Is My Ball Python OK?

[Wuattaguan]

Hello all, new user, first post

I have a 1.5 Year old Ball Python, she is a little over 3 feet,
I put her in a 30 gallon aqua/terrarium, (30inch x 12inch) set up as follows;

-LEFT SIDE - Ceramic Hide with 8 Watt Under Tank Heater below it (85-90 degrees inside hide, 75-82 degrees above hide)
-RIGHT SIDE -Dark Red Heat Lamp (82-88 degrees)
-RIGHT SIDE - Water Bowl (Big enough for snake to fit itself into)

The RIGHT SIDE has a big branch above it so the area on the ground is not directly hit by the Red Light, but attains warmth.

Anyways, as of late, the snake has been leaving the hide and prowling around the tank constantly, sometimes it will lay in the water bowl for an hour or so, which led med to believe it was too hot. However, i checked the thermometers inside the tank and they say the ground level is at a constant "82-88" on the RIGHT SIDE and "75-82" on the LEFT SIDE above the hide. "85-90" Inside the hide.

Why is he always prowling around? and why does he sometimes stay in his water bowl for over an hour, i'm afraid he will get too cold because the ambient temperature does not seem THAT hot when I stick my hand in the cage

He also tries every once in a little while to push up on the tank screen, maybe trying to get out?

Halp!

[Morris Reese]

Have you checked for mites? Look in the water bowl for little black specks. It will look like pepper in the water. They will soak a lot if they have mites.
UTH temp needs to be around 88. The ambient temp on that side should be around 82. If I am reading this correctly your right side (cool side?) is too warm. Drop it down to 75.
It's either going to be mites or your snake can't get her body temp regulated.
What is your humidity like?

[Wuattaguan]

Humidity is at a constant 50-60%, The Cool side (Right Side) has a shaded area and a non-shaded area. Shaded area reads 78-82 and the Non-shaded reads 83-87. However, above the hide on the LEFT Side is a cool area as well, around 75-78 degrees.

I have not noticed any mites on her, and she does not soak often, but when she DOES soak, its for a while.

I'm worried that if i leave the light off, the tank's ambient temperature will decrease to 70-72, leaving only the UTH in the hide for warmth. If my ball python decides to go swimming again in 70-72 degree air i'm worried it will get an RI.

[Wuattaguan]

Here is a picture I made (A+ for effort ) of my tank,

I am still unsure of why my ball python keeps trying to escape from the tank and prowling around/moving around for long durations

Maybe she is healthy and I'm just being paranoid?

[Wuattaguan]

Hello all, new user, first post

I have a 1.5 Year old Ball Python, She is a little over 3 feet.
I put her in a 30 gallon aqua/terrarium, (30inch x 12inch) set up as follows;


Temperatures Shown Vary Depending on time of day.
Anyways, as of late, the snake has been leaving the hide and prowling around the tank constantly, Why is she always prowling around?

She also tries every once in a little while to push up on the tank screen, maybe trying to get out?

Humidity is at a constant 50-60%, The Cool side (Right Side) has a shaded area and a non-shaded area.

I have not noticed any mites on her, and she does not soak often, but when she DOES soak, its for a while.

I'm worried that if I leave the light off, the tank's ambient temperature will decrease to 70-72, leaving only the UTH in the hide for warmth. If my ball python decides to go swimming again in 70-72 degree air i'm worried it will get an RI.

What should I do? Is she healthy and I'm just being paranoid?

[wideglide]

I would incorporate a cooler hide somewhere in there. All I see is the warm hide.

Rob

[Wuattaguan]

I would incorporate a cooler hide somewhere in there. All I see is the warm hide.

Rob

I will try that and see if it changes her behavior, thanks

[bumblebee1028]

Is it possible that she's hungry? What are you feeding her and how often? Have you changed what you're feeding her recently?

[Wuattaguan]

Is it possible that she's hungry? What are you feeding her and how often? Have you changed what you're feeding her recently?

She has just recently (last week) finished Fasting from breeding season, she started by eating 2 Large Mice, then she ate a 3rd-Mice a couple days later. I plan on switching her to Medium Rats next time I feed her. She did shed last week before she ate, and the skin came off like a glove!

It may be possible that the lack of a cool hide is to blame, or maybe the hot hide is TOO hot? Its an 8 Watt UTH and when I press on the ground above, its lukewarm.

[bumblebee1028]

The two reasons that immediately come to mind for a snake roaming the tank are if it's too warm, or if the snake is hungry. I haven't had to deal with a ball python fasting and then deciding to eat again, so I think that she could just still be hungry, but hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

I would definitely add a cool hide (or even some fake plants/foliage), and see if that helps her feel more secure. What are you using to measure the temps? And do you have a thermostat regulating the UTH? Your picture shows that the maximum temp on the branch is 95, which is a little high (you want to try to stay 94F or below), but based on the temps showing for the rest of the tank, I wouldn't think that she's moving a lot because of that. I would measure the temperature on the bottom of the tank right above the UTH and see exactly what you get. If it's 85-90 (if I'm reading your diagram correctly), then that's not too hot.

Hope that helps!