cage size inquery

[Lolo76]

I dont believe this to be true about stressing them out. I do believe that u should provide more hiding spaces tho. There is nothing more that i hate,then to see a large snake with 2 hides almost facing each other(looks cramped). Maybe the snake doesnt mind but i do.

That's how Mona's tub is, and I thought the same thing... so I removed one of the hides, and she seemed a little uncomfortable with the change. I put the hide back in, and could tell she immediately felt secure again. They just like cramped quarters! Here is Mona's setup:

(Toby will be sharing her tub on & off for the breeding season )

[WingedWolfPsion]

I had to take the hides out of the tubs of my largest snakes, because they would coil up on TOP of them, instead of under them--and then I couldn't pull the tubs out, because they would tense up and brace against the shelf. lol
I was afraid they'd be injured when I pulled out the tub.

[Lolo76]

Needing is one thing?Saying that the cause of stress is due to the size of his enclosure and not whats in it seems crazy to me.Thats like saying its stressful for the snake to live outside where it belongs.

It kind of is, I would assume, since they find termite mounds & other tight spots to live in... you probably wouldn't see wild BPs just hanging out in the open.

[rthamilton]

It kind of is, I would assume, since they find termite mounds & other tight spots to live in... you probably wouldn't see wild BPs just hanging out in the open.

My point is that the size of the enclosure doesnt matter if u provide enough hiding places. Not that they need the space or that they will even use it. IF you had nothing to do, that doesnt mean ud wanna be locked in the house. Its nice to know you have freedom if u want it. Fighting for BP freedom everywhere

[Nae]

My point is that the size of the enclosure doesnt matter if u provide enough hiding places. Not that they need the space or that they will even use it. IF you had nothing to do, that doesnt mean ud wanna be locked in the house. Its nice to know you have freedom if u want it. Fighting for BP freedom everywhere

You're looking at it from the point of view of a human. A BP wants to feel safe & secure and while some BPs do well in larger enclosures by no means do all do well in large spaces. In general a BP who roams during the day is considered to be stressed and most of the time making the space smaller or covered or quieter will cause them to calm back down.

They are ambush predators who spend 80-90% of their time hiding in the wild in spaces that many think of as being too small for them. They like the feeling of being secure in a dark, tight fitting space. Your opinions of space and freedom do not apply to this animal, only to you. If your biggest concern is providing the ideal environment for a BP then you should stop looking at it from a mammal's perspective.

[nixer]

My point is that the size of the enclosure doesnt matter if u provide enough hiding places. Not that they need the space or that they will even use it. IF you had nothing to do, that doesnt mean ud wanna be locked in the house. Its nice to know you have freedom if u want it. Fighting for BP freedom everywhere

i could actually argue this especially since im the one that had an 300 gram albino with 2 hides and a water bowl in a 6qt tub.
why you ask? because she wouldnt eat in a bigger tub nor the 6qt tub without 2 hides.

[rthamilton]

Long as my snakes arent roaming around and eat i dont see the issue. I say to the person who post this thread to try and see what works for ur snake. And the freedom part was a joke.There is no such thing as freedom in any enclosure.

[TingsPaPa]

thats what i was pondering, and what has raised this question in my mind, RTHAMILTON. i figure that snakes in the wild have free range and how could a large environment like the world stress them out? if they have plenty of places to hide, i wonder how a larger enclosure would be worse for him. i just want ting to be as happy as possible. he just seems like he wants more places to go and that his body is starting to take up more space in the tank these days and i'm concerned he may feel cramped. i can see that he likes to move around a lot, and i'm sure the tank is large enough for him now. however, if he grows another foot or so, it would be hard for me to watch him try to move around in that same tank. i definately don't want to go through the process of building a new enclosure to find that he is stressed in his environment. i wonder if stress factors vary between each individual snake and their own experiences or desires. ting seems to want to climb around and get around all night. i think this is a result from his escaping experience. before he escaped, he would normally just hide out in his humidity box or under his log and come out for water only. now i see him climb his driftwood and slither all over his cage. he could just be tring to find ways to escape, which i do see him do, but i think he just has grown comfortable with his surroundings and wants to explore more. i think htat if he had more room with more things in his cage to hide under and climb on, he might have more fun and feel a bit more free. however, stop me if i'm totally wrong. i dont want to stress him out at all, just happier.

[TingsPaPa]

That's how Mona's tub is, and I thought the same thing... so I removed one of the hides, and she seemed a little uncomfortable with the change. I put the hide back in, and could tell she immediately felt secure again. They just like cramped quarters! Here is Mona's setup:

(Toby will be sharing her tub on & off for the breeding season )

i can dig it that bp's like close quarters, ting seems to like to cram himself in under the smallest things. hopefully he can stay in his same home, and dont have to build a new one!

[Kaorte]

I would not move him. From what you describe, it sounds like he is still stressed from his little adventure outside the tank.

Ball pythons are not particularly active snakes and roaming a lot, climbing the walls, is a sign that they don't feel safe in their home. They want to get OUT and find somewhere that they think is safer.

You cannot really compare captivity to in the wild. They are in your care which means you need to provide them with an environment that will make them thrive. Giving them tons and tons of space is possible. It is possible to set them up in a realistic enclosure. The problem isn't that this will stress the snake out. It is improper temps and humidity and inadequate hides that cause the problems. A bigger tank means more air to heat cool and maintain proper humidity. A bigger tank means the snake feels more exposed and needs more places to hide so it can feel safe.

Setting up a large tank will cost you hundreds of dollars. if in the end the snake is happy, it will most likely be spending ALL of its time hiding and you will NEVER see the snake moving around the cage. Makes for a kind of crappy display, don't you think?

So what looks to you like your snake wanting more room to "roam" is actually his way of telling you he doesn't like his house and he doesn't feel safe.

A Tank will fit a ball pythons needs as long as it has two tight fitting IDENTICAL hides and a water bowl. That is it. You can add fake plants and more hides, but that is really all they need to be happy and healthy snakes.