Can you train a BP? And other random questions.

Yes, you can... kind of... train a ball python. Two of my girls are conditioned to know that three taps on the wall of their tub means they're about to get fed. They come out from under the paper towels, look towards the noise and get ready to strike. I've been doing this for months with them. I've also noticed that those two have never missed a meal, though that could just be coincidence.

I tried the chicken soup thing. Didn't work for me. And just saying, but how does chicken soup even make sense? I mean... ball pythons don't eat chickens, so how does this trick translate into the python deciding to eat?

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Originally Posted by Penultimate

And just saying, but how does chicken soup even make sense? I mean... ball pythons don't eat chickens, so how does this trick translate into the python deciding to eat?

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In the wild BP's do include some birds as part of their normal diet. Obviously it's not chicken, though it may taste like chicken...

Mine knows it's feeding time when I scent the room with the prey item using a blow-dryer (it wakes up in a huge hurry!). This morning it stuck its head out of the hide when I was vacuuming. Not sure if the breeze from the exhaust port had it confused. :D

I've also tried the chicken broth approach in an off-feed period too, but without any results.

I feed my ball in a separate container, but because of that she knows container=mice coming from the sky.
Now whenever she's in her feeding container she'll stare at the top of the container waiting for mice to drop down.
I suppose you can train snakes in that you can associate different things with handling or feeding. (Sort of like Pavlo's dogs)

I've never heard about scenting with chicken soup until now. I've heard of scenting with hamster and gerbil litter, but not chicken...