Young & Restless??

[LuvLife1117]

Hi everyone! I'm never to the site and have questions about my BP.
For the past couple of days, she has been extremely restless. She hasn't gone into either 1 of her hides in 3 days and has been very active during the day and at night. She constantly stretches herself out and lays in what I think are not-so-normal positions (i.e. laying stretching out across her water bowl , on top of her half log hide, etc.). Once in a while, I catch her rubbing her nose against anything she passes by. Even with the humidity between 56%-65% all the time, she always runs her body through her water bowl. Maybe this is normal behavior, but I figured I'd ask the experts!

Her tank setup: 20 gal tank, aspen substrate (she prefers bark, but PETCO ran out), water dish in the middle of the tank, cool side is 86 w/68% humidity, hot side is 92 w/60% humidity, w/hides on both sides. For heat, I use an uth and 100watt daylight bulb. I have a cover I made with aluminum foil on one side (to keep the heat in) and electric tape on the other. She ate 5 days ago and is not due for a shed for a while.

Oh yeah, she also had a small injury about 10 days ago. I don't know how she did this, but she managed to pull of the thermometer/humidity gauge on the hot side and got one of the adhesives stuck to her bottom side right below her head. I soaked her in warm water when I saw this and gently took the adhesive off. I thought she was fine, but a couple days later, I noticed a pink mark where the adhesive was. Just figured I'd add the extra info.

Thanks!

[rabernet]

Hi welcome! First thing that I noticed was the rubbing her face on things - that concerns me that she may have an RI. Is she "sliming" things that she's rubbing her face on? Has she ever been seen by a vet?


Secondly - while the temps you report sound great, the other thing that struck me was the temp guage that you referred to. Is it one of those stick on dials? Where is it mounted, floor level, mid level, top?

The stick on dials are notorious for being inaccurate, and often users are measuring temps above ground level, where the snake actually spends most of its time.

I would recommend getting a digital thermometer/hygrometer, so that you can measure temps inside the warm side hide. You can pick up an AcuRite indoor/outdoor digital thermometer for about $12 at Walmart.

Now, your identical hides - what are they? (1/2 log hides, small snug bowls?)

It is not normal for a ball python to be so restless for the amount of time if everything is just like they like them. It may also be too open for him as well.

Do you have any pictures of your set-up?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

thermometer/humidity gauge

Meaning you do not use a digital thermometer/hydrometer like this one

If this is the case and you use dial type thermometer/hydrometer you need to know they are not accurate and your temps might be off which could cause your BP to be stress and look for cool temp which is why your BP your BP could try to cool off around the water bowl.

What I would do is to get a digital thermometer/hydrometer if you don't have one, you can get it at Walmart or Lowes for 13$ and check your temps again.

This device will allow you to have a reading for temp on the cool and warm side as well as humidity

[LuvLife1117]

Thanks for the responses. She isn't sliming anything when she rubs her nose and she hasn't been to the vet yet ( I was planning on taking her on Tues or Wed). And I apologize about my vague description of the gauge. It is one of the stick on types, but it is digital thermometer/hygrometer
. I have 3 all together, one on ground level on each side and 1 mounted up top. I did have 2 matching snug hides on both sides, but she never used the one on the cool side, so I replaced it with a half log that she's usually in all the time. MY camera isn't working so I can't take any pics of the set up (sorry ), but I cover her tank on all sides during her night cycle

[rabernet]

Another thing that you can try to settle her, is to fill the enclosure with loosely crumpled newspaper. That will provide additional cover and the sensation of something touching her from all sides, which will make her feel safer.

[LuvLife1117]

She responded well to the crumpled newspaper and has gone into her hide for the 1st time in days. Thanks for the advice!

[rabernet]

That's awesome! Leave it in there, and you can start to slowly wean her off of it, over the next several weeks. Take out a piece or two every couple of days. Glad to hear that she'f finally settling in for you!

[scotty99]

he vets?

[Stewart_Reptiles]

he vets?

The thread is over 3 years old

[scotty99]

I posted by mistake....call me an idiot but i cant find the delete option!!

The site has had a facelift since i was last here, thats my excuse anyway