Question

[Jeo123]

To add on to del's point, our own "natural" environment doesn't include heating and air conditioning, and it's true we could probably survive without it pretty easily, but I know that if some alien was trying to keep me as a pet, I'd rather be in a temperature controlled place than one that had the extreme highs and lows of the real world.

Natural isn't always better.

[wolfy-hound]

To the OP, so you truly believe that in the wild, ball pythons live in tanks, exposed to everyone who wants to look at them instead of hidden away in a termite mound, on crushed up bark instead of hard clay, being picked up and carried around by loud primates instead of left strictly alone... I don't know where you're getting your info.

Your picture shows your snake on carpet. How is that natural? Not one bit of how you keep your snake is natural, nor is it somehow more pleasing to the animal.

Newspaper is clean and smooth, like fairly smooth clay in a termite mound. The plastic bin holds in humidity, like the natural environment of termite mounds. The racks are dimly lit and very private, just like their hiding spots in the wild.

It's fine if you want to keep your animal in whatever artificial environment. But don't try to diss how others keep their pets. There's nothing more 'natural and right' about you keeping a snake in a tank and letting your kids carry it about than my snakes in their racks being handled as little as possible. You don't see me posting against letting kids grab up snakes and carry them around, or putting snakes on *gasp* artificial carpet. Our pets are in an artificial environment by being kept as pets. All we can do is try to make them as stress-free as possible and as healthy as possible. If you do it in a tank with repti-bark or I do it in a tub, as long as the animal has PROPER humidity, heat, fresh water and food... it doesn't particularly matter.

Keepers should always think of what the ANIMAL needs first, not what they THINK they would like if THEY were in a cage. You are human. He's a snake. He wants totally different things than you do.

I see people complain ALL the time that they've set up this gorgeous huge tank, complete with tons of hide spots and plants etc etc. Then they find the ball python only hides inside the deepest spot he can cram into. That's what HE wants. Not what the human keeper wants. They don't parade around on display because their instinct tells them not to.

[Jessica Loesch]

To the OP, so you truly believe that in the wild, ball pythons live in tanks, exposed to everyone who wants to look at them instead of hidden away in a termite mound, on crushed up bark instead of hard clay, being picked up and carried around by loud primates instead of left strictly alone... I don't know where you're getting your info.

Your picture shows your snake on carpet. How is that natural? Not one bit of how you keep your snake is natural, nor is it somehow more pleasing to the animal.

Newspaper is clean and smooth, like fairly smooth clay in a termite mound. The plastic bin holds in humidity, like the natural environment of termite mounds. The racks are dimly lit and very private, just like their hiding spots in the wild.

It's fine if you want to keep your animal in whatever artificial environment. But don't try to diss how others keep their pets. There's nothing more 'natural and right' about you keeping a snake in a tank and letting your kids carry it about than my snakes in their racks being handled as little as possible. You don't see me posting against letting kids grab up snakes and carry them around, or putting snakes on *gasp* artificial carpet. Our pets are in an artificial environment by being kept as pets. All we can do is try to make them as stress-free as possible and as healthy as possible. If you do it in a tank with repti-bark or I do it in a tub, as long as the animal has PROPER humidity, heat, fresh water and food... it doesn't particularly matter.

Keepers should always think of what the ANIMAL needs first, not what they THINK they would like if THEY were in a cage. You are human. He's a snake. He wants totally different things than you do.

I see people complain ALL the time that they've set up this gorgeous huge tank, complete with tons of hide spots and plants etc etc. Then they find the ball python only hides inside the deepest spot he can cram into. That's what HE wants. Not what the human keeper wants. They don't parade around on display because their instinct tells them not to.

Well said

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[ballpythonluvr]

I used to keep my ball pythons in tanks but I had one heck of a time with the heat and humidity. Eventually my snakes went off feed and started climbing the walls of the tank. I do not have snakes trying to escape from their enclosures anymore since moving them into tubs. I will never put a ball python in a tank again.

[snakesRkewl]

I will never put a ball python in a tank again.

I agree 100%, tanks are for fish

[Freakie_frog]

How to match Nature for Ball python requirements as a pet

Heat
Water
Small dark place out of the elements and away from preditors
Occasional food item wonders by
Some kind of ground cover that absorbs pee and other liquids

Life is grand

[kitedemon]

It is just a simulated enviroment if you choose to simulate a burrow or small patch or large patch using appropriate materials. Nothing more or less.

Just a comment on termite mounds the field studies found less than 1% in termite mounds, that they live in them is a myth, termites live in them and they bite.

[CCfive]

It is just a simulated enviroment if you choose to simulate a burrow or small patch or large patch using appropriate materials. Nothing more or less.

Just a comment on termite mounds the field studies found less than 1% in termite mounds, that they live in them is a myth, termites live in them and they bite.

They're found in rodent burrows, correct?

[wolfy-hound]

Could you link to that study? Because all the video showing the locals hunting ball pythons, all but one was taken directly from termite mounds.

If a study was done that the people did not break open termite mounds at all, then no, they wouldn't find any in termite mounds. The pythons don't put out tiny signs declaring they live there.

I don't see any reason for local hunters to go right for termite mounds, find multiple snakes in the mounds, if they aren't naturally found there often. It'd be like hunters searching treetops for feral pigs.

[kitedemon]

Burrows yes I'll see if I can find it.