New (Adult) Ball Seems To Prefer Cool Side. Should I Do Anything?

[Cobb1129]

Hey everyone,

I recently brought home an adult Normal ball python from a local breeder. Basically, the guy who runs the place accepts snakes back that he sold as trades towards fancier morphs and back from people who can no longer care for them. I don't know an exact age on him, but he's between three and four feet long, good thick body...the owner said he's probably 2-3 years old. He's a real laid back snake, so far he seems to like being held and everything. Really pleased with my purchase.

Anyway, on to my question.

I've got him in a 40 gallon tank with aspen bedding, a heat light and log hide on one side and a large water dish and another hide on the right side. I've attached a picture here.



As you can see...the hide on the warm side is a log hide and the hide on the right is some sort of rock deal. The rock hide is pretty heavy. I imagine, as a result, it might seem more safe and secure to snake. The arrangement I've got...with the water dish next to the rock hide and the log hide on the opposite side...was really the only arrangement that I could come up with given the size of the three elements.

I'm wondering if I should switch the heat lamp to the opposite side of the tank. But everything I've read suggests that the heat light and the water dish should be on opposite sides of the tank. The problem this creates, as I've stated, is that this is the only real arrangement that works and gives him room to move around.

So should I move the light? Or leave it the way it is and trust that he'll move from side to side to adjust his temperature as he sees fit?

Thoughts/ideas/concerns/etc are all greatly appreciated!

-Alex

[dr del]

Hi,

We can't see the [pictures because they are in your ( private ) email account.

You need to put them somewhere else ( photobucket, imageshack or your gallery here ) before we will be able to see them.

But no, unless they have just eaten it's fairly common for snakes to spend a lot of their time on the cool side.

[Cobb1129]

Sorry for the confusion and thanks for the help!

I've posted the picture again below...

[Krynn]

What are your temps on the warm and cool side?

Two of my ball pythons spend 60-75% of their time on the cool side of their enclosure, but you definitely want to make sure that your python is not sacrificing thermal preference in order to feel more secure. I like having two identical hides on each side, so that I know it isnt choosing a side because it prefers that hide. If the temps are ok, you could try switching the rock and the rock and see what side he chooses. You are probably going to want a second hide in the enclosure though.

Cheers,

[CORBIN911]

That log hide, IMO is crap.. they will not feel safe as they can always see out. there is no 3 sides "touching" him... if i can suggest G to reptile basics website and lok for those Black hide box's by far the best ones, easy to clean and well not ugly