The wildest Ball Python story EVER!!!

Ok, here goes... most probably won't believe me, but this is 100% true and happened last Sunday.

I walked by my reptile room, and noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I went over, and found one of my large female ball python the floor! She escaped from her vision cage! The door was slightly open, so I figured I must've left it open just a lil bit... enough for her to squeeze out. I also noticed another cage on the other side of the room was open a lil bit. This cage is where I keep my White Lip python. He was still in there, but I was concerned because I never leave cages open.

I put her back in the cage, closed both cages and left the room. I went back a few hours later, and again, the vision was open and she was gone! I freaked out because nobody else went into the room! I searched for hours for her all over the place. She was nowhere to be found. I then noticed that the white lip python cage was open... again!!!! :eek: I looked in the cage, and the white lip was still in there chilling out. But guess who was in there as well.... yup! The female was in his lil hide spot under the heater while he was on the other side of the cage! Can you believe this? I've (rarely) had snakes escape before (never from a vision though), but I've NEVER had one leave a cage and open up another one to go inside!!! Both cages have heavy sliding glass doors.

So, now she's in with the white lip and they are just hanging out together. I figure, hey, if she wants in that bad, why not just leave her there?

I have no idea why she did this, unless she retained sperm from this past breeding season and is cycling herself to lay eggs again!

Has anyone had anything close to this happen to them??? :confused:

no i haven't but i'd definitely reconsider letting them be housed together.

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

So, now she's in with the white lip and they are just hanging out together. I figure, hey, if she wants in that bad, why not just leave her there?

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Horrible idea.

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

I have no idea why she did this, unless she retained sperm from this past breeding season and is cycling herself to lay eggs again!

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I don't see how any causal relationship between those two events could exist. Moreoever, ball pythons do not "cycle themselves."

They are getting along fine. The ball python weighs more than the white lip. He's not an adult so there's nothing bad going to happen. Hey, I've seen pics of ball pythons breeding with Retic's before!!! Imagine that!

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

They are getting along fine. The ball python weighs more than the white lip. He's not an adult so there's nothing bad going to happen. Hey, I've seen pics of ball pythons breeding with Retic's before!!! Imagine that!

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Ding Ding! Let's get it on!

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

I don't see how any causal relationship between those two events could exist. Moreoever, ball pythons do not "cycle themselves."

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Then why does she want to be in that cage so badly to escape from her cage 2x and open the white lip cage 2x?!?!?!?

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Ding Ding! Let's get it on!

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Right. The babies would either be a D'Alballtis, or a White-Ball python... :P

well the first time you said both cages were open but she was on the floor... so she didn't go to stay the first time.

and... if these cages are escape proof... this all seems a bit off to me.

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

They are getting along fine. The ball python weighs more than the white lip. He's not an adult so there's nothing bad going to happen. Hey, I've seen pics of ball pythons breeding with Retic's before!!! Imagine that!

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Housing 2 snakes together is a bad idea. With species that disparate I'd say it's a disaster in the making. I'd have your house blessed or something so you get rid of the herping poltergeists though - then explain to them about disease etc and other nasty downsides of housing them together.

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

well the first time you said both cages were open but she was on the floor... so she didn't go to stay the first time.

and... if these cages are escape proof... this all seems a bit off to me.

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She definitely opened the other cage the first time... I must've caught her just before she went in. Nobody else opened that cage.

They are supposed to be escape proof. She was in a vision, and the WL is in a 4' cage by "custom cages". Those glass doors are even bigger and heavier than the visions!

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

Then why does she want to be in that cage so badly to escape from her cage 2x and open the white lip cage 2x?!?!?!?

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Is this some kind of joke?

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

She definitely opened the other cage the first time... I must've caught her just before she went in. Nobody else opened that cage.

They are supposed to be escape proof. She was in a vision, and the WL is in a 4' cage by "custom cages". Those glass doors are even bigger and heavier than the visions!

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sorry... just doesn't add up.

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Is this some kind of joke?

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No. Not at all. See, I was really hesitant about posting this because I figured people wouldn't beleive me, but a friend of mine said I really should.


I now have a lock on the white lip cage so nobody can escape.

Im not really a ball python guy... I have 2 large females I use in breeding loans. I have one lemon pastel (for sale) that was a product of one of the breeding loans. I'm mostly an arboreal guy... GTP's and Emeralds... but I love white lips and surinam red tails also. That's about it.

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

sorry... just doesn't add up.

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I didn't know math was involved here...

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

Then why does she want to be in that cage so badly to escape from her cage 2x and open the white lip cage 2x?!?!?!?

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My first guess would be that the conditions in her cage are not ideal so she is trying to get somewhere with better conditions.

Check you temps then lock your cages.

Do I need to post pictures of my cages and them together to prove this? I mean... geez...


I have plenty of reputable hobbyists, breeders, and even a vet that will vouch for my honesty...

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Originally Posted by daniel1983

My first guess would be that the conditions in her cage are not ideal so she is trying to get somewhere with better conditions.

Check you temps then lock your cages.

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yes, I thought this too... but the cage was plenty warm... maybe she just didn't like it... I don't know...

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

Do I need to post pictures of my cages and them together to prove this? I mean... geez...


I have plenty of reputable hobbyists, breeders, and even a vet that will vouch for my honesty...

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I don't doubt the story......just do not keep them together. Check your temps and lock your cages ;)

i'm not saying you are lieing... i'm saying it just doesn't add up. how could a ball python have the ability to do all this?

and ya... i'd love to see pics cause https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../7/useless.gif

It's just bizarre and defies logic and probability is all - I think the skepticism you are receiving is in good fun though - such as:

Maybe the the BP is a reincarnation of a white-lipped? Like the movie "Dead Again"



We had a bp get out once and she made it up 2 flights of stairs unseen by dogs and cats, made it into the wife's closet and into a shoebox on the bottom of a pile of 4 or so. Had an escaped JCP manage to somehow reach up and hang out on a ceiling fan (off of course).

I have the Vision cages and they are not escape proof and have never been marketed that way. If they were escape proof they wouldn't offer locks to put on the doors. Keeping the 2 snakes together is a disaster waiting to happen, just avoid the headaches and get them back in their own cages and use locks to keep them there. :2cent:

April Fools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Oh wait...never mind...

I use wood dowels on my vision cages because I have 1 large male that can open the sliding glass in about 10 seconds .... here is a pic before I went to racks ...


http://www.sunsetpythons.com/images/visions.jpg

You can see the wood in the sliding glass tracks on some of them. I kept blaming the kids for leaving the glass open, and then I saw Tuleo (bottom right) open the glass one day ... so it is possible.

Neil

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Originally Posted by recycling goddess

i'm not saying you are lieing... i'm saying it just doesn't add up. how could a ball python have the ability to do all this?

and ya... i'd love to see pics cause

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I'll try to take some pics of the cage she went into and post them.

It is absolutely amazing that she was smart enough to open the other python's cage and go in. That's the part that amazes me... Every time I think about it, it just seems like it's impossible... but she did it.

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Originally Posted by Wild Bill

Keeping the 2 snakes together is a disaster waiting to happen,

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I really do appreciate the imput, but I kindly disagree. I usually keep one animal per cage, but I have kept animals together before. They usually don't seem to have any problems, and they are getting along fine.

I'm going to check the temp in her vision cage again tonight and see if it may have been too cold in there for her. If not, I'll probably put her back in there in a few days...

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

They usually don't seem to have any problems

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Not very convincing...

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I really do appreciate the imput, but I kindly disagree. I usually keep one animal per cage, but I have kept animals together before. They usually don't seem to have any problems, and they are getting along fine.

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That's a can 'o worms right there....

I love pie!

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

I love pie!

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Everybody loves pie!

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Originally Posted by sho220

Not very convincing...

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Put 2 different snakes together, and you will see. They are not like humans that will kill each other out of fear because another human is different... maybe we can learn something from snakes... :D

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

Put 2 different snakes together, and you will see. They are not like humans that will kill each other out of fear because another human is different... maybe we can learn something from snakes... :D

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For every time you put a snake together and have nothing happen, we can come up with one that didn't work out so well. So if you want to play russian roulette, knock yourself out. :rockon:

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Originally Posted by sho220

Everybody loves pie!

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Mmmm... Pecan pie or Strawberry Rhubarb. :hungry:

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

Put 2 different snakes together, and you will see. They are not like humans that will kill each other out of fear because another human is different... maybe we can learn something from snakes... :D

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No thanks. I see no reason to do so...

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Originally Posted by xdeus

Mmmm... Pecan pie or Strawberry Rhubarb. :hungry:

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Pecan Rocks!!! Not sure 'bout Strawberry Rhubarb though...:confused:

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

Put 2 different snakes together, and you will see. They are not like humans that will kill each other out of fear because another human is different... maybe we can learn something from snakes... :D

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Snakes become stressed when confined with another snake. They compete for space, heat, hiding spots, etc. This stress eventually leads to other health problems. Sometimes, cannibalism takes place. This is a FACT that is not marginalized by your experience, or appearant lack thereof.

http://www.ballpython.com/forum/view...1f0f03ab8cd773

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Originally Posted by sho220

No thanks. I see no reason to do so...

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The funny thing is, I've had different species of snake get along fine before. Never had a problem. Never had a problem with same species before either. But then a friend of mine has a pair of breeing blackheads, and he put them together this season to breed and the female killed the male! They are the same speciaes of snake! Go figure...

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Snakes become stressed when confined with another snake. They compete for space, heat, hiding spots, etc. This stress eventually leads to other health problems. Sometimes, cannibalism takes place. This is a FACT that is not marginalized by your experience, or appearant lack thereof.

http://www.ballpython.com/forum/view...1f0f03ab8cd773

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Well said...

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Originally Posted by sho220

Pecan Rocks!!! Not sure 'bout Strawberry Rhubarb though...:confused:

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Is rhubarb that red celery looking stuff? Rhubarbara Streisand!



And housing multiples together - ack - one sick snake = two sick snakes (in addition to the other very valid points made).

On the other hand, how to we get bateaters? Carpondros? Woma-ball crosses? Not to mention many others...

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

But then a friend of mine has a pair of breeing blackheads, and he put them together this season to breed and the female killed the male! They are the same speciaes of snake! Go figure...

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How much more convincing would you need? Are you going to wait until one of YOUR snakes gets sick, killed, eaten, etc before you change your mind?

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

On the other hand, how to we get bateaters? Carpondros? Woma-ball crosses? Not to mention many others...

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Housing snakes together for short periods of time for breeding purposes is NOTHING like housing snakes together permanently.

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

How much more convincing would you need? Are you going to wait until one of YOUR snakes gets sick, killed, eaten, etc before you change your mind?

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I understand your point. I waiting to see if they want to breed for some reason... if not, I'll be seperating them... that was my plan from the start.

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

I understand your point. I waiting to see if they want to breed for some reason... if not, I'll be seperating them... that was my plan from the start.

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I don't get it??? You planned a mysterious escape for breeding purposes???

Males are usually introduced into females' enclosures for short periods of time 24-48 hours, which is usually more than enough time to "get 'er done." What we are talking about here is snakes being housed together for weeks, months at a time developing stress related ailments.

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Originally Posted by sho220

I don't get it??? You planned a mysterious escape for breeding purposes???

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Huh?

I don't know what that means, but my plan for them was to see if they'll breed only after she put herself in that cage. Before she did this, it never dawned on me to put them together if that answers your question...

Wow...just realized he wasn't even talking about 2 balls....but a Ball x White-lipped python.

Rock on dude!

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Males are usually introduced into females' enclosures for short periods of time 24-48 hours, which is usually more than enough time to "get 'er done." What we are talking about here is snakes being housed together for weeks, months at a time developing stress related ailments.

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Uh, no. Not true. It's only been 5 days... and it's a rather large cage. I was going to seperate them the other day, but then I saw them cuddled together and thought they might be locking up. I'll give them another day or two to see what happens...

(Wow, hard to keep up with this thread!!!)

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Wow...just realized he wasn't even talking about 2 balls....but a Ball x White-lipped python.

Rock on dude!

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Are you kidding me? I said it right from the beginning that she went into the white-lipped cage... lol!

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

Huh?

I don't know what that means, but my plan for them was to see if they'll breed only after she put herself in that cage. Before she did this, it never dawned on me to put them together if that answers your question...

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Gotcha...I see what your saying now...

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Originally Posted by DanRC30

Uh, no. Not true. It's only been 5 days... and it's a rather large cage. I was going to seperate them the other day, but then I saw them cuddled together and thought they might be locking up. I'll give them another day or two to see what happens...

(Wow, hard to keep up with this thread!!!)

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Not sure why, but I always cringe when someone refers to snakes cuddling...now if they were spooning I could understand...

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Originally Posted by sho220

Gotcha...I see what your saying now...

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Thank you.

So, my whole point was... she, for some reason, felt that it was VERY important to get into the white-lipped cage. Maybe she has a reason! I don't know... let nature take it's course maybe??? They're both healthy and well-fed. I mean hey, I know I'm taking a chance, but sometimes you gotta do that to discover new things...