Written by. the ambient air temp. One of the most important aspects of a ball python's enclosure is the climate within it. Lianne McLeod, DVM. As winter approaches, and the temperature drops, its not uncommon for that formerly toasty reptile cage to start developing quite a chill. It's also important to make sure your ball python has clean drinking water available at … Many reptile keepers use halogen floodlight bulbs instead of reptile-specific bulbs because they tend to last much longer than the ones you get at the pet store. The ambient cage temperature should be 82-85 during the day, with a slight drop at night. If the ball python sheds well, it probably has all of the humidity it needs. range is essential to keep ur snake healthy. I live in Florida and it is starting to get cold and I keep my ball pythons in a snake rack in the garage (the garage is around same as outside temps, which can be as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night lately). For example, the basking spot for a ball python should be 90 degrees, and the ambient temperature should be 80 degrees. Yes, snakes will bask on warm surfaces in effort to raise their body temperatures faster to a preferred or optimum temperature. The best way to help keep your cage at the proper humidity levels is to spray the cage once or twice a day with room temperature water. This will raise the body temperature of the rodent, which will fool the snake into thinking the rodent is live. How to Set Up a Thermal Gradient for Thermoregulation in Pet Reptiles. Ball pythons, Python regius, are among some of the most popular snakes being kept as pets.This is because of their calm demeanor, hardiness, manageable size, and the countless different morphs and colors. We recommend belly-heat for Ball Pythons, accomplished either by an under tank heater or heat tape. In order for your ball python to thrive in captivity, the enclosure must remain at adequate temperatures. Lightly mist the entire enclosure, including the … By comparison a ball python (one of the most popular snakes in the pet trade) can reach 4-5 feet in length and is a far heavier bodied snake. Heating the enclosure of any reptile requires an understanding of the reptiles needs. Because of the popularity of this snake, captive breeding is essential and profitable. In fact, there are several thousand different morphs of the ball python available. When she needs to thermoregulate, she just hangs out in there. Getting the temperatures right can sometimes be tricky, especially for the novice reptile-keeper. Ball Python Care Sheet. 2. I've heard a lot of conflicting information about the importance of ambient heat on the hot side for bps, but my ball python does just fine with her UTH and no other heat source. ... as it depends on the ambient temperature and your set up (substrate choice and depth, etc.). hi amy, Ball-python are nocturnal so have no special lightning equipments. To best create a temperature gradient, place it on the far end of the enclosure — temperatures will naturally get cooler farther from the heat source. I recently got a ball python from a friend and I've been making upgrades to the tank. Only the anthill python is smaller. I keep her hide directly over the center of the UTH so that the inside is fairly warm. This is the best indicator of environmental correctness. This is accomplished by heating the entire enclosure, rather than just one side. Heat tape is not designed to change the ambient temperature of the tub (common misconception). (1) proper temp. Currently it's being heated by a UTH with a 100W ceramic heat emitter to make sure the tank doesn't get too cold. If the snake has trouble shedding, and the skin comes off in lots of broken pieces, it could be dehydrated. All too soon, if you’re not careful, the cage temperature drops dangerously ... Read more6 Ways to Warm Up Your Vivarium in Winter Ball pythons are one of the most popular snakes kept in captivity worldwide. Ball Python breeding isn't as hard as people think. You can used a hand held spray bottle, or a pressure sprayer with a gentle mist.