Snake stimulation?

[Moses]

I want to make Moses' cage more... fun. It's fine as it is, but it just seems bland. I can't fit many branches or plants in there because his hides need to be so big. And practically any other decor I put in, he would just knock over. Here's his enclosure (link below). I wouldn't add/change anything right away, I redid his setup a week or 2 ago which seemed to freak him out a bit.

http://imgur.com/hSwyhMw

[Snake Judy]

I don't see why you couldn't fit more branches and plants. They like clutter! Since it's a wooden enclosure, you could even bolt a climbing branch or two going across, and drape some fake vines and things from them. Chances are you'll see a bit of climbing now and then, and they seem to appreciate the overhead cover. I've got some ledges and branches in mine and my girl definitely makes use of them. It's great exercise I think!

If you research snake enrichment you can find a lot of good species-appropriate ideas for making a more stimulating habitat. For example, you could vary substrate depth so it's very deep in one corner and allows the snake to burrow in it, or add in different textures, like a piece of slate or some dried leaves. But like you noticed, a complete overhaul can be stressful. I find it works well to add an element at a time to let them investigate and get accustomed to it.

[o.r hill]

This is something that I have been looking into lately - how to enrich the environment for snakes. One thing that seem get them going is exposure to different scents. I have bird feeders out back - sometime I put out branches and towel for the outdoor critters to scurry over and then put them in the snake cage. I also have taken items from a female snakes cage and put them in the male and visa versa. They really get stimulated by the latter.

[Snake Judy]

This is something that I have been looking into lately - how to enrich the environment for snakes. One thing that seem get them going is exposure to different scents. I have bird feeders out back - sometime I put out branches and towel for the outdoor critters to scurry over and then put them in the snake cage. I also have taken items from a female snakes cage and put them in the male and visa versa. They really get stimulated by the latter.

While different smells are a great way to add enrichment, I'd go easy on introducing any that provoke a hunting or breeding response when the snake is not going to be eating or breeding any time soon. It seems like that could lead to stress in the animal when it isn't able to act on those urges.

On the other hand, when it actually is time to feed, I like to take the warmed rat and drag it around to make a scent trail for the snake to follow. Then leave it somewhere in the enclosure and watch them hunt! Nice easy way to add a little mental stimulation to your snake's routine.

[Moses]

I don't see why you couldn't fit more branches and plants. They like clutter! Since it's a wooden enclosure, you could even bolt a climbing branch or two going across, and drape some fake vines and things from them. Chances are you'll see a bit of climbing now and then, and they seem to appreciate the overhead cover. I've got some ledges and branches in mine and my girl definitely makes use of them. It's great exercise I think!

If you research snake enrichment you can find a lot of good species-appropriate ideas for making a more stimulating habitat. For example, you could vary substrate depth so it's very deep in one corner and allows the snake to burrow in it, or add in different textures, like a piece of slate or some dried leaves. But like you noticed, a complete overhaul can be stressful. I find it works well to add an element at a time to let them investigate and get accustomed to it.

That's really helpful, thanks! It might be a little hard to bolt something in his enclosure, since i would have to take both snakes out of their enclosures (there's 1 snake on top and on bottom of the shelf). But I'm sure we'll do something like that eventually! I would add more branches and stuff, but I don't want him to knock something over and hurt himself.

[Bea]

http://rainbowsnakes.tumblr.com/post...tiles-what-why

big long post on why enrichment benefits snakes and how to do it!

ball pythons do like clutter, and any kind of climbing things/leaves helps. you could probably fit some cheap plastic aquarium plants in there and weigh them down with something, or even real, snake-safe plants could be done. more/interesting hides (i know they like toilet paper tubes, though if he's big that might not work, but i know people who have made off-the-ground-hides that the snake could reach via branches and stuff, kinda like a tree hollow!) a humid hide could also work, as it provides both an interesting hide AND a change of climate!

scents is another big one- as stated, probably avoid anything that may stimulate a breeding response, and try not to put anything inedible in that smells like food, and of course avoid any smells harmful to snakes- citrus, pine, etc. besides that anything that smells interesting would do- flowers, freshly cut grass, other kinds of wood, fruit, oils, extracts used for cooking, etc... just don't flood the cage or put *too* strong of scents. stuff like perfume or bodyspray should probably be avoided.

the last big sense for snakes is tactile, or touch. you can stimulate this by putting in things with different textures. changing the substrate, adding areas of different substrate, and putting in interesting-feeling objects (leaves, marbles, maybe fabric, tiles- just avoid putting ceramics and probably glass right on top or right below their heat source or they can overheat) could all work for this