Pinkish Belly, Doesn't sit on UTH side?

[Fae]

The substrate in my terrarium is a little bit damp (like its a little bit wet to the touch, but not really) and I've noticed she doesn't like to sit on the side of the UTH at all, even after eating.
The ambient temps in there get to be around 87 on the warm side then 75-78 on the cooler side. She always sits in the hide thats to the right of this picture, the UTH is underneath the small cave on the left like this:


I've added a little bit of coco husk from this picture to keep up humidity but does this seem fine? The left side hide is where the UTH is under and she always
likes to hide in the corner pictured there, no matter if she has eaten or not. Is the night blue light too much? It heats the ambient temp up and without it the whole terrarium sits at around 73-75F in ambient temp.. I got it because she hasn't used the UTH side at all during the day and I worry that she'll get too cold. at night i generally see her on the branch near the top,
but I've noticed she only really does that when its near food time. this is a 18x12x12 exo terrarium.

I was just hoping/making sure it wasn't due to early signs of scale rot, she doesn't have many or any signs of shedding yet but her belly from the middle to the end is getting a little pinkish. I can take pictures of her belly tomorrow before feeding, but it's not really a grand pink, its more like her belly scales are blushing in a pink shade apart from her normal white/beige. Otherwise her behavior has been pretty good, likes to explore a bit and squeezes my hand as i hold her (maybe for warmth?). I'm an over panicking, new snake mom but I always like to be safe than sorry!

[daniel1983]

Could just be going into shed. When was the last time it shed?

[Fae]

Could just be going into shed. When was the last time it shed?

I'm not sure haha, this is actually the 2nd week I've had her. I've noticed the pink is only on the bottom half of her body. I'm going to the small reptile store I got her from tomorrow and
I'll probably ask them when she had her last shed.

[Mangiapane85]

A slightly pinkish belly usually is indicative of an impeding shed cycle.


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[BPGator]

Some questions and observations:

1. Are you measuring temperature just above the UTH on the tank side?
2. Do you have a thermostat controlling the UTH?
3. Are you measuring humidity?
4. What are you using to take your temperature measurements?
5. You should have identical hides - he may just not like the hide over the UTH and is choosing security over comfort.
6. A light at night is not required. If you do want a light, I find red to be better since they don't seem able to see that part of the light spectrum. But you really should be able to get the right temps with the UTH. Ambient temps of 73-75 are fine as long as the belly heat is 87-90°. It'll be a little warmer in the hide since the heat gets trapped some.


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[Fae]

Some questions and observations:

1. Are you measuring temperature just above the UTH on the tank side?
2. Do you have a thermostat controlling the UTH?
3. Are you measuring humidity?
4. What are you using to take your temperature measurements?
5. You should have identical hides - he may just not like the hide over the UTH and is choosing security over comfort.
6. A light at night is not required. If you do want a light, I find red to be better since they don't seem able to see that part of the light spectrum. But you really should be able to get the right temps with the UTH. Ambient temps of 73-75 are fine as long as the belly heat is 87-90°. It'll be a little warmer in the hide since the heat gets trapped some.


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1.Yea, right above the UTH (using a temp gun) its at about 85/88, on the higher half of the tank it goes to about 95 in ambient air temps. The belly heat on the hide shes sitting in is about 75ish though and ambients are generally in the 80 range.
2. I do not.
3. Yes, its steadily in the 50-55% range, and sometimes drops to 40% if the water bowl is empty.
4. An instant temperature gun.
5. I may go back and buy another one of the same kind my next trip tomorrow when I get her mouse, hopefully they have another one. The strangest thing though is that the hide that is currently on the UTH side is the same type of hide they had in the enclosure she was sold in. Though, she was with another 2 baby BPs, I'm not sure if they fight over territory as such though.
6. I was going to get a ceramic one if the ambient temps were necessary, I'm thinking maybe the ambient light makes the UTH hide too hot since it traps heat from both sides? Still I'm not even sure cause as the light is on and the UTH is on, the inside of the hide is about 86-88. 83 if you point the gun directly into the cypress mulch. I feel like I have her setup rather correct even though I don't have a thermostat, but I'm just so unsure since she just wont use the 2nd warm hide at all.

[BPGator]

It sounds like your temp gun is showing 85/88 on top of the substrate. If you push the substrate aside and measure the bottom surface of your tank it will be much hotter. That's where you need your temp to not exceed 90 since your snake can lay on that surface if it chooses. You also need a thermostat to regulate your UTH temp.


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[Fae]

It sounds like your temp gun is showing 85/88 on top of the substrate. If you push the substrate aside and measure the bottom surface of your tank it will be much hotter. That's where you need your temp to not exceed 90 since your snake can lay on that surface if it chooses. You also need a thermostat to regulate your UTH temp.


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Gotcha, I'm just still worried about the fact she won't even chose to go on that side at all still, non the less dig her way down into it. If it becomes a problem when she begins to dig into it I will buy a thermostat, but for now its mostly just the problem of her not using that side of the tank at all still.

[Mangiapane85]

Gotcha, I'm just still worried about the fact she won't even chose to go on that side at all still, non the less dig her way down into it. If it becomes a problem when she begins to dig into it I will buy a thermostat, but for now its mostly just the problem of her not using that side of the tank at all still.

In my mind, common sense would tell me she's not going to that side for a reason. Try switching the hides and see if she follows the hide or stays in cool end. If she stays, it's probably too hot on the warm side. Get a thermostat now. For the safety of your snake.


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[BPGator]

My guess is it's too hot.


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