Who says they don't appreciate height?!

[Kaorte]

I don't think we can ever determine exactly WHY a ball python might feel the need to climb, but we don't need to go into nature in order to observe the behavior. Ball pythons will climb. Mostly babies and juvies because they are lighter, thinner, and just better suited for climbing.

We also can't say that ball pythons LIKE to climb. Perhaps they are really just looking for food. Perhaps they are trying to get off the wet rainforest floor. Perhaps they are trying to escape the heat. A very in depth study would have to be done to determine this.

I think we can all agree that most smaller ball pythons, given the opportunity, will climb to some extent for reasons unknown!

Does this mean we need to offer all ball pythons climbing branches? No not really, since they seem to be perfectly fine just exploring horizontally. There isn't some crazy mass captive death of ball pythons because keepers aren't giving them enough room to climb. It is simply not the case.

Want to have a branch in your enclosure? Sure! Go for it! Your snake may or may not use it, but if it makes you feel better, use the branch. It will not harm the animal.

[majorleaguereptiles]

I'll be honest, most of my info comes from farmland/grassland field work in countries we most directly deal with. Most of which have trapped and captured many of the animals used to farm ball pythons with. However, it's interesting to note there are many regions of west Africa where the ball python is actually considered invasive... Many farmers used them to eat rodents and have since thrived. I'd say I was wrong to say ball pythons don't climb period, as we all know they do and will go wherever they need to in order to survive, whether to feed or be comfortable. I still stand by my first statement that it is definitely out of the norm, and would suggest to a keeper to check their husbandry.

[Mike41793]

Thats not what that study says.

Here's the quote from the study, Tessadas.

"Python regius is a species widespread and locally abundant in southeastern Nigeria. We found it especially in bushy and dryland rainforest patches, but occasionally even in permanently flooded swamp-forest patches, along creak and river banks, and in subur- ban areas."

[dkspftw]

I'll be honest, most of my info comes from farmland/grassland field work in countries we most directly deal with. Most of which have trapped and captured many of the animals used to farm ball pythons with. However, it's interesting to note there are many regions of west Africa where the ball python is actually considered invasive... Many farmers used them to eat rodents and have since thrived. I'd say I was wrong to say ball pythons don't climb period, as we all know they do and will go wherever they need to in order to survive, whether to feed or be comfortable. I still stand by my first statement that it is definitely out of the norm, and would suggest to a keeper to check their husbandry.

Temperatures in the tank range from 79-90 from the cool area to the space directly under the heater. Humidity ranges from about 40 before to 70 directly after a spray. The picture was taken 10m or so after, there were a few droplets of water on the bottom of her tail. Perhaps the slightly lowered temperatures from the water spritz and increased humidity drove her up there, but I suspect she was up there before the spray, and she stayed there for several hours after.

And this morning she was in a hide like normal. At one point I could see her breathing visibly, but I've not observed her enough to tell if this was abnormal. It didn't seem like "heavy" breathing per se.

Should I be concerned? It seems like my parameters are correct.

I'd like to clarify here that I'm not the type of keeper who is not going to listen to advice. I've no stake in the arboreal debate and only picked the thread's topic in jest.

I may be new to balls, but if any of you would like evidence of my devotion to my (herp) pets and ability to care for them, here's what I built for my turtle to live in:

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...ht=swamp+thing

[ewaldrep]

http://docserver.ingentaconnect.com/...47AA714BF1B1F0

not sure if this link will work or not but the study sites using radio tracking of bps in the wild and the observation that males are more likely to climb and mostly at night.

[TessadasExotics]

Here's the quote from the study, Tessadas.

"Python regius is a species widespread and locally abundant in southeastern Nigeria. We found it especially in bushy and dryland rainforest patches, but occasionally even in permanently flooded swamp-forest patches, along creak and river banks, and in subur- ban areas."

But they don't live "in" swamps, as in the don't live in the water. They will live in holes in the ground or in tree stumps, but not in damp swampy areas. I do believe they can be occasionally found in those swampy areas. They are probably found there looking for prey items.

[kitedemon]

Apparently no one read the cites report? 75 Royals were collected and one in a tree. There is more detailed observation of it systematically poking in each and every hole in the tree the observation period was 30 mins if memory serves. The Italian group (L, Luiselli) remarked that perhaps in regards to sub adult the classification is incorrect and semi arboreal is appropriate. It is available in journals if one bothers to read them.

That said the fact any breeder states they know about the behaviour of wild royals because they keep 10000 or 10000000 in plastic tubs is offensive. there is very little field studies done and little knowledge of what the real behaviour actually is.

There can be no absolutes. The fact still remains however that the behaviour of a royal in an enclosure bears little to no relation to a wild population. The fast wild snakes climb is hard to argue if you have read the studies (and where do snakes get fledglings of tree dwelling birds from if not from trees?) The fact a young snake is climbing can be an exploration or seeking correct temps. The nature of the activity comes into play. Calm tongue flicking curiosity is likely just that. Fast jerky not so much tongue flicks is likely some sort of stress.

No blanket statements they simply do not fit every animal. I have a big male whom often perches at the top of his enclosure he rarely skips a meal and is a healthy animal who is just curious by nature. (he gets into everything when handled) My other male if he were climbing I would be freaking out. It is not his nature at all.

Personally I don't believe tall enclosures are a good idea anything over 18 inches is hard to maintain correct temps and humidity. Personally I would say 16-18 is ideal heights.

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/cite...thon_ghana.pdf

[snakesRkewl]

Mike, ball pythons can thrive in 80% humidity

This is for Ghana:
Mean relative humidity for an average year is recorded as 81.0% and on a monthly basis it ranges from 77% in February & March to 85% in June & July.

For Nigeria:
Mean relative humidity for an average year is recorded as 84.7% and on a monthly basis it ranges from 80% in March to 88% in June, July, September & October.

RI's are typically caused by low humidity and low temps, I have yet to hear about RI's being caused by high humidity unless there's bacterial growth going on in the high humidity environment.

Every ball I've had in tanks and other environments besides tubs fell off of those high spots, which was one of the reasons I stopped using anything besides tubs.
They are quite clumsy up in the air

[Starsnake]

Ok.... I don't comment very often here. I'm more of a lurker to learn. Most of the ball python books out there that we all live by gives a dry, grassland habitat that we go with. Any animal including ball pythons can make the best of fringe areas and can survive in them. So instead of making a generalization that bps like branches or not it needs to be said that they may make the best of any habitat they can survive in. It still may not be the norm. I have seen plenty of research on other animals that makes it sound like an animal can survive in a particular area, but it is not the normal. They just manage to make it. That is why its the fringe of their environment.
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[Greekinese]

The ground temps range from 82-92, so maybe it's a little warm and that's why he's climbing, but I thought he was just exploring his surroundings (he's new) and possibly planning his prison break hehe.