What is the consequence of an enclosure that forces an adult Ball Python to constantly compromise its body temperature?

It taxes energy reserves needed for long-term health maintenance.

A critical aspect of husbandry supporting long-term survival is providing an enclosure that allows the snake to easily thermoregulate without effort. If the enclosure is poorly sized or fails to establish a distinct hot and cool gradient, the snake is forced into a constant physiological compromise—choosing between being too cold or too hot. This continuous effort to maintain homeostasis demands significant energy expenditure. These utilized energy reserves are vital resources that would otherwise be allocated toward general maintenance, immune system support, and overall health longevity. Consequently, an animal forced to constantly conserve energy due to poor thermal setup may never achieve its full lifespan potential.