My climbing Ball, Austin

I think my Austin thinks he is an arboreal! He spends so much time in his grapevine jungle gym, all stretched out and "at the ready" waiting for a mouse to "walk" by (f/t at the end of a hemostat). He is in a 40 gallon breeder and I was curious if those of you who use plastic tubs think your guys might be missing out on climbing exercise, or is my BP just an oddball. First time BP owner, first time posting but will send pics when I figure out how to resize correctly.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...N/IMG_0674.jpg

Welcome to BP.net! :welcome:

Balls do like to climb - ours does in her viv. Feel free to post a pic of your enclousure so the gurus here can give advice. =)

mine climbs everything, and, as some of you remember, then proceeds to 'jump off'. i don't know how to post pics on here, but there's a pic of him on top of a tree on my web page if you go there and click on 'view more pics' http://www.myspace.com/bellaramera

khan is now in a tall/narrow 40 gallon home, and for the last two days hes been climbing on EVERYTHING. We put plastic fake plants inside all over, some are fixed to the screen top. Those that are fixed to the top are very thing and small, Khan insists on getting himself coiled around the thin stripes of plant and just hanging on for dear life. We thought they would be just for show but we see they have come to good use. Balls can be clumsey and I have seem him fall.

Climbing is good for them physically and mentally, so i've read. yay for active balls! (ha ha ha that sounds funny!)

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Originally Posted by HisslersMommy

mine climbs everything, and, as some of you remember, then proceeds to 'jump off'. i don't know how to post pics on here, but there's a pic of him on top of a tree on my web page if you go there and click on 'view more pics' http://www.myspace.com/bellaramera

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You have to be a myspace member to view the photo album. Fortunately I'm a member, but just putting that out there for those who aren't.

PS
Monkey loves climbing too, hence the name. ;)

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Originally Posted by BD1

I think my Austin thinks he is an arboreal! He spends so much time in his grapevine jungle gym, all stretched out and "at the ready" waiting for a mouse to "walk" by (f/t at the end of a hemostat). He is in a 40 gallon breeder and I was curious if those of you who use plastic tubs think your guys might be missing out on climbing exercise, or is my BP just an oddball. First time BP owner, first time posting but will send pics when I figure out how to resize correctly.
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g9...N/IMG_0674.jpg

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I'm also new, both with ball pythons as well as posting here, but my Nag (pronounced nag like "log") seems to think he belongs in the trees as well. I have a 30 gallon tank with a climbing branch and he is constantly climing. He even sleeps most ot the time on the branch as well. WHY? no idea.

can someone please tell me how to reply to a post without putting the original post in my response? (sorry bout this but I'm new and trying to figure things out.)

click "reply" not "quote"


if your doing that and it is still quoting I would throw my pc against the wall and light it on fire......just kidding!

Thanks, I apreciate it.

When I got my Ball the guy told me not to get a branch, after which I gave him a strange look :confused: . My ball likes climbing on me. She'll crawl up my arms and through my sleaves and around my head and back down the other arm. So cute...

Just curious to what you heats and humidity are, how large is the snake? These are normally ground dwelling snakes that are not very arboreal due to there heavy body structure.

Mine is small, only about 21 inches and I forget his weight, but he is just a baby. I brought him to the vet the first week I got him and they weighed him but I can't find the paperwork. Last measurement he was only three inches in circumference at his thickest point. Heat is usually between 90-94 on high side and 80-85 on cool side. The humidity, I have problems with, tends to drop into the 40's when I don't keep up with the spray bottle, but I have a tupperware humid hide with sphagnum moss to make up for it if needed. I also am looking into an Animal Plastics "cage" for better heat and humidity control.

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Originally Posted by Pythons Rock

These are normally ground dwelling snakes that are not very arboreal due to there heavy body structure.

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they actually do climb when they have the chance. my male zulu used to love climbing on his branch when i had him in a big enclosure. now he is in his rack so he doesn't really have the chance though.

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Originally Posted by mr~python

now he is in his rack so he doesn't really have the chance though.

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*stupid, stupid, retarded question* what is a rack?

this is an example of a rack:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/gallery/...ackAlmost2.jpg

(SnakeySnakeSnake's setup)

Thanks Karma! But why would you want to keep a snake in there??

If u have multiple snakes then you can create a set up like that to save space and make everything look neat and ya... :)

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Thanks Karma! But why would you want to keep a snake in there??

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If u have multiple snakes then you can create a set up like that to save space and make everything look neat and ya... :)

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And because snakes are much happier in smaller, tighter quarters. If you really think about it, how much does your ball python really use all the open space that many of us give them? At LEAST 80% of the time they are inside their dark warm hides. Makes perfect sense that a rack would provide that same sense of security that they thrive on.

So I was talking to Adam the other day and he was telling me there have been case studies that have found juvinile BP's in trees in Africa. They theorize that it is harder to find the right sized prey item on the floor, so they go up to the trees to feed on small birds and mammals till there big enough to chomp down on the ground dwelling prey. Interestingly enough, they were mostly males that were found in the trees.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

And because snakes are much happier in smaller, tighter quarters. If you really think about it, how much does your ball python really use all the open space that many of us give them? At LEAST 80% of the time they are inside their dark warm hides. Makes perfect sense that a rack would provide that same sense of security that they thrive on.

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not mine! she is in her hide only when sleeping... almost every waking moment is spent in the TOP of her tank trying to get out, whether on top of her tree or in the fake plants, or even wedged in the very top of the tank trying to use her body as leverage to pop off the lid, one section at a time (theres a clamp on one side so usually she lifts up every side except that one)

Of course, I'm certainly no expert - but I think that when they are constantly roaming and NOT settling into their hides (except for routine nocturnal movements) that CAN be an indicator of stress or something not being quite right in the set-up.


Hopefully someone with more experience than me can chime in here and correct me if I'm wrong - it's been known to happen! LOL

hm thats interesting... it seems to me that hissler goes in her hide when she IS stressed (like when we first brought her home and when she shedded and when she went to the vet and he pissed her off) even if she isn't moving, she'll still stay out of the hide and just chill somewhere else like on the sand part of her tank or on top of a rock... or she'll climb the tree and rest sometimes at night in between trying to push the top off. one time she slept up there during the day while the heat lamp was on that surprised me because the temps were perfect but the tree isnt in direct light from the lamp i think she really just likes to be high... but if anyone else thinks this is strange by all means tell me!

im pretty sure an over-active BP is a sign of stress too. its not abnormal for a BP to want to be on a branch or something like that when they are active though.

My BP is out and about like clockwork every night( i think still trying to plot her escape hehe) and she is all over the place. Even after i feed her which is usually around 5pm by 6 or 7 she is already out and about again. I was never into the sterilite plastic cages just cause i always though that i was very limiting to the snake. it may not even be right but thats just the wayi look at it. And seeing my snake spend so much time on her climbing branches and whatnot makes me think even more that they should have some kind of exercise.

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Originally Posted by DrEwTiMe

My BP is out and about like clockwork every night( i think still trying to plot her escape hehe) and she is all over the place. Even after i feed her which is usually around 5pm by 6 or 7 she is already out and about again. I was never into the sterilite plastic cages just cause i always though that i was very limiting to the snake. it may not even be right but thats just the wayi look at it. And seeing my snake spend so much time on her climbing branches and whatnot makes me think even more that they should have some kind of exercise.

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I'm with you, although I have no experience with sterilite racks at all, I like the bigger enclosure better (40 gallon breeder, hopefully upgrading to a AP T-10 soon) just cause I feel the snake has more to explore, climb, hide in or whatever.

so it appears I am not the only one who thinks if my snake could talk he would be repeating 2 words over and over - GET OUT!! he is extremely active at night and during the day. He sits on his branch high up in the tank most of the day andwanders around the cage at least several hours of the day and I would swear its like he is trying to get out. i really hope its not stress cause I'd be really bummed out. any way i can tell till I have the time to take him to a vet?

He is eating fine, and he had a shed when I first got him - somewhere aroune 3rd week of february I think.I had to help him out with the shed because it was too dry inside...the pet store guy told me to buy wood chips for bedding, then I find out thats what is drying everything out, so I switched and he seems to be fine now.

well do sheds have anything to do with stress? cuz hissler shedded just fine a week ago in an entire piece and all even with the eye caps and it was the first shed since i got him in january

Hmmm, I still say that a consistently active ball python, one that will not settle into a hide is a stressed ball python. I would love to see what Adam has to say regarding this.

Like Robin I'd like to see some of the big collection breeders/hobbyist chime in here with their experience.

From my point of view, the simple fact of life is if you have a larger collection/breeding group of ball pythons the only realistic way to keep them is in racks. Nothing is ever perfect however years of experience gained by the top breeders in the BP world seem to show that ball pythons do just fine over their lifetime in an appropriate tub/rack system. Just me, but I'm not into reinventing the wheel LOL.

For the private pet owner or smaller collection, if you wish to use larger glass enclosures why not. As long as the viv is appropriate as far as heat/humidity, extra hides, etc. and your snake is doing what it should as far as growth, eating, shedding, defecating then I see no real harm. If however, your snake is constantly trying to escape or falling from heights on a regular basis I would personally rethink things. Ball pythons from what I've been lead to believe life lives of quiet contentment deep in termite mounds for the most part. They rarely climb nor hunt prey from trees (other than the study referred to above). They are ambush predators that prefer confined, low light/dark spaces in which to hunt and rest.

That being said, for me anyways, a happy BP is one that is using it's hides a lot. I know when we were trying to settle Brannagh in one of the major signs of stress for her was a refusal to retire to her hides. She constantly patrolled her enclosure, trying to get out, striking at anything that moved and basically exhausting herself. Thanks to Adam's trick with the scrunched up newspaper she eventually stopped this. Once she got that there was no danger, she was able to curl up in her hide and relax finally. It was actually the first small sign that we were making progress with this big female.

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Originally Posted by HisslersMommy

the sand part of her tank

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Did I hear that right? You have sand in your tank? If so, thats not good HisslersMommy. It can get stuck inbetween the scales and not to mention the sand particles that could be ingested if you feed inside.

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Originally Posted by frankykeno

That being said, for me anyways, a happy BP is one that is using it's hides a lot. I know when we were trying to settle Brannagh in one of the major signs of stress for her was a refusal to retire to her hides. She constantly patrolled her enclosure, trying to get out, striking at anything that moved and basically exhausting herself. Thanks to Adam's trick with the scrunched up newspaper she eventually stopped this. Once she got that there was no danger, she was able to curl up in her hide and relax finally. It was actually the first small sign that we were making progress with this big female.

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That was my thought exactly - I was beginning to think I was losing my mind.

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Originally Posted by iceman25

Did I hear that right? You have sand in your tank? If so, thats not good HisslersMommy. It can get stuck inbetween the scales and not to mention the sand particles that could be ingested if you feed inside.

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really? i must have the stupidest snake doctor because he told me that sand was good!!!! i specifically asked him if it was safe! he even went as far as to tell me that i could take out the wood chips and put sand there too... i didnt though cuz i thought maybe it would get too hot or something and burn her little snake belly or something.... and no i dont feed her in her tank she eats in a cardboard box. but yea about the active thing, i asked him about that too and he said its normal! i mean dont get me wrong she'll chill in a second if she wants to no matter where shes at in or out of the tank, and she definitely sleeps the whole day but it really does seem as if she has 'playtime'! i cant see why'd she'd be calm sometimes and then all of a sudden get stressed and start trying to escape. especially the times when we're gone when she wakes up and the house is dark and then we come home and turn on the lights and she's up on that tree tryin to get out... what could stress her then? i dunno guys maybe when u have them as pets they're different or something. maybe in the wild they do things for a reason (like staying alive) but when they don't have those troubles anymore maybe they stop worrying so much and just relax? and climb some trees lol. but yea get back to me about that sand if ur absolutely sure!

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Originally Posted by HisslersMommy

really? i must have the stupidest snake doctor because he told me that sand was good!!!! i specifically asked him if it was safe! he even went as far as to tell me that i could take out the wood chips and put sand there too... i didnt though cuz i thought maybe it would get too hot or something and burn her little snake belly or something.... and no i dont feed her in her tank she eats in a cardboard box. but yea about the active thing, i asked him about that too and he said its normal! i mean dont get me wrong she'll chill in a second if she wants to no matter where shes at in or out of the tank, and she definitely sleeps the whole day but it really does seem as if she has 'playtime'! i cant see why'd she'd be calm sometimes and then all of a sudden get stressed and start trying to escape. especially the times when we're gone when she wakes up and the house is dark and then we come home and turn on the lights and she's up on that tree tryin to get out... what could stress her then? i dunno guys maybe when u have them as pets they're different or something. maybe in the wild they do things for a reason (like staying alive) but when they don't have those troubles anymore maybe they stop worrying so much and just relax? and climb some trees lol. but yea get back to me about that sand if ur absolutely sure!

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HisslersMommy, I really do not know why your vet would say that. Sand can get stuck under a Ball Pythons scale and can cause irritation and skin problems. I have personally never used it and never will. I am very careful when I talk to a vet. I will trust them on the biological aspect of treating an animal, but would not believe everything they say about husbandry and behavioral issues. Trust the experience of reputable breeders and value their advice: remove the sand.

The exploring part, I would not worry about it if its during the evening hours. They are supposed to try and get out of the enclosure. Snakes are excape artists and bps are no different in captivity.

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Originally Posted by iceman25

HisslersMommy,

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lol, its Kirsten! and thanks for that what an idiot he even HAS ball pythons!! im taking it out asap... yes thats what i was trying to say the whole time, that yea shes really active somtimes but when shes chillin shes chillin HARD!! hey do u really know a lot (um, lol i guess this should be a new thread) cuz i dont know what to do with her when i go outta town next week, everyones afraid of her so nobody will come give fresh water and feed her. can she go with me? (FL to MD, 15+ hours)

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Originally Posted by HisslersMommy

lol, its Kirsten! and thanks for that what an idiot he even HAS ball pythons!! im taking it out asap... yes thats what i was trying to say the whole time, that yea shes really active somtimes but when shes chillin shes chillin HARD!! hey do u really know a lot (um, lol i guess this should be a new thread) cuz i dont know what to do with her when i go outta town next week, everyones afraid of her so nobody will come give fresh water and feed her. can she go with me? (FL to MD, 15+ hours)

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Kirsten(I felt silly calling you HisslersMommy, lol), I know as much as the next moderately experienced member here :) Taking the snake with you is not a good idea. Consistency is the key with bps especially. Once you have a routine established in which your snake feels secure, try not to break it. How long are you gonna be gone for? Do you have a herp society in the area where you live?

hmm i dunno about a herp society but ill definitely check... i should only be gone for 3-5 days lol its prolly more me worrying than anything; one time i went away for two nights and i felt SO guilty! im hoping one of my friends will do the water thing for me, but anyway thanks for everything you're smart:)

May I ask what you mean about the newspaper trick?

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Originally Posted by Gurgie

May I ask what you mean about the newspaper trick?

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If your BP seems to be having a hard time adjusting to his home and feeling safe in it....you can try this trick:

Take some sheets of newspaper and very loosely crumple them up. (Not wadded into tight balls) Fill the entire cage from floor to top with these crumpled up papers. This will give the snake at least an illussion of privacy and he may feel more safe as he explores and eats. After a week or two, take some of the paper out....gradually reducing the amount of paper he has to slither through until eventually it is all gone. Hopefully by then he will be fully adjusted and comfortable.

cool...thanks