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.

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Originally Posted by jotay

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.

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reminds me of my RTB. he'll do ANYTHING to wrap around your waist and then stick his head up over your shoulder. He's a goof.

Yeah, he's cruising the cage again.

I don't think the feed is large enough. I am going to petco looking for the biggest ones, and they still seem 'small'

Are rat pinkies too big? Anyone know where I can get them?

How big is your bp? an adult mouse should suffice for a week.

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Originally Posted by Gooseman

How big is your bp? an adult mouse should suffice for a week.

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20-22" long, havent weighed yet.

at that size an adult mouse is all he needs

Yea mine is 22-23" and I'm only just moving to smaller adult mice.

You know, I had the same thing and the other thing you might consider is that he just isn't happy with something about his cage. Perhaps there is something that is making him nervous.

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Originally Posted by jotay

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.

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Green with envy!!! I hope my Snakey eventually gets there. He doesn't come out for me but he seems to wait until I take him out. He makes it out to be real scary when I'm reaching in for him but as soon as I pick him up he's relaxed. Once I'm done and put him back in his cage he usually spends the rest of the night chillin' on his big grape-wood log. I guess mine just needs a kick-start.

Naw, some bp's, actually most display behavior like yours.
Mine is just a nosy little guy. I contribute some of his open behavior to the breeder I got him from. He is a great guy who spends time and takes great care of his stock.
Plus it is just Corona's personality. Each bp is different.
My Ozzy is 4 yrs old and has been handle by me since he was about 18" and he still is very very shy.

Is it bad to have a restless BP in general?

Depends on why he is restless. Is it restless or just movement.

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Originally Posted by jotay

Depends on why he is restless. Is it restless or just movement.

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oh don't get me wrong.....Im not saying I have a restless BP.....don't have one yet, still getting the info.

just wondering if it means something.

my little 58g girl used to cage cruise like I said in a previous post, but after getting her to eat her first mouse, a little hopper, I have yet to see her move around. The only time I see her on the move is when she is going straight from the cool hide to the warm hide or vice versa.

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Originally Posted by thehoofbite

oh don't get me wrong.....Im not saying I have a restless BP.....don't have one yet, still getting the info.

just wondering if it means something.

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Restless snakes are usually stressed snakes and if a snake is stressed then there is a good chance it will go off feed and, just like all animals, makes it more prone to more health issues.