bottom right under the bedding barley coverd by it so I could get a more accurate reading of the top of the bedding its reading 85 on the hot side and 73 on the cool

[Andys-Python]

It sounds like you are using eco-earth or coconut coir as a substrate. IMO, this is way too wet to use on a Ball Python and you will end up getting scale rot. I would suggest using aspen bedding or coconut husk CHIPS on top of paper towel. Place the hides on the paper towels so the snake has a soft place to lay and put the substate in after the hides are in place. Make sure you measure the heat on the inside the hides on the paper towels to it doesn't get too warm. It's the humidity in the air that helps sheding - not the wetness of the substrate.

[Andys-Python]

I just looked at your photos, and the coconut coir IS what you are using as a substrate. This type of substrate LOOKS good, but I would not recommend it for a Ball Python. As I stated, it stays too wet and it will be difficult to keep clean because you will have to break down your tank every time your snake defecates or urinates just to make sure you get all the contaminated substrate cleaned out. The aspen bedding or just plain old paper towel will make life much easier for you. I use the coir for my Pacman frogs. It does help with the humidity, but they like a moist damp substrate.
There are tricks to help maintain the humidity in an aquarium type enclosure. One is to cover most of the top of the enclosure with something to keep the humidity in the tank. You want some air flow so it doesn’t become stagnant and you get mold growing. Live plants help as does putting the water dish at the warm end of the enclosure. I also mist the inside of the tank about 2X a week. More often when he is about to shed.
You have ONE HANSOME snake there too. Beautiful!!!
Listen to him. He’s telling you he doesn’t like the substrate.

[akskeeper]

Ok thankyou for the information also with th humidity its at 70 to 80 while he was shedding have part of the top coverd to keep the humity in I dropped it back down to 55 now that he is done hes great with us and the kids we have him out atleast a few hours a night ushually get him out around 930 either in his tree above his cage that also has a heat light above it just in case I wants warm he lets us know when hes ready to go back in his cage and if hes not in the cage he is either with us on the couch or whatever we are doing he reacts to our voices and everything hes absolutly amazing