Tight spaces vs correct heat

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kwaka

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Elliott is a Stimmy, 11 months old, newly in his big tank with lots of hiding places, including his click-clack hides and a nice new big one that tapers down at the back, giving him a nice squeeze now and room for when he is bigger.

My concern is that he is frequenting the tiny gap at the top of his background that was needed so that the clips for the lid fit in, and that it isn’t that warm up there – around the 29 degree mark. I fed him two days ago and I am worried that he is putting his desire for tight spaces over his need for heat to digest – will a python voluntarily do that? There are 3 other hides of varying temps down on the ground, and I have seen him in the big one squooshed down the back with a nice 34 degrees, but each morning before the heat lamp for his basking spot comes on, he is back up there just under the lid, and is there for most of the day.

Should I be worried?
 
no need to worry , if the temp up there is what you say it is ( around the 29 mark) then that will be enough for digestion and he should move back down when hes ready , they know what temperature they want to be at

the only time it becomes a problem imo is if the basking spot is up really high and you have a tiny hatchie carpet or something that you expect to climb 2m in the air to get a decent temp
 
We have the same thing with our bredli. She likes to lie along the top of the background, but nearly always at the heat end. But it is getting harder for her as she grows. :)
 
If you are really worried about it laying along the gap above the background you could always shape a strip of styrofoam and bluetack it in place till it does not want to go up there anymore, or get a strip of foam that is sticky on 1 side and put that up there, my male Spotty does the same in his new temp home where the cord comes through the lid to the light, he always retreats back to his hide over the heat mat after feeding though. As thomassss has said they know what they need and if all the correct husbandry is in place it should be fine. :) ..............................Ron
 
Running two lamps as shown is going to kill your thermal gradient. Remove the r/h side (facing) lamp and seal the wire top – a doubled over towel will do for the interim. Then check out the temps. Hopefully around 25 to 35 degrees.

To provide natural looking cover at the basking spot, split a slate tile so that you get a tin piece of slate. Glue some sealed wood beading near the edges, with a couple of gaps for entry/exit. Paint the wood the colour of the background. The snake can lay on top of the slate or underneath it.


Trying throwing around the enclosure a few cardboard packets just big enough for the snake to fit in, with one third of the end removed for entry/exit. A worthwhile experiment that will cost you nothing but a little time.


28 to 29 is the primary preferred body temperature of pythons.


Blue

 
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