Potty Training a BP?

[Jonny2184]

Has anyone ever potty trained a snake?
My snake poos all the time when I take her out.
Mostly on my bed? Maybe because it's soft. But it sure makes me mad sometimes.

Why do you think she does this, and how can I fix it??

[Kilo]

LOL, sorry but that is somewhat funny. Personally I have never heard of potty training a snake.

[casperca]

Has anyone ever potty trained a snake?
My snake poos all the time when I take her out.
Mostly on my bed? Maybe because it's soft. But it sure makes me mad sometimes.

Why do you think she does this, and how can I fix it??

This could be an insecurity issue. I read in the barker's book that some snakes deficate when they are feeling very threatened. however, they did mention that it is very rare for balls to do this as their primary mode of defense is to ball up. that is the only explanation that i can think of though. but if your snake does not get overly stressed when you handle it, ie: tense up or ball up when you handle it, you can probably rule this out.

Perhaps someone else can shed more light on this. I dont' think potty training is going to happen. My best advise is to handle your snake after it deficates. Either that or get some rubber sheets for your bed.

[hardball]

Ya my guess is that it is stressed being out in the open and nervously lets some out.

[Freakie_frog]

I read an article in Reptiles Mag. where a man trained his Indigo snake to go in a flower pot.

[Jonny2184]

Yeah it is funny, but it sucks when it's your bed, and your getting ready for bed.


He could be stressed a bit, but he doesn't show any signs of it...except pooping on me.
He never balls up, never makes a puffing noise, never tried to bite me, and he seems to relax pretty good.

The pooping on me has to stop! and I can't really predict when he does a poo. It's kinda whenever he feels like it.

ah well.. maybe Ill laminate my sheets. lol

[PythonWallace]

I read an article in Reptiles Mag. where a man trained his Indigo snake to go in a flower pot.

Just one more reason I want an Indigo. They're so f*'n smart. Do you know how he trained it?

[BiG~PUN]

I used kitty litter as substrate for a long time then i cleaned it out put aspen in his enclosure and a litter box full of cat litter. Now he poops in the litter box. When he craps some place other than his litter box I rub his nose in it.

(I was just kidding, I have not nor do I reccomend using cat litter for substrate. I do not nor should you rub your reptiles nose in his deficates.)

[wolfy-hound]

There's no use getting mad about the snake poo on your bed. Have you tried taking it somewhere with newspaper? Maybe it gets nervous when it's first out in the open, and poos, and if it could poo somewhere safe first, then it wouldn't poo again and you could put it on your bed?
Snakes just poo. Usually poo more when nervous, but it's not a "I'll show you!" type of thing. Annoying yes. If you don't ever want poo on the bed, I'd say the only sure way to not have the snake poo on the bed is to not put the snake on the bed at all.
Wolfy

[bearhart]

Just one more reason I want an Indigo. They're so f*'n smart. Do you know how he trained it?

I'd never heard of Indigos before and all I can say is WOW! Constricts? No. Venemous? No. Swallows its prey live!! Man that is hardcore.

Sorry to get off topic...

I do not know about the potty troubles. The only thing I've noticed is that people who have mentioned this seem to say it happens regularly.

I do know that my BP tends to make an effort to do his business away from his hide. In fact, there is a urate ball jammed between the glass and a rock in this tiny little space right now. I can't even figure out how he got it in there.

Anyway, my point is maybe your snake is being tidy? Perhaps he doesn't have an area in his cage that he feels comfortable making deposits? One thing that is rarely discussed is the overall quality of the cage as a simulated environment. There is alot of focus on the two hides, the temperatures, the water bowl, etc which are indeed the most important things. But, I kind of like to make my BP's cage "realistic" and so there are a number of nooks and crannys that make half-way good hides. Often times I find little presents tucked away in these areas. :eek:

Its probably a long shot but that's all I can think of, really.