Cage Cruisin

My BP is cruising his cage from pretty much the moment I get home (around 6PM) and is still up and around at midnight when I go to sleep.

He ate almost instantly yesterday, and I can see no signs that it even happened! I think he's still hungry. I'm considering going on a 4 day feed (feeding him again on Saturday) cycle until he refuses.

Is this the right direction to head? I don't want him to be aggressive because I want to start handling him a little bit.

Thanks for the info!

My male did the same thing, so i went to a bigger mouse and went to a 4-5 day feed instead of a 7 day feed, nightly cruises stopped and he eats anything i throw in there. Might wanna give it a shot.

I started with a 5 month old in late Jan. This is about my whole story - and it sounds a bit like yours:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=46468

Also, I mentioned in another thread that I did move to larger prey prior to seeing a slow-down.

Also, I would say as long as he's eating (mine eats right away) handle him daily (aside from post-feed, shed, pre-poo, etc). I think alot of the literature around is geared towards troublesome balls. I'm getting the impression that if your BP is eating well then you don't have much to worry about.

Mine was the same, he always looked hungry after i fed him.

So i moved to 2 mice at feeding time, and he looks like he's much more satisfied now, doesn't roam and look like he's hungry still.

I do this every 7 days or so.

Just fed him. Ate the little guy instantly too. Now he's satisfied. He went straight to his hide for a nap now! Woooohoo!

Thanks guys!

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Originally Posted by keeb

My BP is cruising his cage from pretty much the moment I get home (around 6PM) and is still up and around at midnight when I go to sleep.

He ate almost instantly yesterday, and I can see no signs that it even happened! I think he's still hungry. I'm considering going on a 4 day feed (feeding him again on Saturday) cycle until he refuses.

Is this the right direction to head? I don't want him to be aggressive because I want to start handling him a little bit.

Thanks for the info!

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Your going to end up overfeeding him and the most likely side efftects are going to be a) and obese snake and b) to make up for all the excessive feeding he'll go off feed for an extended period of time. I would take a look at your husbandry and compare it to this forums caresheet. Stress is usually the biggest factor in why a snake "roams" so much.

I have two young bp's, one born in July the other in Aug.
I was feeding the lemon 2 mice every Tues. until I was speaking w/ the breeder and he said the same as the last post about the chance of overfeeding and how in the wild a bp wouldn't consume 52 mice/rats in one year and that the over feeding could cause to go off feed.

I also made the comment about how the lemon from sun down until about 4-5am would cruise his cage and he said he has some in his collection who do this and it is not a uncommon thing for some bp's especially younger ones to do this.
A cruising bp does not always mean they are hungry or something is wrong in their cage. Remember they are nocturnal creatures.

my 58g BP female goes buck wild at night....my 310g male, not so much since I upgraded to adult mice.

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Originally Posted by jotay

I also made the comment about how the lemon from sun down until about 4-5am would cruise his cage and he said he has some in his collection who do this and it is not a uncommon thing for some bp's especially younger ones to do this.
A cruising bp does not always mean they are hungry or something is wrong in their cage. Remember they are nocturnal creatures.

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True... You just might want to observe your snake's movements to see whether they look twitchy (i.e. he's stressed which can be a pre-cursor to more stress-related problems) or he's just cruisin around curiously. Granted as long as he's eating an appropriate sized meal once a week, his night endeavors can be forgiven lol.

I have come down to the fact my lemon is just nosy.
He just doesn't want to miss a thing. He cruises but is very laid back.
He is also a piggy and would eat as many mice as I threw in there until he exploded :)
Even when he is chillin he spins his hide around so he can look out the front of the tub. Whenever I open the tub he bolts right up and crawls out and up my arm to go for a ride. Reminds me of a dog when you come home and open the front door, lol.