Help needed for my Childrens Python

[ifregosi]

HI

I have a female childrens python (called Skittles) and I am trying to get her heating right and its becoming frustrating.

She is in a Malemine(excuse the spelling) enclosure and when I bought her with the enclosure from the breeder, they gave me a heat pad that I put under her enclosure and this seemed to work.

2 weeks ago this heat pad crapped itself and I had to get her (out of desperation as I had fed her the night before) a ExoTera Heatwave heat pad (which is supposed to be only for glass but that is all I could get). She digested her mouse and it was all good.

But now it seems like its not going great. She has eaten again (on Thursday) and has not pooed. She has urinated. I dont know if it is because it looks like she is going to shed as her colour is a little "cloudy" or there is something wrong.

I have 2 thermostats set up. One is checking the heat on the floor under the heat light (and this is set at 32 degrees but doesnt seem to ever get there) and the other is checking the other side (and controls the heat lamp) and it is set at 27 degrees and the light seems to be on all the time at present. I do have her in my room, which unfortunately is one of the coldest rooms in the house.

I have a microclimate thermostat checking the light/heat lamp with a blue moon light bulb.

The other thermostat was given to me (as I am a wildlife rescuer and I used to use it for raising animals).

My question is, should I purchase a new heat mat or is there an alternative. If so - for either question - what brand and type would you recommend?

I just want the best for my little girl

 

[andynic07]

Melamine is not a very good thermal conductor so if your mat is under your melamine enclosure it will be doing very little for your snake. You may need to increase the wattage of your heat lamps if they are staying on continuously and also never rely on the temperature on your thermostat, you need to measure with an independent thermometer.

 

[ifregosi]

I have a seperate thermometer and it is saying that the space just above the ground of the enclosure above the heat mat is 30.8 dgrees. The wattage of the heat light is at about 100w from recollection.

Would you recommend me continuing to use a heat matt or should I use something else?

I really appreciate all your help

 

[ronhalling]

Is there any reason you can't put the heat mat in the enclosure and cover it with a thin piece of ply or several sheets of newspaper, if you have the heat mat you may as well use it ............................................Ron

 

[Xanthine]

I've got heat mats inside my enclosures, I just went to bunnings and bought some tiles so that they're not in contact with the melamine.