Curious Behavior

So, here’s where my lil’ buddy decided to go about 30 min. ago, for no obvious reason. Ambient temp. is 80, hot hide 89, cool hide 84, humidity still a bit low at 47 but I’m actively working on that. Any idea why he would go there and just chill? https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1744b4239d.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...188f8c9991.jpg


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The readily-available hides didn't meet his approval for snug fit (aka "back pressure") to simulate a cave safe from predators. Work on the hides & make the
backing inaccessible...he's not the first to go there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

The readily-available hides didn't meet his approval for snug fit (aka "back pressure") to simulate a cave safe from predators. Work on the hides & make the
backing inaccessible...he's not the first to go there.

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Oh my god....makes perfect sense cause his hides ARE too big! He could fit 2 of his size in there. Thanks so much!!


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Just ordered 2 new small hides.

Thanks again!

Sometimes you can improve such 'hides' by crumpling a paper towel or two & stuff them in. Keep in mind snakes prefer hides with doorways just big enough
to fit thru (with a meal) & that some commercially-available hides have lovely dramatic 'doorways' that snakes hate. They make them so people can see their
pets, but snakes feel stressed & vulnerable...same goes for those open-ended tree bark tunnels...they're fine as "cage furniture" but not actually as hides. I
like to use them sometimes in front of their actual hides...like the protected canopy in front of a fine hotel, ;) -they work fine that way. It's all about privacy.

Snakes don't like high ceilings either. Just think of a home decor magazine, & do the opposite for a snake, lol...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Sometimes you can improve such 'hides' by crumpling a paper towel or two & stuff them in. Keep in mind snakes prefer hides with doorways just big enough
to fit thru (with a meal) & that some commercially-available hides have lovely dramatic 'doorways' that snakes hate. They make them so people can see their
pets, but snakes feel stressed & vulnerable...same goes for those open-ended tree bark tunnels...they're fine as "cage furniture" but not actually as hides. I
like to use them sometimes in front of their actual hides...like the protected canopy in front of a fine hotel, ;) -they work fine that way. It's all about privacy.

Snakes don't like high ceilings either. Just think of a home decor magazine, & do the opposite for a snake, lol...

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Yes, Bogertrophis is absolutely right and gave me the same advice a week ago, and it worked! As soon as I stuffed some crumbled paper towels into the hides, my snake started using them. By the way, here is my little girl doing the same thing as your snake. I ended up removing the styrofoam decorative background and it looks better without it. And, the background makes a perfectly fitted cover for the top of the enclosure to allow for some airflow while blocking drafts and keeping in some humidity.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...background.jpg



And this is her tail sticking out of her hide after I put some paper towels in there to lower the ceiling and make the doorway smaller

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...203_130319.jpg

Great snakes think alike! :rofl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Sometimes you can improve such 'hides' by crumpling a paper towel or two & stuff them in. Keep in mind snakes prefer hides with doorways just big enough
to fit thru (with a meal) & that some commercially-available hides have lovely dramatic 'doorways' that snakes hate. They make them so people can see their
pets, but snakes feel stressed & vulnerable...same goes for those open-ended tree bark tunnels...they're fine as "cage furniture" but not actually as hides. I
like to use them sometimes in front of their actual hides...like the protected canopy in front of a fine hotel, ;) -they work fine that way. It's all about privacy.

Snakes don't like high ceilings either. Just think of a home decor magazine, & do the opposite for a snake, lol...

---

Okay, you have a natural gift when it comes to explaining things to a complete noob such as myself, and for that, I thank you. :) Everything you've just said makes perfect sense to me. I do have one of those open-ended logs you're talking about. May just use your idea once he settles back down.

I did crumple up a paper towel and stick it in both hides, gently removed him from his forbidden hideout, placed him back in the tank and he went directly into the hide and has been there for over an hour now. :partyon:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FollowTheSun

Yes, Bogertrophis is absolutely right and gave me the same advice a week ago, and it worked! As soon as I stuffed some crumbled paper towels into the hides, my snake started using them. By the way, here is my little girl doing the same thing as your snake. I ended up removing the styrofoam decorative background and it looks better without it. And, the background makes a perfectly fitted cover for the top of the enclosure to allow for some airflow while blocking drafts and keeping in some humidity.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...background.jpg



And this is her tail sticking out of her hide after I put some paper towels in there to lower the ceiling and make the doorway smaller

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...203_130319.jpg

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Wow!! Where there's a will there's a way, right?? I didn't realize they wanted to feel "hugged" THAT much. This is just one more reason why I've fallen hard for the love of snakes recently. There's soo much to learn and it's just so rewarding when you actually do something right and it pays off by seeing them go from stressed to "relaxed" and comfy.

Your enclosure looks fantastic, BTW! I need more debris. :D

If they can fit, they eventually will. They love tight spaces where they feel secure and safe from predators.

Although those backgrounds look nice, they're not very practical. I'll think you'll find that most experienced keepers don't use them. They're more of a pain than the benefit of aesthetics is worth.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

If they can fit, they eventually will. They love tight spaces where they feel secure and safe from predators.

Although those backgrounds look nice, they're not very practical. I'll think you'll find that most experienced keepers don't use them. They're more of a pain than the benefit of aesthetics is worth.

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Well, I mainly got them to make him feel a bit more safe & secure but maybe I can just wrap the outside with something else. Gonna finish plugging that hole and see how he does for a bit.

Thanks for the insight!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shayne

Well, I mainly got them to make him feel a bit more safe & secure but maybe I can just wrap the outside with something else. Gonna finish plugging that hole and see how he does for a bit.

Thanks for the insight!

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No problem, happy to help. When plugging the hole be sure NOT to use any tape, adhesives or anything like that.

And don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with using them If you like it and it poses no danger to your snake by all means keep it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shayne

Well, I mainly got them to make him feel a bit more safe & secure but maybe I can just wrap the outside with something else. Gonna finish plugging that hole and see how he does for a bit.

Thanks for the insight!

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I like to add scenery on the outside of the glass (I use tanks & primarily keep colubrids these days), then if needed, I can also insulate using something behind scenery
like foam board (or similar stuff of your choice). Because you're so open to suggestions, you'll be "thinking like a snake" in no time. :gj: Forums like this are helpful
because we don't all think of the same things, whether good ideas or things to avoid (-like tape! ;) ), & we have the best interest of your snake in our suggestions.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

No problem, happy to help. When plugging the hole be sure NOT to use any tape, adhesives or anything like that.

And don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with using them If you like it and it poses no danger to your snake by all means keep it.

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No adhesives, got it. My plan was to cut a piece off of extra I had left over just snug enough to squeeze it into place. Since it's up against the side of the cage this should suffice, IMO. Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I like to add scenery on the outside of the glass (I use tanks & primarily keep colubrids these days), then if needed, I can also insulate using something behind scenery
like foam board (or similar stuff of your choice). Because you're so open to suggestions, you'll be "thinking like a snake" in no time. :gj: Forums like this are helpful
because we don't all think of the same things, whether good ideas or things to avoid (-like tape! ;) ), & we have the best interest of your snake in our suggestions.

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Nice! My wife is eyeing some corn snakes right now. At least she's interested in this so I'm not complaining at all. :cool: She's never looked twice at any of my other hobbies. lol

Yes, this forum is fantastic! Every one is so nice....and patient. :P It really does help. Yea, I try to be as open-minded as possible. After all, we just want what's best for our lil' family members.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shayne

...Nice! My wife is eyeing some corn snakes right now. At least she's interested in this so I'm not complaining at all. :cool: She's never
looked twice at any of my other hobbies. lol...

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You & your wife couldn't go wrong with a corn snake...they are much easier than ball pythons in terms of care (temperatures needed) & ease of feeding, plus they
are colorful, normally very docile, and if you put some diagonal branches in their cage, you'll find they like to "hang out" rather than hide so much. Excellent pets.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

You & your wife couldn't go wrong with a corn snake...they are much easier than ball pythons in terms of care (temperatures needed) & ease of feeding, plus they
are colorful, normally very docile, and if you put some diagonal branches in their cage, you'll find they like to "hang out" rather than hide so much. Excellent pets.

---

That's awesome! She'll be excited to hear they're so easy. She's been stressing just from watching me stress. In fact, she's been going in the room and checking on him just as much as I have. Thankfully he's in a spare bedroom where it stay nice & quiet so she just peeks her head in to take a look. Any experience with Milk snakes?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shayne

That's awesome! She'll be excited to hear they're so easy. She's been stressing just from watching me stress. In fact, she's been going in the room and checking on him just as much as I have. Thankfully he's in a spare bedroom where it stay nice & quiet so she just peeks her head in to take a look. Any experience with Milk snakes?

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Milk snakes are beautiful but super-squirmy & escape artists. They tend to be high-strung, not great to handle even when they grow up. If you're after a pet to just
observe, not handle, they're better for that. It's not like they're biters, most don't have mouths big enough to bite effectively; they're more apt to defend themselves
the way hatchling king snakes do (squirt you with feces :rofl:). They do grow out of it though. :)

Id go with RBI pvc Hides. Ive seen hundreds of posts by people with decorative hides having problems like this for a decade. Sometimes simple and on point is what is best for these guys/gals.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

Id go with RBI pvc Hides. Ive seen hundreds of posts by people with decorative hides having problems like this for a decade. Sometimes simple and on point is what is best for these guys/gals.


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I agree! I just put part of a gift wrapping cardboard tube in Noodle's cage and she loves it! It's like spending $ for a gift for a child, only to have them prefer to play in the box! :rofl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shayne

That's awesome! She'll be excited to hear they're so easy. She's been stressing just from watching me stress. In fact, she's been going in the room and checking on him just as much as I have. Thankfully he's in a spare bedroom where it stay nice & quiet so she just peeks her head in to take a look. Any experience with Milk snakes?

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You really can't go wrong with corns. But I'm much more of a Kingsnake fan. I've kept corns in the past but have moved on. But I'll always have a King in the family. My current King, Django is my favorite snake I've ever kept.

The care for corns is pretty much the same as Kings (and milks, the Kings cousin).
They're super easy, inquisitive, stay a very manageable size and are a lot of fun. Just be prepared that they're a LOT quicker than BPs and are great escape artists.

I agree with Craig...king snakes are another good possibility for you (they are more handleable than milk snakes), and don't forget there's a whole world
of rat snakes (besides corn snakes) too. Also fun are the gopher, bull & pine snakes. You see why we're all snake-addicts around here? So many kinds
to love!

BTW (& just because I'm a bad influence, I'll mention one more)- boas & BPs are not the only things either. You might really enjoy an Australian spotted
python (or one of it's close cousins) for a small (no bigger than a corn snake) true python that feeds EASILY on small f/t mice. These do need a warmer
cage than a corn snake or other colubrid, but they have a lot of personality...mine likes to bask on branches/driftwood (the way my rat snakes do) & she
is very alert at all times.

Something tells me your "list" is getting longer...:rofl:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Milk snakes are beautiful but super-squirmy & escape artists. They tend to be high-strung, not great to handle even when they grow up. If you're after a pet to just
observe, not handle, they're better for that. It's not like they're biters, most don't have mouths big enough to bite effectively; they're more apt to defend themselves
the way hatchling king snakes do (squirt you with feces :rofl:). They do grow out of it though. :)

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Ahh I do remember reading about them being a bit "flighty". As most of us here, I would like to occasionally take them out and handle them. Maybe not a good suit for us. Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CALM Pythons

Id go with RBI pvc Hides. Ive seen hundreds of posts by people with decorative hides having problems like this for a decade. Sometimes simple and on point is what is best for these guys/gals.


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That's who I've been looking at. They have some nice, simple setups. Will probably be going with them in the near future. Good news, since I put a crumpled paper towel in his hide he hasn't come out. This should keep him happy until my smaller hides come in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by FollowTheSun

I agree! I just put part of a gift wrapping cardboard tube in Noodle's cage and she loves it! It's like spending $ for a gift for a child, only to have them prefer to play in the box! :rofl:

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:rofl:Great analogy. That's exactly what it feels like.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

You really can't go wrong with corns. But I'm much more of a Kingsnake fan. I've kept corns in the past but have moved on. But I'll always have a King in the family. My current King, Django is my favorite snake I've ever kept.

The care for corns is pretty much the same as Kings (and milks, the Kings cousin).
They're super easy, inquisitive, stay a very manageable size and are a lot of fun. Just be prepared that they're a LOT quicker than BPs and are great escape artists.

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What draws you back to the King? And thanks for the insight.

One general difference between a king snake & a rat/corn snake is that a king is more terrestrial & a burrower, whereas rat/corn snakes use their vision more
because they spend more time above ground & climbing. It's like apples & oranges...they're both good. ;)

But I've known many of each over quite a few years, and some king snakes (not saying all) are more likely to insist that your hand might be edible...remember
that snakes are NOT logical & don't use vision to know what fits, etc. While the strong feeding response (in both king & rat snakes) is fun, I can handle a rat
snake after feeding it without a bite, but wouldn't recommend trying that with a king. To me, the snakes that live above ground mostly & spend time actively
hunting are not only more visually-skilled but seem smarter. (the same as with pine/bull/gopher snakes too)

Remember these are just generalities, & the amount of time you spend handling as well as the individual's genetics will influence how any snake you raise turns
out. One thing about colubrids that's WAY different (I would say "better") compared to BPs is that handling them does not tend to influence their appetite. I
have even taken my 2 large (7') male Florida rat snakes to a kid's "show & tell" at a library where they were handled & touched quite a bit, then I put them in
travel containers & fed them f/t mice for the kids to watch, & even took them out briefly afterwards, all on good behavior. Don't do that with a king or a boa. ;)

BTW, that was the first & ONLY time I ever tried feeding snakes in public, & the interesting thing to me is that these same snakes at home are monsters about
grabbing food & constricting, even though it's always dead prey. But there, because they'd been handled, they reacted quite differently: they hesitated and then
ate "politely"! The unusual circumstances (not at home & being handled a lot prior) apparently made all the difference to them, & I really wanted them to act
naturally, the same as at home (for the kids to see) but they're just too well-behaved, lol... And if you like snakes that are more "polite", I give the highest
scores to Trans Pecos & Bairds rat snakes.

What the heck, get one of each & decide for yourself! :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

I agree with Craig...king snakes are another good possibility for you (they are more handleable than milk snakes), and don't forget there's a whole world
of rat snakes (besides corn snakes) too. Also fun are the gopher, bull & pine snakes. You see why we're all snake-addicts around here? So many kinds
to love!

BTW (& just because I'm a bad influence, I'll mention one more)- boas & BPs are not the only things either. You might really enjoy an Australian spotted
python (or one of it's close cousins) for a small (no bigger than a corn snake) true python that feeds EASILY on small f/t mice. These do need a warmer
cage than a corn snake or other colubrid, but they have a lot of personality...mine likes to bask on branches/driftwood (the way my rat snakes do) & she
is very alert at all times.

Something tells me your "list" is getting longer...:rofl:

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Speaking of kings, I caught her looking at some Scarlets on G00gle. :clap: She tries to downplay her interest but I'm seeing things a bit differently. lol Man, that Bull looks amazing too. Those suckers get up there in length. Not like a Burmese, of course, but 7-8 ft. would require a substantial cage, I would think?

Thank y'all for all the info. It's much appreciated. It's just nice to come on here as a complete noob and not get "destroyed" for my ignorance.

It really depends on what you want from the animals you keep. Me, I like to interact with them. I love snakes that are watching me back & fun to hold.

I used to keep & breed bull & gopher snakes: they are active & need a good-sized cage...they're diurnal too. Adult size is about 6', very slow growth after
that, & 7-8' would be exceptional for sure. All snakes grow their whole life, but it slows way down. For me, 6' is a nice size, & though it seems huge when
you're new & thinking about a future snake, they grow slowly. Also, a 6' rat or bull snake is MUCH lighter than a 6' boa. Rat snakes have a more slender
build than a bull snake, but either one is nothing like a 6' boa. BTW, there are also some smaller versions of gopher snakes, about 4' I think...I never dealt
with them though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

It really depends on what you want from the animals you keep. Me, I like to interact with them. I love snakes that are watching me back & fun to hold.

I used to keep & breed bull & gopher snakes: they are active & need a good-sized cage...they're diurnal too. Adult size is about 6', very slow growth after
that, & 7-8' would be exceptional for sure. All snakes grow their whole life, but it slows way down. For me, 6' is a nice size, & though it seems huge when
you're new & thinking about a future snake, they grow slowly. Also, a 6' rat or bull snake is MUCH lighter than a 6' boa. Rat snakes have a more slender
build than a bull snake, but either one is nothing like a 6' boa. BTW, there are also some smaller versions of gopher snakes, about 4' I think...I never dealt
with them though.

---

Is there a difference. I think I read somewhere that they were one and the same?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shayne

What draws you back to the King? And thanks for the insight.

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Part of it for me is almost nostalgia. Kings were the snakes that got me into snakes about a hundred years ago. Ok, more like twenty, but you get the point... It was a classic black and white Cal King that I fell in love with and that was my first snake. My current boy is a brown and cream colored classic Cal King. I'm a sucker for the classics I guess

Anyway, I love their size, food response and handleability. They are very easy and firgiving woth husbandry and are absolute garbage disposals whwn it comes to feeding. I often joke that Django would eat a slice of pizza if I dangled in his enclosure, as long as it's meat livers!!! Hahahaha!
They can be nippy when young, but usually outgrow it pretty quickly. Once they have a little size on them they're much more confident and far less defensive. If you've ever gotten a paper cut, a cat scratch or a new sting those all hurt far worse than a bite from an adult King.

Django is about 52" and a little over 800 grams and is in a 4x2x2 enclosure and uses every inch. He's active, alert and ALWAYS eats.

Kings are fun snakes and super easy to keep. After starting with a BP a King would be simple and stress free for you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MR Snakes

Is there a difference. I think I read somewhere that they were one and the same?

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Nope, they have different ranges, but are very similar & could interbreed (though I would never do that & don't recommend it...there's no reason to).
Plus, bull snakes get a little bigger. Both are close cousins with pine snakes too, but again, different range. When I lived in So Calif. we had native gopher snakes,
but no bull snakes. The ones (bull snakes) I had came from c/b sources, but my gopher snakes were locals. :snake:

The thing is, take your time to research (including all the good questions you've been asking) to be sure of what you want, because most of these snakes
can live to 20 years or more. Try to see & meet some in person if you can. (good luck not falling in love with each one though, haha!)

Planning on attending the show in New Hampshire January 6. My boys are excited for it.



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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

The thing is, take your time to research (including all the good questions you've been asking) to be sure of what you want, because most of these snakes
can live to 20 years or more. Try to see & meet some in person if you can. (good luck not falling in love with each one though, haha!)

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^^^ copy that ^^^

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

It really depends on what you want from the animals you keep. Me, I like to interact with them. I love snakes that are watching me back & fun to hold.

I used to keep & breed bull & gopher snakes: they are active & need a good-sized cage...they're diurnal too. Adult size is about 6', very slow growth after
that, & 7-8' would be exceptional for sure. All snakes grow their whole life, but it slows way down. For me, 6' is a nice size, & though it seems huge when
you're new & thinking about a future snake, they grow slowly. Also, a 6' rat or bull snake is MUCH lighter than a 6' boa. Rat snakes have a more slender
build than a bull snake, but either one is nothing like a 6' boa. BTW, there are also some smaller versions of gopher snakes, about 4' I think...I never dealt
with them though.

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Yesss, that's what I like about them. I wanted one that would kinda look at me (at least in my direction...lol). Looks like I may have gotten lucky, which is the main reason I wanted to wait for an expo. I wanted to actually interact and hold them before making a decision. I figured 3 weeks before the expo. would've been plenty of time, but nope. Thankfully the only problems I ran into after getting him home were low humidity (I misted multiple times a day with Zilla - Tropical Mist) and his hides are too large. Paper towels solved that issue until my new hides arrive tomorrow. My oldest daughter also went home with an albino. She's in love.

6 ft. is really about the size I'd prefer, which is the main reason I was wanting a female, however, a certain male yellow pastel had different plans for me. Can't wait to get him eating. Gonna feed on Monday. I want to get him eating at least 3 consecutive meals before handling him regularly. Fingers crossed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Part of it for me is almost nostalgia. Kings were the snakes that got me into snakes about a hundred years ago. Ok, more like twenty, but you get the point... It was a classic black and white Cal King that I fell in love with and that was my first snake. My current boy is a brown and cream colored classic Cal King. I'm a sucker for the classics I guess

Anyway, I love their size, food response and handleability. They are very easy and firgiving woth husbandry and are absolute garbage disposals whwn it comes to feeding. I often joke that Django would eat a slice of pizza if I dangled in his enclosure, as long as it's meat livers!!! Hahahaha!
They can be nippy when young, but usually outgrow it pretty quickly. Once they have a little size on them they're much more confident and far less defensive. If you've ever gotten a paper cut, a cat scratch or a new sting those all hurt far worse than a bite from an adult King.

Django is about 52" and a little over 800 grams and is in a 4x2x2 enclosure and uses every inch. He's active, alert and ALWAYS eats.

Kings are fun snakes and super easy to keep. After starting with a BP a King would be simple and stress free for you.

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Funny you'd mention nostalgia and how we reverberate back to the classics. When I was a kid I was running across the yard and stepped on a 4 ft. Black Runner. It was laying, curled up right next to my bike which was propped up on a kick stand. I CLEARED that bike like an olympic hurdler. :O Was terrified of snakes from that day on. Now, I want one. lol

Django sounds amazing. So, what about ball python bites? I've heard a cat scratch hurts worse. If that's the case then I'm okay with it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Nope, they have different ranges, but are very similar & could interbreed (though I would never do that & don't recommend it...there's no reason to).
Plus, bull snakes get a little bigger. Both are close cousins with pine snakes too, but again, different range. When I lived in So Calif. we had native gopher snakes,
but no bull snakes. The ones (bull snakes) I had came from c/b sources, but my gopher snakes were locals. :snake:

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Ahh ok...makes sense. Which do you prefer?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

The thing is, take your time to research (including all the good questions you've been asking) to be sure of what you want, because most of these snakes
can live to 20 years or more. Try to see & meet some in person if you can. (good luck not falling in love with each one though, haha!)

---

Well, I've read 3 books in the past month, which is when I was "bitten"...pun intended. :) Was asking lots of questions from a "local" source but I'm learning his/her ways may not be the direction I wanna go. I'm just glad I stumbled up on y'all before my old brain got too cloudy. lol And I know I've lost all chances of living with just one snake. It's a sickness but I'm okay with that. :cool: Thanks for all the help!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shayne

Yesss, that's what I like about them. I wanted one that would kinda look at me (at least in my direction...lol). Looks like I may have gotten lucky, which is the main reason I wanted to wait for an expo. I wanted to actually interact and hold them before making a decision. I figured 3 weeks before the expo. would've been plenty of time, but nope. Thankfully the only problems I ran into after getting him home were low humidity (I misted multiple times a day with Zilla - Tropical Mist) and his hides are too large. Paper towels solved that issue until my new hides arrive tomorrow. My oldest daughter also went home with an albino. She's in love.

6 ft. is really about the size I'd prefer, which is the main reason I was wanting a female, however, a certain male yellow pastel had different plans for me. Can't wait to get him eating. Gonna feed on Monday. I want to get him eating at least 3 consecutive meals before handling him regularly. Fingers crossed....

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Wait, :confusd: you just GOT a snake? -or 2, counting your daughter's? Do tell! :D We need DETAILS!

I don't have a preference between gopher & bull snakes...gopher snakes tend to stay smaller & lighter in body, but both are intelligent & easy pets. Like nearly all rat
snakes, the Pituophis 'family' tends to be curious & interactive, easy to feed on f/t, & reliable about knowing we're not their "food". I've kept many king snakes & love
them too, but some of them can be a little 'food-focused' when handled...not all, just some. If the Pituophis group has any drawbacks it's their need for sizable housing-
they can be pushy & restless because that's how they live in the wild...actively hunting. Some will rub their noses, make sure screen is both tough & soft: I make my
own cage lids for glass tanks, & for this type of snake, I used 2 layers...soft smooth nylon screen for inner-facing layer, & 'hardware cloth' aka welded wire, for outer.

BTW, gopher & rat snakes need good ventilation & glass tanks work best, with full screen tops. Please don't treat them like a ball python!

Snake bites from any harmless snake (BPs or bulls or whatever) are like getting fast & multiple pin-pricks...if you do any sewing, it's like when you miss...
& if not, it's like an injection at the doctor...but faster. Paper cuts & other non-snake injuries are worse, lol. Most snake bites are avoidable...learn to interpret
their body language, & don't confuse a snake by handling & thereby smelling like their food. Snakes rely on scent to identify, not vision...if you forget, your snake will "remind" you...;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Wait, :confusd: you just GOT a snake? -or 2, counting your daughter's? Do tell! :D We need DETAILS!

I don't have a preference between gopher & bull snakes...gopher snakes tend to stay smaller & lighter in body, but both are intelligent & easy pets. Like nearly all rat
snakes, the Pituophis 'family' tends to be curious & interactive, easy to feed on f/t, & reliable about knowing we're not their "food". I've kept many king snakes & love
them too, but some of them can be a little 'food-focused' when handled...not all, just some. If the Pituophis group has any drawbacks it's their need for sizable housing-
they can be pushy & restless because that's how they live in the wild...actively hunting. Some will rub their noses, make sure screen is both tough & soft: I make my
own cage lids for glass tanks, & for this type of snake, I used 2 layers...soft smooth nylon screen for inner-facing layer, & 'hardware cloth' aka welded wire, for outer.

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Ha!! Yes, is that bad? :confusd: We got them 5 days ago at an expo. Went to our 1st expo. about a month ago, which is what got us hooked and have been reading and researching ever since.

Great info! Will keep that in mind when we go shopping.....again. :)

I keep Germ-X every where and use it often just by habit. He really looks to be a good guy, so far. Can't wait to start interacting with him.

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Originally Posted by Shayne

Ha!! Yes, is that bad? :confusd: We got them 5 days ago at an expo. Went to our 1st expo. about a month ago, which is what got us hooked and have been reading and researching ever since.

Great info! Will keep that in mind when we go shopping.....again. :)

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Bad? No...human, like the rest of us snake-junkies! :rofl: :welcome: What exactly did you get?

Good to know about the bites. I can deal with that. lol

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Bad? No...human, like the rest of us snake-junkies! :rofl: :welcome:

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Good to know we're not the only weirdos around. ;) Now, our friends & family have mostly sworn off ever coming over again since we've decided to get a danger noodle. Hopefully they'll come around one day. If not, I'm okay with that too. lol

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Originally Posted by Shayne

Good to know about the bites. I can deal with that. lol

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Well if you can manage not to pull away reflexively, that will help. When (if) you do that, their teeth can break off & stay embedded like splinters...they're translucent
so very hard to see...that can cause infection & lingering 'ouch', but otherwise most snake bites don't even get infected- in my many years of experience (& truthfully
I've ignored most bites, ie. didn't run for the Neosporin & band-aids). Only IF you have a large snake w/ longer teeth, stay up on tetanus shots...but you should anyway.

People always ask us "aren't you worried about snake bites?" when they learn we keep snakes...:rolleyes: Remind them that you're not dealing with venom, and that actually,
WAY worse injuries come from dog bites & scratches, cat bites/scratches (very infected is the norm), or birds, they can lop off chunks of skin & large ones, even a finger!
And I love them but horses can kill you just by accident...oops. You are much safer with a snake! :rofl:

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Originally Posted by Shayne

Good to know we're not the only weirdos around. ;) Now, our friends & family have mostly sworn off ever coming over again since we've decided to get a danger noodle. Hopefully they'll come around one day. If not, I'm okay with that too. lol

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And once you let them know you have "mousicles" in the freezer :O they'll probably stop pressuring you for pot-lucks & just meet you at a restaurant too.:rofl:

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Well if you can manage not to pull away reflexively, that will help. When (if) you do that, their teeth can break off & stay embedded like splinters...they're translucent
so very hard to see...that can cause infection & lingering 'ouch', but otherwise most snake bites don't even get infected- in my many years of experience (& truthfully
I've ignored most bites, ie. didn't run for the Neosporin & band-aids). Only IF you have a large snake w/ longer teeth, stay up on tetanus shots...but you should anyway.

People always ask us "aren't you worried about snake bites?" when they learn we keep snakes...:rolleyes: Remind them that you're not dealing with venom, and that actually,
WAY worse injuries come from dog bites & scratches, cat bites/scratches (very infected is the norm), or birds, they can lop off chunks of skin & large ones, even a finger!
And I love them but horses can kill you just by accident...oops. You are much safer with a snake! :rofl:

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Lmao!! :rofl:It's funny....but when you put it that way we really ARE safer with snakes! I do stay up on all my shots, thankfully. Thanks for all the great info!

You are much safer with a snake! :rofl:

And if you keep it around your shoulders, people won't get close enough to give you their cold & flu germs either...:D

But prepare for the day when they see you've "survived" your danger noodles and get curious...hopefully you'll win them all over.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

You are much safer with a snake! :rofl:

And if you keep it around your shoulders, people won't get close enough to give you their cold & flu germs either...:D

But prepare for the day when they see you've "survived" your danger noodles and get curious...hopefully you'll win them all over.

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That's the game plan. Our 2 kids are grown (boy, 25 - girl, 29) and are room mates but our son is TERRIFIED of them to the point he calls me yesterday and says he wants to move out. :O So, not sure what he's gonna do at this point.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

You are much safer with a snake! :rofl:

And if you keep it around your shoulders, people won't get close enough to give you their cold & flu germs either...:D

But prepare for the day when they see you've "survived" your danger noodles and get curious...hopefully you'll win them all over.

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You know, it's kinda sad but I'd rather hang out with a room full of snakes than most of my family & friends. People suck. lol

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Originally Posted by Shayne

You know, it's kinda sad but I'd rather hang out with a room full of snakes than most of my family & friends. People suck. lol

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I'm like that :)

We get women bringing in their new babies to show them off and I'm not really bothered .. when someone says something to me I always say that I prefer puppies ..
:)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

I'm like that :)

We get women bringing in their new babies to show them off and I'm not really bothered .. when someone says something to me I always say that I prefer puppies ..
:)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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Lmao! :P Yeesssss! It's true! I'll take a pitbull over in-laws ANY day.

BTW, I misread your previous post (#31) & thought you meant that you already got ANOTHER snake (besides your BP), that's why I asked what you got, lol.
Hey, we all know how addicting these things are...;) I'm like that too, give me a room full of ANIMALS, not people!

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Originally Posted by Shayne

Funny you'd mention nostalgia and how we reverberate back to the classics. When I was a kid I was running across the yard and stepped on a 4 ft. Black Runner. It was laying, curled up right next to my bike which was propped up on a kick stand. I CLEARED that bike like an olympic hurdler. :O Was terrified of snakes from that day on. Now, I want one. lol

Django sounds amazing. So, what about ball python bites? I've heard a cat scratch hurts worse. If that's the case then I'm ok with it.

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BP bites aren't any worse when it's a defensive bite. I've never been tagged by a snake and thought it actually hurt. But I've also never been tagged by anything bigger than an adult female BP and never a feeding strike either. I've seen some pics of BP bites that left a little minor bruising, but they're uncommon. Usually it's nothing more than a few "U" shaped pin pricks from the teeth.

Django tagged me once, as an adult, and held on for about a minute and a half before he left go. Barely a few blood droplets.

As long as you're not talking "giant" pythons or large boas, you're gonna be in more pain stubbing your toe, burning yourself, hitting your funny bone, even a hangnail hurts worse. If your anything like me, you do stuff like that all the time too, hahaha

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

give me a room full of ANIMALS, not people!

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^^^^ couldn't agree more!!! ^^^^

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

^^^^ couldn't agree more!!! ^^^^

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Present forum company excepted, of course! No wonder we all hang out here...

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

Present forum company excepted, of course! No wonder we all hang out here...

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Hahaha, so true!!

What a bunch of anti-social weirdos!!! :rofl:

JK