Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I use an under tank heater for my ball python. I keep his temperatures in check by using a thermostat and thermometer; when the temp gets to 90F, it shuts off for a while.

I've had my snake for over a year and have not hand any problems with this set up until now. He seemed to have snuggled down into his bedding (reptile bark) and placed the end 1/3 of his body directly on the glass where the under tank heater is! As soon as I saw this in the morning, I took him out and looked at him.

His belly was red and the scales in that area seemed dry. The texture/look of his scales were also odd. Though he is going into shed soon (and I know with some reptiles their bellies turn red during this time), I think he is burned.

I feel so bad that this has happened to him. But I'm surprised he didn't go to his cool side when he felt the heat...

What do I need to do? I'm going to call the vet in the morning to see if I should bring him in or not.

If it helps, the temp directly on the glass where the heat pad is positioned is around 100F-103F.

Looking at other burn photos, it doesn't seem very severe. However, compared to the color his belly is, it is still red and the scales are odd.

I tried snapping a photo, but you cannot even see the how the scales are different.

Perhaps I am freaking out, but better safe than sorry.

Let him shed and keep an eye on the area.
Reptiles are incredibly resilient, and often don't need our help unless it's really bad.
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"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

If he had an option to get away from the heat, then it's probably the shed cycle and not a burn!

Most reptiles, BPs included, have almost no ability to detect when their bellies are being burned. This is why under tank heaters and heat rocks have such a bad reputation for burning pets. Not only can they heat up rapidly and unexpectedly, but even if they are burning the belly of your pet, the animal will not move away.

The best way to prevent this from happening is to use a thermostat just as you are doing. However, are you monitoring the temperature at the hottest point (probably directly on the surface of the glass) or above the substrate? If you are monitoring it above the substrate, then the substrate should *not* be movable, as in the case of aspen bedding. A reptile carpet is recommended so the snake cannot place its belly directly on the much hotter surface of the exposed glass. You could also switch to monitoring the glass directly so when this happens the snake will not get burned.

Sorry to hear about his belly! I hope he is just a little dried out and ready for a good soak and a shed.
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

I am monitoring above the glass...
In other words, there is the heatpad, glass, substrate, thermometer, then another layer of substrate.

I think I'll buy some reptile carpet and put it on the class so this will not happen again.

The redness of his belly has gone down at least.