Is My Ball Python OK?

[Wuattaguan]

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!

I made some changes to the tank, and I think switching the 100-watt to a 75-watt will even the ambient temp to a good 80-85 degrees

[bcr229]

The UTH is unregulated but it is 8 Watts and runs at 85-88 degrees surface temperature. I placed it under a card-board sheet in the hide where my snake lays, so it gives the hide a gentle warmth. He does not seem to mind it at all!

I'm confused... your UTH is in the tank, not attached to the glass underneath it?

[NH93]

I normally Use 2 analog Temp/Humidity meters, one on each side of the cage, they both read 50-60% humidity, but the cage temperatures vary as shown in my diagram ^

Buying a temp gun

A thermometer is NOT a thermoSTAT. A thermoSTAT controls the heat of the UTH. Think of it like your own home; if you turned on the heat with no thermostat, it would get hotter and hotter until you melted your face off. Now imagine you have to live in there, and your body doesn't let you sweat or control your inside temperatures, but rather it is the exact same as your surroundings.

That is your ball python. Mind you I went a little extreme there, but just to make a point.
You NEED a thermostat to control the UTH. You also should have a probed thermometer stuck to the bottom of the inside of the vive directly over top where the UTH is (UTH on the outside of course) to get an exact measurement of the hottest spot in which your snake can reach.

I can't stress this enough. Search "burnt ball python" on this forum or Google to see what can happen if you don't use a thermostat. Snakes don't always move when it is too hot.

[Wuattaguan]

A thermometer is NOT a thermoSTAT. A thermoSTAT controls the heat of the UTH. Think of it like your own home; if you turned on the heat with no thermostat, it would get hotter and hotter until you melted your face off. Now imagine you have to live in there, and your body doesn't let you sweat or control your inside temperatures, but rather it is the exact same as your surroundings.

That is your ball python. Mind you I went a little extreme there, but just to make a point.
You NEED a thermostat to control the UTH. You also should have a probed thermometer stuck to the bottom of the inside of the vive directly over top where the UTH is (UTH on the outside of course) to get an exact measurement of the hottest spot in which your snake can reach.

I can't stress this enough. Search "burnt ball python" on this forum or Google to see what can happen if you don't use a thermostat. Snakes don't always move when it is too hot.

I understand, I wasn't really paying attention to the word choice. No i do NOT have a thermostat for my UTH. However, I have tested the temperature after 2 days of the heat mat being on, and it does not ever go over 90 degrees surface temperature.

I placed the UTH Inside the Tank, underneath the Box hide, and the mat does warm up the cardboard to a nice 85 degrees Constant. This is without a thermostat. I do not see the heat increasing past this point

[bcr229]

What kind of UTH do you have? Some are designed to go inside the tank, but most are not - they're not waterproof in case the snake urinates on them.

[Zach Cedor]

Also many have adhesive or glue on them which could be harmful to your snake I would move the uth(UNDER TANK HEATER) to the under side of the tank and look into a thermostat even a cheaper hydro farm thermostat would work

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Morris Reese]

What kind of UTH do you have? Some are designed to go inside the tank, but most are not - they're not waterproof in case the snake urinates on them.

The only one I know that goes inside is an Intellitemp heat mat made by Big Apple Herp. They are designed not to get too hot; however they will tell you to put a TSTAT on it! They are waterproof. I just bought one and I love it!!

[Wuattaguan]

What kind of UTH do you have? Some are designed to go inside the tank, but most are not - they're not waterproof in case the snake urinates on them.

I use an 8 Watt ReptiTherm UTH from Petsmart. The glue on the underside is gone.

I keep the UTH under half an inch of Aspen bedding and then a cardboard mat above that. The surface temperature of the snake's lay is around 90-95 degrees. He does not feel too hot to the touch and his scales are not turning pink at all.

The ambient temperature is a constant 80 degrees, he is much healthier now with the new additions!

[ROACH]

"He does not feel too hot to the touch" To the human hand he wont feel Hot, your hand is hotter than your snake is! Man everyone on here is giving you advice as to what needs to be done. How come people ask for advice and then refuse to listen? You need a thermostat on there so it doesnt get to hot for your snake. Please for your snakes sake.....Listen to what people are telling you.

[bcr229]

I use an 8 Watt ReptiTherm UTH from Petsmart. The glue on the underside is gone.

Those are supposed to be installed on the underside of the tank and controlled with a thermostat, or at least a rheostat/lamp dimmer. They can get up to 120*F and are not designed to get wet like one of the in-tank mats from Big Apple Herps.

If all of the glue is gone you can use clear packing tape to stick it to the glass.