Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 2,908

2 members and 2,906 guests
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,031
Threads: 248,489
Posts: 2,568,441
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, isismomma
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-11-2021
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    199
    Thanks
    49
    Thanked 134 Times in 72 Posts
    Images: 40

    Question about spotted python enclosure

    Hello,
    I have a question. We have had a spotted oython since the spring. She was put into a rack system type steralite tub. Since she is our only spotted, also has a very spicy personality. It has been a challenge trying to tame her (but that is another story). We wanted to put her in a bigger enclosure with decorations and such. I have heard people recently steer away from bioactive with ball pythons. Is this the same with spotted pythons as well or do they do well in bioactive? We were thinking about it with her, but don't necessarily have to go that route either. Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,182
    Thanks
    28,081
    Thanked 19,739 Times in 11,797 Posts
    I have a spotted python, & I've had her for 14 years now. She's always been easy to feed but she never bites when handled- an excellent pet snake, IMO. I see no reason whatsoever to do a bioactive enclosure for such a snake- it's just more work for you, & it won't impress the snake at all- she's more likely to be stressed & trying to bite you whenever you modify things. It sounds like you have a lot better things to work on with her than tweaking her home anyway. My spotted has been happily living in a 40 gal. breeder tank for years now- she enjoys being up in her branches & under a warming light, but she also has UTH & hides, including a large humid hide. If mine is typical for the species, they're more arboreal than many would assume- and perhaps they feel more "in control" & less vulnerable to predators when they're up off the ground- just my hunch. Maybe that's why yours is bitey?
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  3. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    Homebody (01-23-2023),JJpeep (01-23-2023),Malum Argenteum (01-23-2023),YungRasputin (01-23-2023)

  4. #3
    Registered User YungRasputin's Avatar
    Join Date
    06-03-2022
    Location
    Appalachia
    Posts
    478
    Thanks
    251
    Thanked 452 Times in 235 Posts
    Images: 27
    i don’t have a spotted python but i do have a BP in a bioactive enclosure and i would personally argue that it’s less work insomuch as imo the goal of a bioactive enclosure is less about gardening and more about creating a self-sustaining ecosystem where biological wastes of the snake and plants can be broken down by things like isopods and so on - i mean i still have to clean it’s soaking pool, water dish and spot clean but still

    while it could be said that it’s not technically necessary from a “getting them properly set up” standpoint i would argue by asking “why not?” - because if you think of captivity as an art why not push your art to it’s limits after getting down the basics and so on - ultimately increasingly natural conditions for snakes would be to their benefit re: general enrichment

    plus the only way I think a bioactive enclosure would negatively impact a BP or spotted python would be if the keeper gets the biome wrong and sets it up incorrectly eg: setting up an African savannah animal in a rainforest enclosure
    Last edited by YungRasputin; 01-23-2023 at 12:06 AM.
    het for nothing but groovy

  5. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to YungRasputin For This Useful Post:

    Homebody (01-23-2023),JJpeep (01-23-2023)

  6. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-11-2021
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    199
    Thanks
    49
    Thanked 134 Times in 72 Posts
    Images: 40

    Re: Question about spotted python enclosure

    I was doing a lot of reading about the spotted. It seems they do like to climb. Which is another reason we wanted to get her a nice tank where we could put lots of climbing limbs and maybe even a few basking ledges. Not sure why she is so aggressive. You know how they tell you to hold them calmly and they will start to strike, less and less. She does not she is relentless. I try to hold her often, but not so often that she can be stressed. The place I got her from, they all said, "She is the most aggressive spotted we have ever dealt with.'. I wouldn't say aggressive, she is fearful and wants you to leave her alone. I have a BP like that too. But he grew up on a large facility. I feel he wasn't handled too often. This girl has never had an upgrade and she needs one soon. So we wanted to make her a nice set up. Even if she makes me bleed, lol! I should mention that she is a young one. So I have time to work with her on her spunkiness. You are right though, I want to give her some climbing opportunity. She spends a lot of time in her hide curled up in a ball. She is such a good eatet though and starting to gain size.

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to JJpeep For This Useful Post:

    Homebody (01-23-2023)

  8. #5
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,182
    Thanks
    28,081
    Thanked 19,739 Times in 11,797 Posts
    For young snakes, bites are instinctive & mostly about self-defense, BUT snakes have their own personality too- and believe it or not, there's even some feisty BPs around too- I cannot promise you'll change her because it's about both "nature" (her genes) & "nurture" (how well you read her & can convince her to remain calm with you). Remember we're scary giants to snakes. And it takes practice to read a snake's body language & use just the right amount of "support" when handling them so they don't panic. For best results, you want a snake to feel sheltered by you when you hold them, because they instinctively fear being out in the open too- and especially when they see us towering over them. It helps to imagine yourself in their place- what would you want?

    And btw, I have nothing against bioactive enclosures, but as some experienced members have mentioned, bioactive works best & makes the most sense with very small creatures, rather than larger & more active creatures like snakes. Personally I just want my focus to be on the animal. "Your mileage may vary"
    Last edited by Bogertophis; 01-23-2023 at 04:17 AM.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  9. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    Homebody (01-23-2023),Malum Argenteum (01-23-2023),YungRasputin (01-23-2023)

  10. #6
    BPnet Veteran Homebody's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-19-2019
    Location
    Jersey City, NJ
    Posts
    1,555
    Thanks
    5,298
    Thanked 2,151 Times in 1,164 Posts
    Images: 22

    Re: Question about spotted python enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by JJpeep View Post
    I have heard people recently steer away from bioactive with ball pythons. Is this the same with spotted pythons as well or do they do well in bioactive? We were thinking about it with her, but don't necessarily have to go that route either.
    I imagine bioactive enclosures are better in theory than in practice. Creating a functional ecosystem in a box sounds very difficult to me, but then, I struggle keep my house plants alive. If you do go the bioactive route, I'd advise you to add your pet to the ecosystem last. Make sure your plants and other fauna (isopods and springtails) are thriving first. You're probably going to have to do a fair bit of tinkering to do that, and you don't want to do that with your snake in there. It'll stress her out.
    1.0 Normal Children's Python (2022 - present)
    1.0 Normal Ball Python (2019 - 2021)

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to Homebody For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (01-23-2023)

  12. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-11-2021
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    199
    Thanks
    49
    Thanked 134 Times in 72 Posts
    Images: 40

    Re: Question about spotted python enclosure

    I agree with both points bioactive people make and non bioactive people make. I have never done it. But I would like to try one day. My intention was to do a bioactive set up and let it settle in for a little bit, then add the snake. But since she is a spicy one (most likely more scared and stressed) I think having her in a bioactive may be a little much. Especially if I have to tinker in there a little more. I want to try bioactive one day though. I have a pac man frog, but like to get another species of frog one day, I'll try bioactive with that maybe.
    I also have a feeling that this snake is just spicy in personality and may never warm up. Which is fine. She can be who she wants to be, haha!! I understand we are big huge giants, and I also can understand her not wanting to warm up. I am not a people person myself and I am a bit spicy at times.....so....LOL! She can have it her way. It's okay. I have a BP that is like that too. Her is very fearful though. He also is more of a sneak attacker. He will wait til you let your guard down and he gets a sense of his surroundings. He usually hides his head and then all of the sudden comes out and guns for you. Haha!

  13. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to JJpeep For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (01-23-2023),Homebody (01-23-2023)

  14. #8
    BPnet Veteran Homebody's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-19-2019
    Location
    Jersey City, NJ
    Posts
    1,555
    Thanks
    5,298
    Thanked 2,151 Times in 1,164 Posts
    Images: 22

    Re: Question about spotted python enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by JJpeep View Post
    I also have a feeling that this snake is just spicy in personality and may never warm up. Which is fine. She can be who she wants to be, haha!! I understand we are big huge giants, and I also can understand her not wanting to warm up. I am not a people person myself and I am a bit spicy at times.....so....LOL! She can have it her way. It's okay.
    My Children's python is bitey too, but it's almost always food confusion. So, I've taken to using nitrile gloves.
    1.0 Normal Children's Python (2022 - present)
    1.0 Normal Ball Python (2019 - 2021)

  15. The Following User Says Thank You to Homebody For This Useful Post:

    JJpeep (01-23-2023)

  16. #9
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,182
    Thanks
    28,081
    Thanked 19,739 Times in 11,797 Posts

    Re: Question about spotted python enclosure

    Quote Originally Posted by Homebody View Post
    I imagine bioactive enclosures are better in theory than in practice. Creating a functional ecosystem in a box sounds very difficult to me, but then, I struggle keep my house plants alive. If you do go the bioactive route, I'd advise you to add your pet to the ecosystem last. Make sure your plants and other fauna (isopods and springtails) are thriving first. You're probably going to have to do a fair bit of tinkering to do that, and you don't want to do that with your snake in there. It'll stress her out.
    Yes, that's exactly what I was trying to say. Others with bioactive have said they took months to a year just setting up the enclosure before adding the main attraction. To me, that's a no-go. Trying to duplicate a natural ecosystem inside an enclosure is just asking an awful lot.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  17. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    dakski (01-23-2023),Homebody (01-23-2023),JJpeep (01-23-2023)

  18. #10
    Registered User YungRasputin's Avatar
    Join Date
    06-03-2022
    Location
    Appalachia
    Posts
    478
    Thanks
    251
    Thanked 452 Times in 235 Posts
    Images: 27
    i think the duration of the “terrarium cycling” (for lack of better words lol) would be dependent upon the biome that’s intended to be replicated which is to say i think arid biomes like savannahs and deserts would take less time than more tropical biomes like rainforests, etc - i started my BP enclosure now in her juvie tank primarily because i am slowly experimenting with ideas but i think it’s really a final enclosure sort of project so if you started now by the time the snake hits adulthood and would need their final tank you would be good already

    i absolutely think it’s a mark of achievement for an aquarium or terrarium to be a self-sustaining ecosystem with or without the fish/snake

    back on topic - spotted pythons and BPs seem to inhabit the same general biome (savannahs) in Australia/Central Africa and also, seem to have identical niches re: lifeways - preferring rocky crevices, rocky outcrops, abandoned termite mounds, abandoned rodent burrows, etc

    using Kaufman’s doc on the BP’s natural environment we can see that outside of grasses there is not a tremendous amount of foliage (i actually have some mosses that work really well simulating deserty grass patches) so primarily what i think we’re looking at is substrate composition, what can said composition do for the enclosure and how can it best replicate nature, beneficial fauna like isopods, etc - i would say the same could be said of SPs

    ^which makes me wonder what failed BP bioactive tanks were trying to accomplish because trying to cultivate flora which couldn’t survive in an African savannah seems doomed to fail from the start in all do respects you know
    het for nothing but groovy

  19. The Following User Says Thank You to YungRasputin For This Useful Post:

    JJpeep (01-23-2023)

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1