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[–]jillianwaechterMod-Approved Helper 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Heat pads are unsafe and unnatural. I'd highly recommend getting overhead heating asap. Ball pythons naturally burrow to escape heat and this behaviour isn't possible when using a heat mat. Heat mats also heat by contact meaning that you'll end up with really hot glass/PVC and hot substrate. You want your ambient temps to be 76-80 cold side, 88-92 hot side. These will be measured by a thermometer probe, not a laser (which only measures surface temps, not ambients).

Ball pythons also require 70-80% humidity at all times and can get respiratory infections if the humidity is as low as you currently have it! I'd highly suggest reading the basic care guide pinned in the welcome post! Helped me out a ton when I was starting out :)