suddenly, always trying to get out

[tracy0416]

Hi all: I am worried about Ben. Suddenly, he is constantly trying to get out of his tank.

- he has all his needs met just as he has since I got him 3 months ago.
- He has 2 hides,
- a warm and a cooler side, temps are fine.
- he is on aspen,
- i mist and the humidity is kept up with the position of the water bowl,
- his tank is as long as he is (across the long side of the tank.
- his tank is clean
- he's fed well and regularly
- etc.

He is about 3 feet long and a good weight. I am not really sure if he is a she.

Could "he" be pregnant and looking for a place to lay eggs? Is this what they do when they want to mate?

I did just get another BP about a month ago (again, not sure if it's a boy or a girl) but it is in another room, although Ben can probably smell it.

What would cause a BP to suddenly relentlessly look for a place to escape through for hours on end? He has been fine and content for months and now, he's stressed and always on the roam.

Anyone have the same experience? What could be the matter?

Please voice your opinions. I'm worried he is stressed.

Thanks,
Tracy

[Bright202]

Snakes will be snakes, he probably smells your other snake. As long as he's eating, I wouldn't worry too much about it Hope this helps

[JLC]

A sudden change in behavior is always worth noting...but it doesn't always mean something is wrong. Double-check all your husbandry to make sure the temps haven't spiked or anything....and look around for anything else in the snake's environment that may have changed recently. Vibrations from a TV or stereo might be something new to it that you wouldn't consider. (Even at reasonable volumes) Bright lights or more traffic than it is used to may be another. Just things to be on the watch for, and adjust if possible.


I don't think pregnancy is an issue, unless you had two snakes living together for awhile.

Depending on how old the snake is, it may be going through a sort of "puberty" as it reaches sexual maturity and that may be causing the restlessness. It could be that the scent of another snake in the house exaggerates this, but unless they're in the same room together, I kind of doubt it.

So long as you're sure that everything is fine in the husbandry department, I'd say to just enjoy the rare chance to watch your snake move. It will most likely settle back into its regular sleeping routine before too long.

[bearhart]

What things changed in, say, the 2 weeks preceeding his change in behavior?

Is there a specific spot he tries to get out of?

[bearhart]

also, describe his tank and the area around it.

[tracy0416]

No favourite escape spot. Roams the whole tank looking and poking and moving things around. He's quite the redecorator!

Things that changed in the last 6 weeks:

1. Got a new ball python and 2 new corn snakes. 5 snakes total, 3 are in the next room, 1 corn snake in the same room as him (always has been in the same room as the corn).
2. The temperature outside is getting cooler but his tank temps are normal.
It's the end of summer here, been fairly dry outside. He gets really active when it rains as he can probably smell everything much better. He's behaving like he does when it rains ALL THE TIME now.

His tank:
Glass, 3 feet wide by 16" deep, smooth screened (bars) top. His tank sits on a Bay window sill which only gets a sliver of sun between 4-6 pm due to it's location. The window is closed mostly unless the room gets stuffy so that the temps in his tank don't fluctuate too much. There's about 1/3 open aspen chips and his hides take up the other 2/3 as they are large and at opposite ends of the tank. The tank in the living room and sometimes the TV doesn't go on for days. I live alone and am quite. I don't really listen to music in that room at all. Music is never loud anyway.

I play with him about 10-15 mins, 3-5 times a weeks except when he eats, then less.

There's a UTH, climbing branch, fake greenery, water dish in the middle. Humidity and temps are normal for BP, 92-94 (warm side) 83-86 cooler side. Always has been. I had a blue light on to warm the ambient air but this dried out the humidity so I have removed it. It had been there for 2 weeks, and it's been gone for a week and his behaviour has not changed in relation to the blue light at all.


I dunno. I'm stumped. Got him end of May and he was "normal" up until 2 weeks ago. He is a friendly, docile snake, good eater, good weight. Tolerates being handled quite well, hangs around my neck when i am surfing the computer. All that great snake stuff.

Just won't stop poking around THE ENTIRE TANK looking for a place to escape!



Thanks for responding everyone : )

[tracy0416]

I don't think pregnancy is an issue, unless you had two snakes living together for awhile.

Thought maybe because I got "him?" in May and from a previous owner who just recently purchased him from another previous owner, that there could be a possibility as I don't really know the snake's history.

There's no obvious bulge though. "His" girth is consistent throughout. I don't think it's gravid but thought I'd mention it.

Thanks : )

[recycling goddess]

tracy, how old and how long is your snake? do you know it's weight as well. i'm wondering if the tank is too small or too big and that's causing this behaviour. although 3' should be good for an adult.

[JLC]

Ahhh...well, if you don't know their history...then ya can just never tell. However, what you're describing doesn't sound like any gravid behavior that I've ever heard of.


You might try dropping all your temps by about 3-4 degrees.

[tracy0416]

tracy, how old and how long is your snake? do you know it's weight as well. i'm wondering if the tank is too small or too big and that's causing this behaviour. although 3' should be good for an adult.

I don't know the age. Ben is about 3 feet long and is thick and healthy. The tank is the same length (across the long side) as he is but about 4 inches shorter.

Should I move him to a bigger enclosure? I have been considering it.