Hmm...

[8leggedfriends]

My ball python is laying on the cool side. just laying there. not hiding. It scares me because she is always in her hide. Is a 100watt lamp at day and a 50watt at night warm enough? It is 75-80 at night, and 80-90 during the day. Am I doing everything right?

 

[Schlyne]

First off, how are you measuring your temps? If you're not going digital or temp gun, your temp readings are wrong. Analog meters can be off as much as 10 degrees in either direction. Get an accurite, or some other kind of digital thermometer with a probe so you can accurately measure your temps.

Second, a ball python's temps should be max 94F on the warm side, with roughly 83-84F on the cool side. 75F is definately too cool on the cold side at night.

100W sounds kinda high, but I have no idea what size your enclosure is, or how cold your place is either.

And if you can, ditch the heat lamps, and go for under the tank heaters or flexwatt heating. The heat lamps will suck all of the humidty out of the air, and you'll have horrible sheds later on.

Just my 2 cents.

As for not hiding, it could be hungry, it could be too warm in the cool side hide, etc...lots of reasons.

My ball always comes out to explore and hang out on the branch he has in the middle of the tank at night. My ball hides when it's in shed, sleeping, or after it's just eaten.

 

[Beardo]

Ditto what Schlyne said, except about the temps....Ball Pythons inhabit cool areas underground in Africa. Just because it is 93 in the day in Ghana, doesn't mean you should keep your Ball Python at 93 degrees. A gradient of 75-85 is optimum.

Your snake is not in the hide because it is sacrificing its "safety" in order to thermoregulate. It is too hot in your cage, so the snake is doing whatever it can to not cook itself.

 

[8leggedfriends]

I am using an analog temperature gauge, so I dont think its over heating.
She is back in her hide right now. If I do get an under tank heater, how should I regulate heat? Give me the best strategy. I have to put it on the side to warm it up. What wattage should I get? She is in a 20gallon tank, with Aspen bedding. I will go to the store to buy some pads. If her hiding places are on the left, and then the right sides, with driftwood in the middle and a water dish, where should I place the pads?

 

[Beardo]

I am using an analog temperature gauge, so I dont think its over heating.
She is back in her hide right now. If I do get an under tank heater, how should I regulate heat? Give me the best strategy. I have to put it on the side to warm it up. What wattage should I get? She is in a 20gallon tank, with Aspen bedding. I will go to the store to buy some pads. If her hiding places are on the left, and then the right sides, with driftwood in the middle and a water dish, where should I place the pads?

You only need one heating pad...get one without auto-shut off from Wal-Mart. Place it under 1/2 the enclosure.

 

[8leggedfriends]

This wont be a fire hazard if it is on all the time will it? Should I do any day night schedule?

 

[Schlyne]

You're right about the upper temps. I was going with what I had currently set on the thermostat for my ball. I forgot that my thermostat readings are set higher than normal due to ambient air temps. Setting the thermostat higher creates better ambient air temps in my case.

As for the cool side, I've seen suggestions from a couple of breeders to keep the cool side temp at around the 82 degree mark. Better feeding responses and all that.

 

[MysticKigh]

You only need one heating pad...get one without auto-shut off from Wal-Mart. Place it under 1/2 the enclosure.

If you can't find one without auto-shutoff (the has become almost impossible here) you can open up the controller (it's just a matter of two screws) and pop the chip that regulates the auto shut-off. I tried this as an experiment and used the pad under an empty tank for several weeks (waste of electricity... I know) to be sure it wouldn't cause any problems<like overheating or whatnot>. We are many months into it now and it's worked perfectly.

 

[MysticKigh]

If I do get an under tank heater, how should I regulate heat?

Belly heat is imperative... but if it seems to be too high a temp, a layer of newspaper under your current substrate should help to alleviate a great deal of the heat.

I noticed you also asked about placement of the undertank heater. Personally, i place mine so that they are partially under the hide. This way the snakes don't have to choose between belly warmth and a hide or vice versa. If you get the king size pads this can also allow a heated area outside the hide (same reasoning as just mentioned) Good Luck!
<wondering if the above statements made sense to anyone but me LOL :? >

 

[8leggedfriends]

I just bought a heating pad, and it is extremely easy! No complex switching of bulbs and crap! Yay! I put another hiding place so she can cool off! As an added bonus, I got 2 buddies for my lonely hermit crab! This has been a great day!

 

[Beardo]

ALways make sure there is a small gap between the heat pad and the cage you are using. If the excess heat that is put out by the pad cannot escape, it will overheat.

 

[8leggedfriends]

It is open on the bottom, except for thin, metal bars.