Climb Suggestions?

[sho220]

I would 2nd a request for a link to BP in the Wild, but I'm pretty sure it's not freely available anywhere.

I'm all for BPs having something to climb that's not dangerously high, as I doubt most spend their life in the wild hiding in a 2'x3' space with a 3rd of it under a hide.

I bought that video several years ago...terrible production quality but very interesting to see them in their natural habitat...if you can't find it online let me know...you're welcome to mine. It just been in a drawer collecting dust...

[gardenfiend138]

But aren't ball pythons opportunistic feeders, remaining in a small hide until a prey item comes within striking distance?

If roaming in the wild is to be linked with hunting, then why are there so many responses on this site claiming BPs roaming in enclosures as being stress related?

[anatess]

But aren't ball pythons opportunistic feeders, remaining in a small hide until a prey item comes within striking distance?

If roaming in the wild is to be linked with hunting, then why are there so many responses on this site claiming BPs roaming in enclosures as being stress related?

This site will tell you that roaming BPs are either stressed or hungry or trying to escape.

[gardenfiend138]

Haha sorry for my sardonic post; just trying to make sense out of the many discrepancies read... I agree, there are multiple reasons for roaming, I tend to lean towards trying to escape most of the time...I don't think anything likes being stuck in a cage!

[Kateesaurus]

I discovered my guy liked to climb pretty soon after we got him so I went to the pet store in search of something versatile but easy to clean and found a Komodo habitat branch. It is bendable and really easy to clean and also I think If it did happen to fall over it's soft enough that he wouldn't get hurt. I can't find a link to a American vendor but I know they exist here but here is what it looks like.

http://www.everythingforpets.com/kom...183.dept.1804/

[loonunit]

Sorry I never replied with the video link. Yeah, it's not free ($20.00 + S&H), and it's pretty poor quality, but very interesting anyway if you're already spending so many hours with these snakes.

http://www.stevegorzulapresents.com/

I really wish somebody would do a proper PBS Nature documentary or something equivalent on ball pythons in the wild and captivity! The Royal Pythons of Africa.

(Dear magic wish-granting fairy: While we're at it, I'd also like a DNA sequencing lab, so I can sequence the ball python genome for a couple dozen morphs and figure out which of my pos hets are actually carrying the relevant genes. Oh, and a hybrid SUV that doesn't suck at off-roading but still gets good mileage. Thanks in advance!)

[Keyboard Warrior]

I keep this in my tank as one of my hides

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2752725

It provides both a hide and climbing space. My bp likes to hide on top of it, instead of in it. But its cool, I like it, and I think he does too.

[kitedemon]

Anything that is well supported can be a climb. Just make sure it doesn't fall.

As to the why debate there are a lot of reasons why. Some of the hot arguments that always issue my opinion is from that professional and semi breeders do not take well to any insinuation that their husbandry is not the best. The all I believe use tubs and therefore cannot have any method of climbing. Do ball pythons need to climb ... NO, can they YES all snakes can. Do the climb well, some do some don't. Like people I like climbing but am not great at it, I have a acquaintance whom is a professional mountaineering guide he climbs very well.

The facts are sketchy from the wild. There have been very few real diligent studies, often it is a broad study that includes them. The other really hard item is the changing behaviour from sub adults to adults, and location to location.

The northern part of the range prey studies clearly suggest a active hunting strategy by sub adults. The only logical way to expect that young flightless tree dwelling birds would commonly find they way inside a ball python is that it simply went into a tree and found them.

It seems to me that they are a very adaptable species, there are also a lot of very old ideas that are not really true at all, many based on turn of the century ideas.

Roaming is had to pin down There are environmental reasons too hot is a common one, too high ambient temps. Stress too. But the inverse is a always hiding ball with little to no activity can also be too cold, low ambient temps, and stress. It is the pace of the movement that matters lazy non frantic movement is fine rushed frantic usually is an issue. Most of mine are out and about around feeding day and hidden for a day or two after I'll see them here and there in between.

[Daitoshi]

You won't see them sitting on branches, but rather roaming them in an attempt to escape.
-JW

I beg to differ. My BP does use her hides often during the day, but at night (my schedule is such that I am awake around midnight-1am and can watch her or feed her before actually sleeping) she is climbing around and resting under the heat lamp while perched atop her climb, or just slithering on and off her climb. (Yes, she does have under-tank heating as well, but it didn't keep the 'hot' end at the right temperature range. The heat lamp does the trick)
I also found she /prefers/ to strike at prey from above - If I feed her in the tank, she'll first climb onto her perch before trying to strike, even if it means slithering past prey to get there.
I've even tried resting her mouse on the perch, but she'll just knock it off, then cling to a branch and strike at the mouse and eat it while suspended.

Tbh it's really entertaining to see her gripping the branch with one end, and trying to adjust her body/neck grip on a mouse to fit it into her mouth, while suspended 1-3 inches off the ground.
Like... honey, you could just slither off onto the ground and eat it. It'd be so much easier.
I've never gotten her to strike if the prey is above her in any way.

Anyway, she's much more active at night, and enjoys climbing. She almost never climbs during the day, preferring to stay in her hide(s) or poke a head out just enough to drink some water before retreating.



TLDR: I would agree with blackcrystal that daytime climbing is probably a symptom of stress, but I also think some BP like the exercise that a climbing option can provide.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I beg to differ. My BP does use her hides often during the day, but at night (my schedule is such that I am awake around midnight-1am and can watch her or feed her before actually sleeping) she is climbing around and resting under the heat lamp while perched atop her climb, or just slithering on and off her climb. (Yes, she does have under-tank heating as well, but it didn't keep the 'hot' end at the right temperature range. The heat lamp does the trick)
I also found she /prefers/ to strike at prey from above - If I feed her in the tank, she'll first climb onto her perch before trying to strike, even if it means slithering past prey to get there.
I've even tried resting her mouse on the perch, but she'll just knock it off, then cling to a branch and strike at the mouse and eat it while suspended.

Tbh it's really entertaining to see her gripping the branch with one end, and trying to adjust her body/neck grip on a mouse to fit it into her mouth, while suspended 1-3 inches off the ground.
Like... honey, you could just slither off onto the ground and eat it. It'd be so much easier.
I've never gotten her to strike if the prey is above her in any way.

Anyway, she's much more active at night, and enjoys climbing. She almost never climbs during the day, preferring to stay in her hide(s) or poke a head out just enough to drink some water before retreating.



TLDR: I would agree with blackcrystal that daytime climbing is probably a symptom of stress, but I also think some BP like the exercise that a climbing option can provide.

First post on a 5 years thread to have a conversation with someone that has not been here since 04-27-2013