Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a young ball and it really hates heat.If I have the heat lamp on it goes to the cool side and hides all day.If I turn it off it gets really active and is all over the tank.I do have a zoo med uth that gives off some heat not much.The snake is ok with that but not the lamp.With lamp on the temps are around 95 degrees.Is that too hot? When it is off it is around 75 or so.My snake is also inactive at night.I thought they were nocturnal? I should mention that I have had the snake for about a month.It is about 14 inches and in a 20 long snake kit I got at petco.It has only eaten one time since I got it.I have tried feeding it many times,but it has only taken one fuzzy.Any information will be appreciated!!!

your snake does not hate heat. it is just too hot. the tank shoudl be no hotter than 90 and 75 is too cool. you want it to be about 80 on the cool side and 90 on the warm side. im guessing the reason your snake is active when the light is off is because it wants to get to heat. and feeding...im not sur ehow to help you...my snake is a great eater. just search around and you will find answers.

Should I try to use a smaller bulb? When I first got it I had it in a 10 gal.I used a 40 watt bulb and the temp was always around 88 degrees.The snake didn't come out of the hide on the cool side as long as the lamp was on.The minute I turned it off the snake would come out and explore.Even when it ate the mouse (in 20 gal at time)it curled up on the cool side for 3 days.Even feeding,the snake shows no intrest in mice while they are warm.As soon as they get cold it is all over them,yet has only ate once.I just find it weird that my snake does the opposite of what everyone tells me.The snake is in perfect health,it just refuses to use heat other than in the morning when I first turn the heat lamp on.It never lays above the heat mat at all.I have the lamp on top of the tank,should I move it up a few inches?

Well a wise herptologist Jeff Clark once said to me .."listen to your snake," its trying to tell u something!! it obviously too hot, thats established. I can see you've read on here a good bit, but now you must listen to your snake, and do the fine tuning. Every snake is different and will let you know what he/ she needs. If it always on the cold side (avoiding heat) then u need to adjust the hot side. If hes always on the hot side, then he saying im too cold! My ball pythons always have done fine with UTH and no overhead BTW. good luck

The reason why your ball is more active when you turn the light off is snakes usually hunt at night and he is most likely more comfortable coming out of hiding when it is darker, it feels more secure. I agree with the previous poster I would get the hot spot cooler and it a little warmer without the light on. Do yourself a favor and get an undertank heater. The ball wont be disturbed by too much light any more and he will have a constant heat supply.

As far as feeding goes, try feeding him at night in a dimly lit room. Try various times of night also. I have had snakes that wouldn't eat before 11 pm. Also try various prey items and sizes. If you are trying frozen thawed try live, if you are trying fuzzies try pinkies or rat pups, and even try different colored rodents i have a snake that won't eat a white rodent lol. Snakes are individuals and they all have their own quirks. If none of that works you may want to have an experienced reptile person check the snake for signs of illness or internal parasites.
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Jeff West

I guess I left out the fact that there is a regular aquarium light on top the tank too,so it's not dark when I turn the heat lamp off.He does not move very much in the dark only when the regular light is on and the heat lamp is off.I also have a uth and my ball will not lay above it.