"Muscle tone" in ball pythons...?

[cristacake]

Ax, I've been giving them "exercise" too, but also weirdly unsure if it would stress them out. Probably just being paranoid though.

I guess the question in the first post is... is it even possible for ball pythons to have low muscle tone, unable to constrict prey properly? I assumed that snakes almost have a fixed inherent level of muscle tone/strength. Is intentionally strenuous "exercise" or "practice constricting" even necessary? aka, other than just letting them slither around on the ground and on your arm and such LOL.

Ah I see what you mean! Well I assume that snake muscles work like those of any other animal. That is to say, they can maintain a healthy tone or they could atrophy. Well... By that logic, snakes would also be able to get buff maybe that's what those really chunky looking ones have got going on

And I doubt exercise is necessary for BPs as they are really not "designed" to do tons of strengthening exercises. They're just meant to sit and hide and sometimes get food/water. I can't imagine it being harmful to challenge them a little for a few seconds, though! Sometimes I get Donuts to curl around my hand/arm just because it's so cute and interesting. Extra cute points for curling her little tail around my finger!!

edit: I always forget to respond to all parts! Anyway, as for letting them wander, periscope, etc., I think that's really more beneficial for their mental stimulation than their physicality. But again I don't see it doing any harm as long as you don't keep them out and moving for excessively long periods of time.