ball python wont go on warm side of tank

[ghostfacekilla]

ok when i got my snake (ball python) i was told an under heater tank heater would be sufficient. well it wasnt and i found out my snake had an resp. infection before i got him also. so i am getting him meds now, and i got a heat light. it stays about 95 at one side of the tank and he also seems to be going into a shed for the 2nd time in the last month.

the cold side of the tank is like 84 degrees, should i be worried about either of these things?
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[rar]

although i dont know much about bp's id say that 95 is too warm, it needs coming down to about 88...as for repeated shedding, it may be because of an old injury, unshed skin from last time, or because it has an ri. But you might want to stick around for a more in-depth answer from more experienced people.
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[ghostfacekilla]

thanks for the reply, i found in the care sheet its 90-95 and it fluctuates edpending on if he is in direct light or not, i found out the cool side is 88 so he should be fine
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[JuliusSqueezer]

Your cage is set on preheat/bake. 95 is not ok. What someone may have meant when writing this poorly written caresheet is that a basking area of 95 should be available....this does not mean that the entire hot side of the cage is at 95 degrees at snake eye level (bout an inch from the substrate floor) This means 88 on the warm side over the heat pad with a branch or something for them to climb on and get closer to the heat light. IF THEY SO CHOOSE. What your cage lacks is a cool area closer to high 70s and low 80s....What you have set up is the equivalent of you having to endure a high fever all the time. If the cage is large enough that you can have a gradient from 95 down to no more than 80 on the extreme far end and you can provide hide spots along the way so they never have to choose between hiding and thermoregulating....fine...but 95/88 with no retreat from that kind of heat is going to kill your snake. Make sure your thermometers are near ground level....too many people put them way too high on the wall of the cage. Put it where the snake is...if it is an arboreal snake....fine...place it just behind the perch...otherwise...it needs to be near the ground.
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[XzyluM]

Best temperatures for Royals are 85-88 degrees. Like Julius said, 95 is way to hot and most definately the reason he is staying on the cool side.
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