BP's are not arboreal.

[avriette]

I just wanted to share some pics with the forum. My regular BP loves to hang out in a tree in my apartment (it's a glorified bush, really), and occasionally I feed him in it. He seems to like it (eating in the tree is a lot faster for some reason, he just sucks the mouse right up), it's fun to watch, and it's a nice break from where we normally feed him (I know, it's important to feed him consistently in the same place, but this is a once in a long while kind of thing, and I just wanted to share the pictures). I also think it's fun because people tell me that ball pythons don't like to climb, just hang out in a ball all the time, and that they're boring, etc. Mine, Indy, gets around.

So then, the pictures (and a quick video) are here.

[loonunit]

Hah! Yes, most of mine either don't climb or aren't very good at it, but I've got a pair of hets and a black pastel that are actually really agile. In fact, when the lock broke on her tank and one of the hets escaped one night, I found her UPSTAIRS. That's right: she CLIMBED THE STAIRS. Her own personal Everest.

[Shenzi Sixaxis]

Both my 06's pretty much suck at climbing. The male hangs on for dear life and does well if he has enough of himself wrapped around me, but the female would rather fall to the floor than hang onto me.

[dr del]

Hi,

It's not so much they don't like to climb it's that they are heavy snakes when they get bigger and tend to fall off a lot.

I always worry they are going to land on the edge of the waterbowl and hurt themselves or something.

Just because an animal does something doesn't mean you should let it - Elvis was known to eat the occasional cheeseburger and we all know how smart that turned out to be.


dr del

[snakesRkewl]

Just because an animal does something doesn't mean you should let it - Elvis was known to eat the occasional cheeseburger and we all know how smart that turned out to be.


dr del

Hilarious!

They can climb fine till they fall, seen it in tanks over and over, now with tubs I don't worry about them falling anymore.

[The Hedgehog]

There's a reason my tallest hide in my tank is only 6 inches from the substrate. She loves to climb on top, and I'll be watching TV late at night and hear "Thud" in the tank. That means she was trying to get to the screen top and fell from the hide.

Mine is not agile enough to climb. LOL

[Karbon]

My little Spider who's just turned a year old loves climbing as well.

He recently did a tight-rope crawl that I got on camera. Pretty funny.

[blushingball419]

Very cool Yeah, I definitely wouldn't say that they're anything like tree pythons, and it probably doesn't matter to most of them if they have a branch/tree or not, but I really think that some of them seem to enjoy it. One of my friend's bps would only take rats from a branch (refused everywhere else) and would eat them just like in your video. And my girl Karma loves her branch! She always climbs up and lays on it after she eats

I think as long as you make sure that the branch is strong and thick enough to support them (and isn't too far from the ground), it can make a wonderful addition to a tank or large tub. You have to be willing to take the time to clean it properly too, but I think it gives the snake something different to think about. Just my personal opinion though!! I know there are plenty of bps who live happily without ever seeing a branch, but after seeing how much mine uses it, I would never take it away, and she's never fallen off of it

[txsaluki00]

My son's snake has now struck and eatten while hanging from his branch twice now. The last time he had his tail wrapped around the branch struck and then after he started feeding he hung in a J or U shape while feeding with only his tail touching the branch and the mouse not touching the ground.

Today a day after feeding he has come out of his hide and has been laying on top of his branch almost all evening.

I don't think I could ever take his branch away. Maybe have to get a thicker one when he gets bigger. Only about 18", 120g right now.