At www.BallPythonAddiction.com we always enjoy talking to new hobbyists. One topic seems to come up routinely in conversations is, “…my ball refuses to eat“. Ball pythons can fast for many reasons, and one of those reasons may be if the environmental parameters of their enclosure are set up wrong. One of those important parameters is enclosure temperature. Reptiles are ectothermic, meaning they cannot regulate their body temperatures like mammals do. They will move between a cooler and hotter environment to regulate their body temperatures. As snake keepers, it is our responsibility to provide such a temperature gradient within the animal’s enclosure. When we ask people what their hot spot and ambient temps are, most people seem to guess or rely on cheap thermometers.
It is every keeper’s responsibility to KNOW your temperatures. One tool that every snake keeper should have is a remote sensing temp gun. It will take an accurate instantaneous temperature reading at the exact spot you point it at. If you are have a larger ball python collection, taking numerous readings in each enclosure will be less tedious than utilizing other temperature reading devices. Taking regular temp readings should be part of a daily routine to see if the heat source is working correctly or if temperature fluctuations in the room are affecting the snake enclosures temps. Temp guns are available at online sources or can be found at better reptile shops and even at reptile shows. There is a temp gun available to suit everyone’s budget. Invest in one, and know your temperatures. Your ball python will love you for it!