Climb Suggestions?

[KatStoverReptiles]

Hi all. I want to start off by saying I've been lurking here for awhile and ya'll have been SUPER helpful! My husband and I just acquired our 1st ball python. She (we're going on the assumption that she's a she) is about 140 grams and about 22in long. We have named her Mrs. Eaves (I'm a graphic designer and its the name of a favorite typeface of mine). We have her in a 20G tall tank.

I have read 3 or 4 posts about some balls being climbers and some not. I think ours is gonna be a climber type. So I want to get her some sort of branch-looking thing to climb on. I'd like to avoid bringing something in from the outdoors as I'm afraid of introducing nasties into the tank. The closest thing I've found that suits my needs is this: http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Appl...c=2&category=6. What do ya'll use for those of you who have balls that are climbers? Preferably, I'd like something that had a fork on one end so I could stabilize it and then rest the other end in the opposite corner. Does that make sense? Anyway, any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Oh...and here's a pic:

[deighaingeal]

I like natural woods from my wood turning pile. I just soak the pieces in water for a half hour then bake it in the oven for a half hour at about 325 deg F. This kills the nasties and the water reduces the burning. Wait a day before putting in the tank wood reallt holds heat.

[DZ Reptiles]

Congrats on your new friend! You will soon realize why we are all addicted :p
With what ever you choose to use for her to climb on, make 100% sure it's stable. You do not want it to fall on her because it could seriously injure her. You and your husband, as well as us, would not want to have that happen.

Once again, congrats on your new friend. This place is an instant question answerer lol. We are always here to help you with any question you may have, big or small.

Welcome to BP.net!

[RichsBallPythons]

Ball pythons like many other ground dwelling snakes dont climb naturally, but will if given the chance. They are clumsy and will fall with the possibility of injuring themselves beyond your eyes inspection.

Stay away from climbing sticks as its not needed. AND Excessive roaming and trying to get ouf cage is stress related(something wrong with setup).

[anatess]

The java vine is not feasible for a ball python. You will notice that your ball python grows to be heavy-bodied. She will reach over 800 grams before the year is up. A java vine will not hold her up and will just be a danger for a fall.

Ball pythons are terrestrial snakes, therefore, you don't need a climbing stick for her. Lots of people use the stick to make the enclosure visually interesting - not necessarily for the snake's benefit but more for the viewer's benefit. You will need a thick, strong, immovable wood that is preferably no more than 6 inches off the ground. You can find thick sticks with a heavy/stable base at the big-box pet stores. The stick in my avatar is from Pet Supermarket.

[loonunit]

Most of mine climb, and most of them wile away their evenings perching and falling off of things. It's really okay if they're only falling a foot or two. They're quite well padded, and I suspect wild bps spend a lot of time tumbling and sliding off of low branches. But more than 3 feet will give them a shock; more than 4 feet is potentially a health hazard.

I like all things grapewood:

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...and-manzanita/

And I like the twisty jungle vines from exo terra and zoo med. It's fun to twist more than one together, or to create big jungle gyms with the vines in combo with wood branches.

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/...arium-accents/

The problem with the wood is, if it gets dirty (and it will), it's hard to clean. I soak them in 10% bleach solution when they get atrocious, and then rinse and let dry for several days so that my bps aren't inhaling the chlorine vapor. But that means a.) a lot of work and b.) the branch is out of commission for a while.

The problem with the jungle vines (at least the ones I have) is that they shed little bits of plastic/rubber. I'm not sure what it is, exactly, but it gets in the water bowl, where it looks suspiciously like mites.

Whatever you get, consider getting a nice accent vine to wrap around part of it. It looks attractive, and it adds extra cover for the snake. Everyone is happy.

[loonunit]

PS. Oh, that yellow water bowl you've got pictured there. It's very pretty, and it was the first one I bought, but mine always seems to be coated with slime (read: bacteria) after only a few days. Even after bleaching and hard scrubbing. Drives me nuts. I've basically taken it out of commission because I couldn't convince myself it wasn't a health hazard.

If you find your water bowl doing that to you, too, I recommend the blue glazed ceramic ones instead. The glaze seems to lack the microscopic crevices bacteria like to hide in.

[blackcrystal22]

PS. Oh, that yellow water bowl you've got pictured there. It's very pretty, and it was the first one I bought, but mine always seems to be coated with slime (read: bacteria) after only a few days. Even after bleaching and hard scrubbing. Drives me nuts. I've basically taken it out of commission because I couldn't convince myself it wasn't a health hazard.

If you find your water bowl doing that to you, too, I recommend the blue glazed ceramic ones instead. The glaze seems to lack the microscopic crevices bacteria like to hide in.

Or you could just buy a ceramic ramekin for $3 at walmart.

Ball pythons trying to "climb" out of their enclosures display signs of stress which often has to do with their environment. Giving them branches that lay on the ground are fine for decor, but anything that is elevated shouldn't be used on ball pythons because they are not good at climbing and will often fall. You won't see them sitting on branches, but rather roaming them in an attempt to escape.

A couple of things that could be making your little girl roam:
- Improper temps. Do you have a proper heating gradient and humidity at 60% in that tank?
- Tank size. For a young ball python, that tank is awfully big and tall and may be very difficult to maintain. Shorter long tanks tend to work better for non-arboreal species. (non-climbing)
- Hides. Log hides are terrible for ball pythons. They do not provide real security and should be replaced with small tight hides like these:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes/
Also, in a tank setup, it's recommended to have two hides (one on cold side and one on warm side) so the ball python doesn't have to choose between being comfortable with the temperature and its security.

It's likely not stressful, but the large water bowl is a bit unnecessary and won't raise the humidity like you think it might. You should clean out your water bowls every couple days and with a large heavy hard to clean bowl like that, it could be a nuisance. They also don't need to soak, so a small bowl like a cooking ramekin would be suitable.

-JW

[DZ Reptiles]

As the OP stated, the BP is new and is getting used to her new home. Most snakes act like this when they are introduced to a new home.

[KatStoverReptiles]

Hey guys! Thanks so much for your responses! I guess hubby has now decided against a climb because he doesn't want her to get injured. I'm sure he'll flip flop his mind a few times so your ideas will come in handy!