Ball Python Soaking?

[Zincubus]

Will do when I get home. If for nothing but peace of mind.
I immediately thought mites, looked up how to check and the signs. He matches none of the symptoms or signs. And found no trace of them.

Here's hoping it isn't mites and things work out !


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[mischiefneko]

It isn't mites. I wiped him with a paper towel and no dots or anything.
But I when I picked him up to check he felt cool. Should I moves the bowl a bit more to the warm side? Or get a small heat lamp? That's fine if he needs to soak but I'm now worried that he's too cold.
He hasn't left his bowl since last night, from what I've seen.

[Zincubus]

Good news about the mites

Hi ..

May I enquire as to what you're using to check the surface temps and humidity ?

One of these or similar, by any chance ?




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[Bogertophis]

Remember that we're 98.6* so most snakes (even warm ones) feel cool to us.

Sounds like he WANTS to be cooler, & has chosen the water for that reason. Snakes do need these options, so unless there's something incorrect about
the temps he has available, don't move the water or add heat. Snakes soak when they feel the need for hydration or lower temps, & yes, for mites but
thankfully you've found none. (I'd keep checking though, especially if he isn't going into a shed cycle. Mites are hard to find, but snakes can feel them
whether or not we can see them.)

Snakes can obviously feel a shed cycle coming on long before we can see any evidence...I've noticed this over the years, they just know. And shedding
requires good hydration from their bodies (as does digestion). I think he knows what he needs, take his word for it.

[mischiefneko]

@Zincubus Yes I have a couple of those that are both a thermometer and hygrometer in one. And the heat mat is regulated by a thermostart to keep the warm side pretty constant.
@Bogertophis I posted his current temps a couple posts ago. And I know snakes are cooler than we are, but he seems cooler than normal.

[Zincubus]

@Zincubus Yes I have a couple of those that are both a thermometer and hygrometer in one. And the heat mat is regulated by a thermostart to keep the warm side pretty constant.
@Bogertophis I posted his current temps a couple posts ago. And I know snakes are cooler than we are, but he seems cooler than normal.

Hi ... I'm afraid those stick on ones are basically USELESS for the purpose you want .. you HAVE to know the surface temps of the areas your snake will be lying over .. sadly those stick on ones just give a very approximate guide and only the ambient air temps near the gadget itself ... worse still the thermometers are wildly inaccurate.. I stick them on my snake room for decoration only but you can see there are two next to each other in my photo and they're reading a 20 degree difference !!

The stick on hygrometers are even more useless !

You need at least one ideally couple of digital thermometers with wired probes ..

Also get yourself a digital temp gun for instant checking of random surface temps .. they are less than ten dollars off eBay or Amazon..




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[mischiefneko]

I don't have mine sticking on the side of the tank. I rest it on one side, wait a few minutes then check the reading. I haven't gotten around to buying a digital reader yet

[mischiefneko]

Ordered! I don't know what I was typing in the first time. When I first looked into getting them they were $50+ and I just didn't have that.

[Zincubus]

I don't have mine sticking on the side of the tank. I rest it on one side, wait a few minutes then check the reading. I haven't gotten around to buying a digital reader yet

Ok .. thing is you really don't know what the surface temps under the warm hide are .. they could well be dangerously high . .. it may actually explain the odd soaking behaviour ..

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[mischiefneko]

Ok .. thing is you really don't know what the surface temps under the warm hide are .. they could well be dangerously high . .. it may actually explain the odd soaking behaviour ..

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Even with the thermostat regulating it? I have it set for 90 degrees Fahrenheit. He's been balled under there before with no issues. For like four days straight he lived in that hide.