too hot

TGC · 10-07-11, 10:28 AM

hello, my bp i recently gotis in his warm hide, and my digital thermometer is like under him pressed on the glass ( he moved some substrate to sit on the glass). anyways it is reading 99F and i know it should be less. will he get burned? i need a thermostat but i might not be able to get one for a few days.

all im using for heat is a 4m heating cable under the tank

infernalis · 10-07-11, 10:53 AM

Considering that is only .2 degrees warmer than your wrist, I don't think that's overly too hot.

mattchibi · 10-07-11, 11:06 AM

go to home depot or canadian tire and buy a Dimmer switch, you can plug your heat cable into it, and then you'll have to use trial and error to find out how to get your cable to the right temperature.

It seems you have the thermometer probe in the right spot (above the hot spot under the substrate), leave it there and use it to measure how hot your heat cable is getting. Remember that if you have thick wooden bedding (aspen or anything that isnt paper towel or newspaper), it takes much longer to heat it up and get it to the right temps. Also, you should only have a little less than a 1/2" of bedding above the hot spot, and your snake will burrow if he feels he wants to be warmer.

The hottest I usually leave my heat pad is 95, and whenever I see it at 95 I dial my thermostat down until it goes to around 92~. I like it when it sits between 92 and 93. And everytime Ive taken her out she always feels pretty warm, but not TOO warm.

Watch this video: Snipers Burn

- YouTube

It shows the aftermath of a snake getting out of its cage and sitting on top of the actual heating element. The burn looks terrible, but proper aftercare was taken with antibiotics. You should at least check your snake's belly every so often to make sure there are no burns, if you cant afford a thermostat. If the ambient temps are cold, its likely that a snake will hang out on the hotspot way too long, even when its too hot, because the air ontop of them feels cold.

whoaxmary · 10-07-11, 10:21 PM

95 is the temperature of my ball pythons basking areas - meaning the hottest spot in their heat gradient. make sure your python has cooler areas to escape the heat. nothing in your enclosure should feel hot to the touch. use the inside of your hand or wrist and hold it on various spots for awhile(including the glass under the substrate). if you get burnt - so will your snake.
i have yet to get a dimmer, and haven't had an issue yet but i am in a colder area so being too hot isn't too much of an issue. it does seem to help alot of people so you may want to think about it. i also don't use heating cable but to my understanding it will work similar to a heating pad, so make sure you have at least an inch or so of a good substrate to protect them.
over heating can cause burns, or even neruological issues which may not have obvious signs so be careful.

mykee · 10-08-11, 08:25 AM

Yes, 99 degrees is too hot and will cause damage to yor ball python if he remains on that heat for too long. Don't kid yourself, ball pythons are dumber than a box of hammers, and will remain on a too hot spot and cause damage.
This is the problem with loose substrate (as I've mentioned it feels like a zilllion times). Try something that easier to maintain temps on like newspaper or paper towels; nowhere near as pretty, but safer in the long run.

Also, get that probe the hell out of the enclosure. Tape it to the bottom of the tank so the ball can't get to it.