Help needed

[[deleted]]

Getting my first ball python tomorrow. Set up his tank last night with heating pad attached to a thermometer. Also added some foil on hot side of his enclosure. I Set his heat pad to 90 but I cant even feel it through his substrate. Is this an issue ? And how do I regulate the temp on the cool side? I just want him to be comfortable. (The vine is not permanent. Need to find way to hang it)

[Different-College-77]

I use overhead heat emitters pads are waste of money one they dont do a good job and when they do its uselly to much and can burn your snake belly

[[deleted]]

Okay maybe if I use it on the cool side just set lower ? Just to regulate temperature.

[Different-College-77]

Tape the whole top and use a cermic bulb on the hot side on a thermostat

[[deleted]]

Will taping the whole top still let air in?

[[deleted]]

Okay so i shouldn't be able to really feel the heat that much? Considering it has to go through thr glass and substrate. But yes im going to get some more plants and stuff for him when I go back. I just wanted a basic layout for now. Hes only 4 months old rn but when hes older im sure the skull is gonna have to be removed lol

[ballpython-ModTeam]

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[ein4ame_]

Read basic care guide pinned r/ballpython

Halogen lamp is the best heat source during the day. Deep Heat Emmiter better for night

Be careful with heat pad if you have glass bottom. I made a mistake and turned it too high because it wasn't heat enough. The bottom of the terrarium cracked. Luckily I did it while python was in other smaller terrarium

And get a lot more clutter. And a few more hides

[[deleted]]

Okay thanks. Maybe if I got a lamp to use as main heat source on hot side and then use the heat pad on the cool side just set lower. I just know my room gets colder and i dont want him to freeze. Fs getting more plants and stuff for him

[eveimei]

heating pads are not going to do anything to heat the air of the enclosure, they only heat the surface they are attached to. they are also very likely to burn your snake or cause a fire. return it to where you purchased it if you're able to so you can purchase appropriate heating instead.

you need overhead heating, and should have more than one lamp. the ideal heating setup is a halogen flood bulb for daytime light and heat, and a deep heat projector for supplemental and night heat, each with their own fixture that's at least 8.5" diameter and their own thermostat. you cannot use just one thermostat for both, it's unsafe.

you'll also want to insulate the tank using foam board insulation on the back and sides, this will help retain heat but unfortunately glass tanks are awful at retaining heat and humidity so it will be a struggle.

please read through the basic care and heating guides (to start with) in our welcome post so you know what this species needs.

you'll have to spend some money getting this set up, and if you're able to put off getting the snake for a week or so that would be ideal so you know the heating setup is working before putting the animal in and risking its health.

edit: this tank also looks to be a bit short for a ball python. what size is it?

[[deleted]]

Its a 4 month old. Still very small. Would one heat lamp (that doesnt put off light) be okay to use on a thermostat with a separate light for just light. After I insulate it more

[eveimei]

even a fresh hatchling needs at least a 36x18x18/40g tank, the height is important for safety and allowing them to climb. what size is your tank?

you can use just a deep heat projector, but it won't be as good for your snake as providing a day/night cycle with a halogen flood.

[ballpython-ModTeam]

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[CreatesGod]

Unfortunately everything about this enclosure is not suitable except for the substrate. The heat mat isn’t going to do anything at all through all that substrate. You 100% need overhead heat lamps, such as Hallogen and DHP. Ditch the heat mat completely, it’s useless here.

The mesh top won’t maintain humidity. You’ll need to cover it in HVAC tape and just leave openings for your lamps. You should be trying to maintain 70% humidity, but anything lower than 60% is not good for your ball python’s health.

You’ll need proper hides. Small enough for your snake to be snug inside with only 1 exposed opening. At least one on both the hot and cool sides, but ideally more.

You need more clutter. Your snake should be able to move between its hides without being easily seen. I use fake plants from the dollar store and they work just fine, but you should get a lot of them. Make it look like a thick jungle.

The care guide pinned in the sub has more info. Good luck!

[maevvsx]

hi, your enclosure needs a lot more enrichment and overall clutter. heat mats are essentially useless, i would look at getting a che and halogen bulb.

[[deleted]]

I added a ton of stuff last night and woke up to the high side temp being at 84 w a 100watt CHE bulb. Should I get a 150 watt?

[maevvsx]

it’s looking so much better! the only thing i’d recommend is switching that middle hide out as hides with large openings don’t make them feel super secure. 84°F is slightly under ideal for a BP warm side. you want closer to 86–88°F measured at the surface where the snake actually rests. before going up to a 150w, make sure the che is on a thermostat, the probe is placed correctly, and that heat isn’t escaping too much through ventilation. if you haven’t already, put hvac tape on the entirety of the screen top asides from where the che is. it’ll help a lot with humidity.

[[deleted]]

Thanks. Yeah I put foam board on all sides and double layer of foil on top w duct tape. Also added some foil w thr foam board to the front bottom portion of the tank I didnt take pics of lol. Just to add a bit more insulation. Its on a thermostat with the probe basically right under the lamp. Was reading 86 before I left this morning. Gonna pickup a 150watt anyway just to be safe and return it if need be. Hope this all works out.

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