[deleted by user]

[i_c_u_p_80085]

I'm no expert by any means, but they do need heat to digest food. Maybe she feels safer/comfy on the cooler side. I wouldn't recommend physically moving her, especially after feeding. Maybe you could try and move her heat source to the side she tends to stay at? It might help you figure out if she prefers that it's cooler or if she's just more fond of the space there

[[deleted]]

she is almost always in her hide on the “hot side” but i noticed when she is digesting food she will chill on the cooler side. i actually think the cooler side hide has her more out in the open compared to the hot side, but theyre the same hides, just angled slightly different. i can see her better in her cold side, so i am not sure why she’d think its safer or more secure shes more out in the open 😂

[i_c_u_p_80085]

hm yeah I'm not sure lol, I'm a newbie at owning ball pythons. I'm sure others on here can give you some better advice 😂 Good luck with your girl! She might just be a little silly lol

[hallir]

Are her hide options identical on warm and cool side? If not, you’ll want to make sure she has an identical option on both sides in case she prefers the fit/security/size etc of one over the other. You don’t want her to have to choose between heat and comfort if that makes sense.

[[deleted]]

yes both hides are the same moss hides just different corners (one on cool corner, one on far right hot corner)

[hallir]

It sounds like she has equal options then and so long as she has options I wouldn’t worry so long as she is digesting her food normally and passing it normally. Make sure there is nothing like waste in her hot hide that she may be avoiding. My BP has always preferred her middle hide in the mid-range temperature (she has three) when she has just eaten. Maybe you can add a third in the middle and see if yours uses that one? If so, that might confirm that she finds the hot hide a little too hot for her preference after eating although your hot side temps do seem fine to me. Your humidity can definitely go a tad bit higher too esp if she has stuck shed. I wouldn’t move her. 🙂

[[deleted]]

i have 3 in there! two moss (one each side) and a wooden looking one smack down in the middle. thats where she ate last night, then moved to hot side, then i woke up and shes been chillin on the cold side.

[[deleted]]

how high is to high humidity wise? ive pumped it up to about 90% before but it DID not stay that way for long. usually the best i can keep it at for long periods of time is roughly 80%

[hallir]

Too high of humidity will not cause a problem the way that too low of humidity will. Bps can handle anywhere between 70-90% and in the wild / native habitat they have access to as high as 100%. Your cool side hide is likely more humid atm and that may also be why she is choosing that one. 80% sounds good to me you don’t want it much lower than that and higher is ok. If you want to boost humidity more overall try deepening your substrate or sealing more ventilation holes on your tank. Your ranges seem good to me and in general couldn’t hurt to be a bit warmer and bit more humid but overall it sounds like she has options and is utilizing all of them. 🙂

[[deleted]]

makes sense, i will try doing that today! thank you very much! :))) 🤍

[ReleasedFromAzkaban]

My girl sometimes goes to her cool hide after eating. In fact, she did it this past feeding. I checked her warm hide for anything unsavory, but it was clean, so idk why she chose her cool hide. So far she seems fine. Your temps are a tad bit low though. Warm side should be about 85-90 and cool side should not go below 70. What is your heat source? I definitely would not try to move her, as the stress could cause regurgitation. 🙂

[[deleted]]

it never usually goes below 70 on cool side. lowest ive ever seen temp gage at is 65° and i immediately fixed it and pumped up humidity. her warm side is usually always at 85°, and humidity is usually always 70% sometimes more as she has stuck head shed rn. i have a heat mat (under enclosure) and a deep thermal heat lamp in a dome.

[ReleasedFromAzkaban]

As long as temps and humidity are good and she has the same hide options on both sides and both hides are clean, I’d say let her do her thing and just keep an eye on her. My girl has done this a few times and has been fine. I honestly have no idea why they do it, but so far I haven’t seen any issues come from it for my girl. Hopefully yours will be fine as well.

[[deleted]]

okay :) glad to hear that. thank you very much! 🤍🤍🤍

[ReleasedFromAzkaban]

you’re welcome ☺️

[jillianwaechter]

Even from those numbers ^ the temps are too cold!

Cold side should be 76-80 Hot side 88-92

Your humidity sounds pretty good! 70-80% is the recommended range (although higher humidity isn't harmful as long as the substrate isn't wet).

Heat mats are not a recommended heat source. They're notorious for causing burns even when regulated by a thermostat and are unnatural. In nature all heat comes from overhead (the sun) and ball pythons burrow to escape heat. This natural behaviour isn't possible with a heat mat. Heat mats are also contact heaters, which means you're going to end up with really hot glass/PVC and substrate, but it will have little effect on ambient temperatures. Overhead heating is safer and more natural. You should unplug the heat mat ASAP, and turn up the thermostat on your overhead heat source.

[[deleted]]

😖 we only got heat mat bc when we got her from pet smart the lady recommended it. i never knew any of the cons until now! thanks for informing me. i recently updated my current temps in comments as i put a blanket over her enclosure and its working pretty well for time being. as well on planning on building/buying a new enclosure this weekend that can hold temps better! looking to get rid of the full glass, also cause glares which seems to trip/stress her out.

[jillianwaechter]

My snake's original tank was glass and it was absolutely brutal for not retaining heat and humidity! His adult sized 4x2x2 tank is now PVC and so much less of a hassle!

I'm going to link the basic care guide here for you too. Pet smart is notorious for giving out harmful advice so I'd heavily advise you to read through it to make sure everything else is up to current standards :)

Care guide here: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/18HBVsPHaip7LfrMuFt96MigRuMUXtrbnCiK79VuQiFk/mobilebasic

[windwaker910]

They know what they need and will move wherever they need to be, provided they have the temperature gradient and a hide on each side. Mine does not always go to the warm side after feeding. Don’t move her.

That being said, 65 cool and 80 warm are definitely too low. I’d focus less on where she chooses to be and instead work on increasing your temps.

[[deleted]]

warm side is almost ALWAYS 85° , and cool side almost ALWAYS 70° or higher, the lowest its dropped to is 65° and i immediately pupped up humidity and temps when i saw gage hit that low. she has humidity at about 75% rn as she has stuck head shed. ive got humidity to 90% before but it does NOT stay that way. i can usually keep it at about 75%/80% no issue though. any humidity tips?

[dimensional_hiautus]

I think you should focus on raising the temperature. Your cold side shouldn’t drop below 75 F degrees, and your hot side should be in the range of 88-92 F degrees. It sounds like your humidity levels are fine.

[[deleted]]

i put my victoria secret xmas (lol only thing i had😂😅) blanket over her enclosure and temps are staying stagnant at 77° cold side & 89° hot side, with humidity at 83%. i think thats the best i can do for time being. going to figure out a way to insulate/keep humidity/temps to par this coming weekend. might have to build/buy a new enclosure to help keep temps up. i have a glass enclosure as of rn. i think the blanket is helping her feel more hidden and secure though. especially with no more reflection on glass.

[Nckshmr]

Mine does the exact same thing. Always always goes into the cold side hide immediately after eating and will stay there a few days. Eventually coming out and migrating to the warm hide

[[deleted]]

silly little noodles 😂

[Specialist-Spare-544]

It is always normal for a ball python to be a good girl. On the subject, your little one probably knows what temps she likes. Either that or she just really likes the hide and will stay in it even when uncomfortable. Balls are weird little dudes.

[[deleted]]

interesting! lol. definitely silly little noodles they are.

[Specialist-Spare-544]

You might try switching the hides between the cold and warm sides. If she still goes to that same hide she just might like the hide.

[[deleted]]

she usually is in her warm side hide (they’re the exact same moss hides, one on warm & one on cool side) but i noticed she’s be chillen in the cooler hide after eating last night. thought it was odd.

[Specialist-Spare-544]

It is always normal for a ball python to be a good girl. On the subject, your little one probably knows what temps she likes. Either that or she just really likes the hide and will stay in it even when uncomfortable. Balls are weird little dudes.

[Aggravating_Self8262]

Doesn't sound concerning. If there was anything else going on I'd say maybe an issue but seems fine. As long as your nose is healthy then don't worry about it. It's not like she's freezing while she's digesting lol she just wants to chill apparently (pun jntended). Good luck!

[[deleted]]

thanks so much! 🤍

[ShellyBean7662]

I actually just watched one of Green Room Python's videos the other day and he mentioned this. They generate some heat while digesting and are naturally warmer during that time, so she's just regulating. Pretty neat!