Snake advice please - Royal Python

Question

Hi , bopught a Royal Python today after much thought and deliberation. The petstore was very helpful and supplied everything I needed. However I was supplied a heat mat , vivarium , wood chippings, cave ect. Should I put the heat mat under the cave hidey hole or in a different place in the vivarium i'm worried that with the cave on top of the heat mat the snake may become too warm. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Don't put the mat inside the vivarium. I would never do this, not even with a fully working thermostat. Balls are known to re-arrange their cages as they see fit, and a knocked over water-dish, aside from making a mess can also make the mat malfunction. There's also the situation where your snake can defecate on the mat/cord attachment and get shocked.

Since your cage is made of wood, you would be better off with a red heat lamp or a ceramic heat emitter. While you can get either of those, get a dimmer/rheostat/thermostat to make sure that mat stays at 88F and go hunt for an alternative heat source.

I'm sure people will tell you that putting the mat inside the enclosure is perfectly fine and that they have done it. Well I have as well, a beginner's mistake with my first ball years ago. It did exactly what I just said it would. The mat got soaked and zap, there goes the python. It had to be euthanized due to severe burns, and this was a mat hooked to a t-stat and thermometer. Please don't use the mat anywhere inside the enclosure.  

Answer 2

you can't put heat mats inside a vivarium as you run a high risk of burning your snake.Heat mats are contact heaters.That's why they have the flat design and are designed to go on the outside of the viv ideally under the viv.

Why cant it go under the floor in a wooden viv.Wood is a very good heat conductor so will warm up quite quickly.Also as one person said sit the heat mat on some radiator heat reflecting mat so the heat is reflected up into the wood .Also it needs to be connected through a mat thermostat to regulate the heat and stop over heating.Heat mats have been known and proved to heat up to over 100 deg,if your snake comes in contact with this then it will burn badly.Dont forget snakes dont have the same feeling in their skin/muscles as we do.By the time its sat on the mat and warmed up to its required body temp ,the damage will already be done.It has no conception of how hot a surface is and will stay there just to heat up.

So for the snakes sake make sure you put the mat under the viv and not inside.If the mat doesn't heat up to the required temp then you need a bigger wattage mat and the petstore needs a bollocking for selling you the wrong equipment to look after your snake correctly.Dont always take a pet stores advice as being right,at the end of the day they are a buisness trying to make money.

Answer 3

Well I guess you should but it is not recommended to put it in the tank or vivarium because it could harm the snake(burn it) In this case, your best bet is either to buy a glass tank or to not put it in at all. You just need to keep the temp. correctly and the humdity. It's not a big deal really just don't accidently burn him.

Another thing is that you should take the snake to the vet. Most of the thing, ball pythons that came from pet stores suffer from respiratory infection. Or just do some research on it just to know the signs just in case if anything happens.

Sorry if I can't really help you to much. But I just don't know what to say other then you should try finding another tank but this time glass.

Answer 4

when i had 2 western hog nose snakes i had the mat underneath the glass so they had a warm side of the tank and a cool side

Answer 5

hi there just to let you know i have a royal python which i inherited from my son and its the best pet ive ever owned and my heat mat is at the side of the tank on the outside of course and i also have a thermometer fixed inside to read the temp so shadow doesnt get too warm or too cold also he has a seperate feeding box for his mice i never feed him in the tank he loves to be handled and also you will notice just before your snake sheds his eyes will go opaque it looks like they are blind all quite natural he also likes to go through his water to keep moist and shadow also has a log to hide under and plenty of wood chippings i hope this helps you in a small way please dont hesitate to contact me as its nice to know someone else has a python too have fun because my children now love reptiles  

Answer 6

i would just put it under the cave then get another hide on the other side of tank or w/e so it has a cool hide and warm hide  

Answer 7

I think you should not have bought an exotic animal in the first place I think the only acceptable pets are dogs and cats because they are the only ones domesticated. Your welcome.

Answer 8

you shoud put it under the tank and put tin foil on top of the pad it helps !!!!

Answer 9

I made my own vivarium for mine out of two old bedside tables, I prefer using an infra red lamp which I've wired into a dimmer switch to control the temperature.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2178/2522...

His cave and hidey hole are not good places for the reason you mention, this is where he will probably spend most of his time.

Put it in the lit area and make sure you also have a thermometer in the vivarium to keep a check on the temperature, I think they make great pets, and as you rightly say, most are born and bred in captivity.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2373/2238...

Answer 10

you cannot put a heat mat INSIDE the vivarium with your animal! it is dangerous. i know its your first snake but a wooden vivarium is kinda stupid. pet store people sometimes dont know what they are talking about.

well i say dont use a heat mat. you dont need it just make sure you have a temp. and humidity gauge in the tank to monitor everything. use a ceramic heat emitter bulb to emit heat.

good luck!