I have a 90 gal pvc enclosure for my ball python. Ive used overhead heat and it gets warm 90 degrees on hot side and low to mid 80 on cool side. My boy is taking a long time to digest his food 4 days because he sits in his hide which is 72 to 75 degrees. I was told do not put a heat pad inside the enclosure. But i was going to stick it to a ceramic tile with the thermostat sandwiched in-between and then silicone the tile down. But i was told to not do that either but seen where a couple people have done that. Any help please. Thank you
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I would definitely not put it in the PVC. Your ball python’s enclosure is a humid and moist environment, and you don’t want electrical heating elements anywhere that could have water spilled on them. It’s a really bad idea. You’d be better off using overhead heating, either something like a caged ceramic heat emitter or radiant heat panel
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I’m wondering why you’re trying to force him to digest faster? Ball pythons thermoregulate, meaning they will move to warm or cold as needed, including after eating to aid digestion. The larger the meal, the longer it takes them to digest, four days does not sound concerning. On top of that, your overall enclosure temps sound a bit off. The warm side shouldn’t be above 85ºF except in the basking spot. Cool side should be mid 70s to 80.
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My thoughts exactly. There is no need to force it to digest faster when it has the choice.
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I’d also like to ask details on the snake itself. How old is your BP, how much does he weigh, and what size and type of feeder is he getting? How are you gauging how long it takes him to digest? For example, is 4 days how long it takes the lump in his belly to disappear, or is that how long it is before he poops?
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It takes 4 to 5 days for the lump to start going down. I was only concerned because after he eats he sits in the hide all 4 to 5 days . At the low 70s . His basking spot is 90 that rest is cooler. There are spots that are mid 70s especially at night. I turn one of the heats off every night. 100 watt ceramic and 50 watt heat and uvb light. The ceramic is only at half power on a dimmer. I have 5 thermostats in the enclosure so i can keep a close eye on temps. I have 5 other balls and the hides are not that cool inside the hide because they have heat pads under the tank under the. hide. They digest in 2 days. The snake i have that takes longer is 8 months old . He is gaining weight every week i was just concerned if it took to long it could hurt him. I just my snakes to be as happy as can be.
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I have had balls for 6 years now i rescue and get them healthy and rehome them. This is my first pvc enclosure.
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It sounds like you’ve got everything else dialed in, and that he’s just taking longer to digest at a cooler temperature. I’m not sure what feeder size he’s on in relation to his size, but that may be a contributing factor. So long as he’s not regurgitating, having issues with bloating, or a change in behavior or feeding response, in my opinion I don’t think a heat mat under the hide area is necessary.
If you were to add a heat, depending on the thickness of the PVC and if the enclosure doesn’t have a specific area on the bottom for a heat mat, the heat won’t really penetrate well. Heat mats obviously require an air gap under the enclosure to prevent overheating/fire as well. You never want to put a mat inside the enclosure due to the risks @chesterhf mentioned.
Have you considered rearranging the enclosure or adding an extra hide closer to the warm side? That may solve all of your problems without having to add anything else. I will say, a 90gal (I assume dimensions are 48"x24"x18"?) is quite large for an 8 month old male, just keep an eye out to be sure he’s not getting overwhelmed by the size/stressed out.
His hide is right with the heat basking area. He has like 4 hides in there . Plus its full of live plants. . I filled it up with a lot of extra stuff so it don’t seem so big. After he digest he spends a lot of time out and about in the eve and morning. He has different things in there for enrichment. He is a very gentle snake. Doesn’t mind being held though i limit that to 15 min at this age . 8 months feeding rat pups f/t once a week. It’s a good eater
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Sounds like he’s just living his best life with you and enjoying taking a slower pace. 
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Im def loving the pvc enclosure for the humidity part. I actually made this one myself. Cost me 150. For everything.
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I take great care to make sure everything is perfect for my snakes. I know i go beyond what is required but i enjoy doing it and they don’t seem to mind either. I get vet insurance on all them. I do initial vet visits and the insurance saves me a lot of money. I would recommend that for sure. I get it threw progressive
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