Co-co bedding background with ball pythons?

[janina9]

Helou there!

I wonder if anyone has got any experience of co-co bedding in background like in this link: http://www.blackjungle.com/gallery2/...2108&g2_page=1 ?

I made this kind of background for my rhadinophis prasinums and now I'm wondering if I would do the same for my ball pythons.. But are the pythons too big and heavy snakes for that kind of background, how does this co-co bedding stay in background when an adult ball python growls over it..?

Thanks,
Janina Mäkinen
Finland

[kjinxx2]

That setup looks awesome!

The only problem is that, from what I've read on the forums, is that ball pythons are not arboreal, meaning they don't climb in trees (or really any climbing in general). Their bodies simply aren't built to climb. Building a structure for your python to climb on could result in an escape or a pretty bad fall . From what I've read, I ball python that is trying to climb indicates that your temps are off (looking for a warmer/cooler place).

Anyway, anybody feel free to chime in here, as I'm pretty new myself. But I just wanted to let you know what I've read before you build a complicated exhibit like that and do all that work.

[Kaorte]

Ball pythons are terrestrial snakes and are not very good climbers. Ball pythons don't even really come out of hiding very much. Personally, I think a cool setup like that would be sort of a waste for a snake that rarely leaves the ground.

That would probably be more practical for amphibians or arboreal lizards and snakes.

[janina9]

Actually I'm not going to put that much branches to the background and not that high, I know that ball pythons don't climb much . But this setup would be much easier to do than the other choice which would be to attach styrofoam (shaped to look like rocks and clifs) to background and to coat them with concrete, then colour the background with different colours of mastic and then cover the hole background with both varnish to make it harder and water-resistant.

Heres pictures of backgrounds which I have done:



The co-co bedding background. Ok the background isn't very easily seen here but maybe you'll get the point .



And this is the other choice. My boa-terrarium.

-Janina

[BabysMomma]

WOAH, first let me say that you are an amazing terrarium decorator!

I really think your hard work would be wasted on a ball python though, they're clumsy climbers and are much happier close to the ground, preferably even under it. It would be a shame to put so much work into a terrarium for a snake that's never going to make use of it.

[janina9]

Thanks .

I know that ball pythons don't actually climb but that kind of background is much more nicer to look at. That's why I want to make my terrariums look like that. Of couse there will be a lot of space for the snake on the bottom of the terrarium and I will decorate the whole terrarium including the background for ball pythons (so there will be some grasses, not real ones, woods and rocks), not like these two terrariums of ours.

I would just like to know if anyone of you has got any experience of this co-co bedding in a background with ball pythons, will it last ?

How do you make backgrounds of your terrariums in USA or do you make them at all? In Europe it's going to be quite popular to make backgrounds like I have done in my boa terrarium.

-Janina

[janina9]

I couldn't find how would I have been able to edit my second message so I'll simply post new pics here..

My boyfriend saw that boa terrarium pic and did'nt like it (I'm not so good at photographing.. ) so here's two pics of boa terrarium which he has taken





-Janina

[DaveR]

Great job on your back grounds! I have made some for my cichlid tank, but I have not made one for my BP tank. I have simply spray painted the sides and back black on my 30g for a back ground. I first painted my salt water tank to bring out the colors, but ended up really liking the look.

Just take a look at the African Savannah for some inspiration. Looks like you can build, so I look forward to seeing your new project! Have you thought about making a step by step for the DIY section of BP.net?

[janina9]

I'll consider that DIY-section . I must still think that background problem.. haven't made up my mind yet.

I'll put here some pictures when I'm ready but it may take a while .

Thanks for answering everyone!

-Janina

[Oxylepy]

Not only are ball pythons not good climbers, they're TERRIBLE climbers.

In fact I think some of my BPs dont even understand the concept of climbing because there have been times where they just kept stretching out until they fell down completely. The only climbing I have known for one to do was when he was trying to push the top off his tank and he was climbing on this hand towel holder I used to have for him to climb on ~_~ and he had this tendency to knock it over with him, causing him to fall in his water dish... every day... at 2 am... for 2 months...

Sorry every time someone brings up BPs being bad climbers I have to throw in my two cents.