Your Snakes' Personalities

[GoldSheep]

Yeah, I know, some people will argue that it's human perception, but whatever. Deal. Chatty thread. If you don't like it. Too bad.

So my female Ball Python, Cleopatra, is a really good eater when she's not in breeding mode (Will eat most of the time in the winter months, and isn't picky about her temps--takes multiple meals, but doesn't overeat. Never threw up a meal either.). She's sluggish when she's in breeding mode and likes to move around her tank quite a bit. She also tends to like digging for some odd reason I'm not sure of. (Got me into trouble for the first month I had her since she dug through the substrate to her heating source. TT I learned my lesson though and never attach the under tank heaters and she's doing fine now.)

She's better at feeding when I take her out of the tank rather than leave it in probably because she was cued that way (See BF Skinner). She seems to like the smaller spaces to spot and catch prey... and has more trouble with larger tanks, in which she tends to ignore the prey half the time. She'll take several prey in a sitting too, but never overeats.

She's good to handle since I douted on her since I got her.

She also likes soaking in her water bowl, so I gave her a bigger one.

Tends to be chill when out until she wants to go back.

She's also a reliable layer. No matter when I breed her, I know that her eggs will come with 5, and all good, never slugs and pretty much on or around August 10. I wish she'd lay earlier... but for some reason she cues it for the hottest days of the year for my area.

She's currently at 1400, and I'm trying hard to raise it to 1500 before I start her breeding again. She's kinda small in general.

Bought her from LLL reptile who got them from a breeder named Jacob. I asked and double checked before buying her that she wasn't wild caught and was picky about her specs since they didn't have pics. Got her as a self-birthday present. Four Years old now.


In contrast, my Pastel Ball Python, Samson is a picky eater. If the temps are too warm by a bit, he won't eat. If the temps are too cold he won't eat. If the humidity is off he won't eat. If winter approaches, he won't eat. I try really, really hard for him by monitoring that stuff all the time, but even then, he's fussy. I bought him from someone else. He drives me nuts sometimes with his eating habits. He prefers prey in with him, and I've tried F/K, F/K wiggled, F/K overnight, mice/rats live, etc. He eats enough to stay alive though and has healthy sheds. So apparently *he* thinks he's eating well enough, but sometimes he worries me. (No signs of mouth rot and just eats at larger intervals.)

He was like that when I got him.

He's a *stay in my hide all day* type of personality. He rarely ever comes out to the point that I don't know if he's alive in there.

He's also a Laissez-faire breeder. More like, if she's there, why not.

About 5? Years old. Haven't weighed him recently, but he's not skin and bones. Just frickin' picky.

He's a Graziani according to the previous owner.


My male normal, Hercules, slams rats like no tomorrow if given the chance (Will also eat mice, no problem). He'll do clean up just fine. Kinda prefers in the tank feeding, but needs sights on his prey, which means taking out his hide. He's about 7 years old, I believe? Also will feed through most of the winter months, no problem. His owner used to give him P/K so in the beginning, he'd kill it, and then leave it for 15 minutes then eat it. O.o; I had to learn to keep the killed prey there. He caught up to taking live later, but occasionally still pulls that trick. Pretty docile otherwise. The type to squirm around in your lap when taken out and absolutely does not want to go back. (Was he a boa in another life?)

He goes practically nuts if there is a rat crawling on top of his cage and is ready by the end of the week to eat. He also seems to know the day of the week and feeding time since he'll snap his mouth for that day, as if he's just flexing. (And no, there is no mouth rot--it's just his thing.)

Sometimes I see him practically hunt the females down to breed. O.o; She's running away from him sometimes. I see her and he's slithering after her. I can count on him to give her a lock if my flaky pastel won't.

Graziani, according to previous owner.


I tend to like the temperament of the normals better than my pastel. The babies so far from that pairing have been good eaters with even personalities. I'm setting my eyes on a cinnamon next.


How about yours?

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

Honestly my ball pythons all pretty much have the same "personality". Shy and skittish and can be somewhat stubborn at times when it comes to feeding..

In contrast though, my boa, retic, carpet, and African house snake all have very different and distinct personalities and intelligence.

The retic has that retic intelligence. Always watching everything you do. Learns from past experience. Very expressive. Holds grudges. Etc.

The boa is very sweet, laid back but active, seems smart and knows the difference between feeding time and handling time when the cage door is opened.

The carpet is still a bit feisty and always hungry but he knows people are no danger. He knows how to ask for food and will intently stare at you to ask for food.

The house snake will stare at his food bowl to let you know he wants food. He has an interesting and quirky personality. Very curious and likes to watch what's going on similar to the retic.

In my opinion, after working with different species of snakes, if any snakes could be classified as having a personality, I believe ball pythons have the least amount of personality of the bunch.

[el8ch]

Honestly my ball pythons all pretty much have the same "personality". Shy and skittish and can be somewhat stubborn at times when it comes to feeding..

For the most part this applies to the majority of my ball pythons.

I do have a few that I call the 'Mean Girls', they have a definite attitude and like to let me know it whenever they get the chance. They are great feeders though, so I will take it.