Bottom line...DO NOT put the UTH inside the tank with the snake. Go to any replicable ball python breeders websites and you will read somewhere to not do this. It goes in the same direction of using heat rocks. This heat source inside the enclosure will be too great of a threat to do harm to your snake. Use it as directed, UNDER the tank. Give it time, it will do it's job. How big is your ball python, 55 gal tank seems pretty big for a ball anyway. Most balls never outgrow a 20gal long.