Ball python climbing to the top of the enclosure?

[Zincubus]

I take her out daily to explore, and eventually, I will set up a snake room for her to free roam.
I occasionally rearrange the stuff in her tank for enrichment.


If she is bored, What else can I do?

Put some more branches in .. can’t really have too many


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[Bogertophis]

Regarding Homebody's suggestions for activity above (post #8), keep in mind that his activity station is for a more arboreal type of python. BPs may climb a little near the ground, but what is shown there would not be suited for a BP. Avoid letting snakes fall from much height repeatedly, as injuries can occur. They do better with things like driftwood & tunnels to explore- & just make sure there are no holes they can get stuck in- they do not seem to recognize the danger ahead of time, & many materials are hard to cut thru, & it's dangerous with a snake that is stuck. A BP might enjoy exploring a warm pile of freshly-dried laundry- while you're folding it & bored. All snakes also do best on materials that offer traction- smooth cardboard does not.
Letting a snake out to explore your room or home can seem like fun too, but they're much better at "hide & seek" than we are, so don't say you aren't warned. Stay vigilant if you choose to try this- leaving the room for 5 minutes to get the phone is plenty of time for that "snake statue" to disappear. Ask me how I know...

Some people make a "jungle gym" for their snakes (various kinds) to climb on- if you keep it lower to the ground (more horizontal than vertical) it would work. I've seen bamboo & PVC poles used (fastened together) but for a snake that needs more traction, try zip-tying some good sized branches together. Keep in mind also that BPs are active at night- they're not likely to use any of these ideas until then. Instinctively they sleep & lay low during the day.

In warm weather, I've always found that most snakes enjoy some time outdoors, both for all the new scents, but also the natural sunlight seems to benefit them health-wise, sometimes increasing their appetite also. BUT- never leave a snake in an enclosure out in the sun- even a tank that's open on the top will overheat in "no time" in the sun & kill your snake sooner than you might think.

Putting a snake on the ground has risks too- many people do that (you'll see the photos!) but keep in mind they can pick up germs & parasites (intestinal worms from wildlife scats!) so personally, none of my snakes get to crawl thru the grass, much as they'd love to. They still like being carried on a stroll around my yard in nice weather though. Or else they're just secretly laughing at me for being such a chump?

(Remember to add your body heat to whatever the temperature is outside also- if your snake seems restless & not wanting to be held after 15 minutes, listen to them- they could be overheating. The smaller the snake, the faster their body can heat up excessively.)

[Homebody]

Regarding Homebody's suggestions for activity above (post #8), keep in mind that his activity station is for a more arboreal type of python. BPs may climb a little near the ground, but what is shown there would not be suited for a BP. Avoid letting snakes fall from much height repeatedly, as injuries can occur.
Letting a snake out to explore your room or home can seem like fun too, but they're much better at "hide & seek" than we are, so don't say you aren't warned. Stay vigilant if you choose to try this- leaving the room for 5 minutes to get the phone is plenty of time for that "snake statue" to disappear. Ask me how I know...

Yeah, the coat rack is an arboreal station. I would never have put my BP on that. He liked to climb, but he wasn't very good at it. He would have killed himself.

I also agree that you should be careful allowing your snake to free roam. I never had a problem with my BP. He was big, slow and not very active. I recently stopped allowing my Children's python to free roam for just the reason Boger raised above. He is small, still relatively slow, but much more active. I kept losing or almost losing him. For his safety and my sanity, his activity sessions are now confined to the stations.

[Bogertophis]

Yeah, the coat rack is an arboreal station. I would never have put my BP on that. He liked to climb, but he wasn't very good at it. He would have killed himself.

I also agree that you should be careful allowing your snake to free roam. I never had a problem with my BP. He was big, slow and not very active. I recently stopped allowing my Children's python to free roam for just the reason Boger raised above. He is small, still relatively slow, but much more active. I kept losing or almost losing him. For his safety and my sanity, his activity sessions are now confined to the stations.

Even the "slow" snakes can fake you out though.

[Ruby]

Here's a picture of her enclosure.
I thought this would be enough to keep her entertained.

Anything I should change or add?

[Ruby]

Here's a couple different angles

[Homebody]

Anything I should change or add?

I'd cover the sides and the back in order to give her a greater feeling of security.

[Ruby]

I'd cover the sides and the back in order to give her a greater feeling of security.

Thank you!

[Snagrio]

You can get black posterboard (should be able to get some at a dollar store or craft store) and tape them on the outside of the glass walls. That's what I did when my BP was in a glass tank.

[Caitlin]

There's a fair amount you can do. It's wonderful to have a super curious and outgoing snake in your life, but it can be challenging too. Also remember that freedom, in and of itself, is a primary reinforcer. As a result, some of my snakes who actively indicate that they want out are actually quite content to just sit with their heads resting at the edge of the enclosure once I open the door. They just seem to want to know that they have the option to come out.

For snakes that want more activities, here are a few things I do with my more outgoing guys: Offer regular enrichment inside the enclosure. Don't completely change/disrupt the whole enclosure, but add something new/temporary every week. It can be simple: a cardboard box, fresh cuttings from the yard, a plushy dog toy (they won't 'play' with those of course, but they do enjoy exploring and sitting on soft materials), a small shelf, a folded up towel they can crawl on/under...you get the picture. There are lots of possibilities.

Get one of those puppy 'playpens' with the fabric sides and the zippered top. I have a couple of these and when I don't have time to closely supervise a snake's 'outside' time I can put them in a playpen that I filled with enrichment items, zip the top, and let them trundle around in there for a couple of hours.

Consider target training. It's an excellent enrichment activity as it doesn't force handling on the snake but it engages their mind. And it has real usefulness for the keeper in terms of signaling that it is feeding time; it opens the door to teaching a snake to voluntarily shift between a permanent enclosure and a scale or a temporary enclosure during cleaning, or can signal the opportunity for non-food rewards like time outside of the enclosure. It's also handy as heck if the snake slips into a spot where you don't want them to be - you can target them out.