In the wild, ball pythons are naturally found in tropical areas with relatively high temperatures, and as such, should be kept in a thermoregulated enclosure. Because snakes rely on their environment for thermoregulation, there should be a range of temperatures throughout the enclosure; this is best achieved with a heat mat placed underneath the enclosure, monitored with a thermostat. It is recommended that one side of the snake's enclosure stay at roughly , with the other measuring at roughly , mimicking shade and direct sunlight and allowing the snake to thermoregulate between the two.