What are some signs of a stressed ball?

[Eris_the_Diva]

Hi, I just got my ball in august last year, so I'm relatively new to ball python care. I was just wondering about the signs of a stressed ball python and how to prevent stress or un-stress them. I have read a lot of forums that say they are stressed if they are moving around a lot while being handled, however, others say that as long as they are actively flicking their tongues, they are calm.

My ball's name is Eris and she is around 2 and a half years old and she wants to go everywhere while she is outside of her enclosure, but is constantly flicking her tongue while doing so. Sometimes she moves at a mediate pace, but sometimes she moves quite rapidly (always flicking her tongue while doing either). When she is inside it, however, she is almost always sleeping in her hide. Should I be worried about her constant slithering and moving while being handled/out of her enclosure? Or is she just curious and wanting to explore? She has also never shown the 'balling' action once while I handle her. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for the help! c:

[Nathaniel1989]

my ball python in the 2 weeks i have had the little guy - When out of the viv has never hid, Balled Up, hissed or struck at me. In the viv, he loves sitting in his hide on his hot spot until the lights go out!

Its normal Ball python behaviour.

[BCS]

When active outside of the enclosure, that is totally normal. If they start flailing, then you have a problem.

Its a good sign of stress (in the enclosure) if the are active 24/7 inside the enclosure. It is a good sign that something with the husbandry is off. I would not say this is ALWAYS the case. Also, again in the enclosure, if your BP is active a couple days before feeding day, well, most likely she is just hungry. As you get to know your ball python more, you will begin to understand when she is stressed or just has energy to burn off.

You will figure it out. Ball pythons (or all snakes) are hard to read, not having facial expression or make noises besides hissing you really need to learn your BPs body language. Hissing often then not doesn't mean stress. I have a few snakes who will hiss when I go to pick them up, but are sweet hearts.

The key to making sure your BP is not stressed when handled is to not bring it to an area that is super busy. A few people are okay, but too many can be stressful. Also, making sure you support her body with both hands. Letting her dangle over one handle is putting a lot of pressure on one area of the body, and I could not imagine that that would be comfortable. And also watch the head and tail. Those are very sensitive points for most BPs. The more the head is touched or comes in close contact, it freaks them out.

[ItsAllNew2Me!]

Sounds like normal behavior to me. I don't regularly handle all of my Bps but the few I do have different personalities. Some will just wrap my arm and hand there others want to move around and seem to want to view their surroundings. You have to learn your animals behaviors. I have a cornsnake that hates to be handled, he does not want to explore but wants to get away!! I have had him for 10 years and have tried and tried but he has never come around...that greedy boy does greet me tho on feeding days long enough to eat his mice lol! Where as my normal is rather lethargic and doesn't really care about being picked up and will just sit there wherever you put him not curled up just no ambition to do anything lol. My albino is extremely shy and wont even eat if you are watching him but when you pull him out he is full of activity and loves to roam around not head shy or anything out of the tub. He is my sons favorite and is handled often. All have different personalities that you will learn to pick up on over time.

[Zincubus]

Hi, I just got my ball in august last year, so I'm relatively new to ball python care. I was just wondering about the signs of a stressed ball python and how to prevent stress or un-stress them. I have read a lot of forums that say they are stressed if they are moving around a lot while being handled, however, others say that as long as they are actively flicking their tongues, they are calm.

My ball's name is Eris and she is around 2 and a half years old and she wants to go everywhere while she is outside of her enclosure, but is constantly flicking her tongue while doing so. Sometimes she moves at a mediate pace, but sometimes she moves quite rapidly (always flicking her tongue while doing either). When she is inside it, however, she is almost always sleeping in her hide. Should I be worried about her constant slithering and moving while being handled/out of her enclosure? Or is she just curious and wanting to explore? She has also never shown the 'balling' action once while I handle her. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance for the help! c:

I'd say that's perfectly normal behaviour for a Royal or any snake to be honest . My Royals all do that for about 5 minutes then they normally settle down and stay on my lap watching telly ...

[Eris_the_Diva]

Thanks to you all for answering! I really appreciate the help c:. I will try to figure out my ball's personality and will do my best to not stress her out ^-^.

[Lizardlicks]

Yeah it's not so much is they ARE moving but how fast, and how often. Whenever I first get my girls out for a handling session they really like to explore and investigate the area, but they're never moving quickly, just sort of ambling along and tongue flicking, sometimes stopping to periscope or "sniff" things. I can pick them up and move them, and they never spook or try to flee. When they've preformed a satisfactory inspection, they usually return to me (warm, safe space) and will coil in my lap or in my shirt for a nap. They're never balled.

Similarly in their enclosure, they sleep pretty much all day in their hides. In the evening they come out juuuust enough to rest their heads outside of their hides, usually on their logs and branches in a classic ambush pose. If I don't feed them, then much later in the evening they'll either switch to the other side hide, retreat back into the one they're already in, or I might hear them get a little more active and start "redecorating" lol. By morning they're always back in their hides. These are pretty normal behaviors of snakes that are relaxed in their environment.

A snake that doesn't like something is going to try to get away from it, or make it go away from them. A snake that's moving quickly is a snake that's trying to escape (you, a perceived predator, something else in its environment that's bothering it, etc). A ball python that's constantly active inside it's enclosure, day and night, is a snake that's uncomfortable. A ball python that darts quickly away is one that's been spooked or startled by something. They are not super active snakes by nature, although they are not blobs either. A snake that is active should be engaging it's environment at a relaxed pace, and it should have periods of rest between the activity.

I hope that helps a little bit!

[Mjohnston]

- - - Updated - - -

I have had my juvenile ball python almost a week. He ate on day 2, sleeps in the corner (not under but behind the hide) the entire time the basking light is on, has never balled up, hissed, or struck at me. He passed the rat pup on day 4, and I have only rubbed his back on day 4 and briefly held him on day 5. When the light goes out, he wakes slowly and then spends a couple hours trying to find a way out. He will rest in between attempts but generally works at it pretty hard...climbing the sides and falling down a lot. I'm worried that he's stressed because I generally see much less activity in videos of other snakes. Is this pretty normal or should I be concerned?

[stickyalvinroll]

Idk but my bps usually chills in a coil all day except when they smell food

[Chosovi]

It will take a while to figure out the quirks in your ball's personality...but usually, a healthy and stress-free ball python will hide all day and then come out at night to explore. As I like to put it, a hiding ball python is a happy ball python! Roaming too much around the enclosure could be a sign of stress.

When your ball slithers around while out of her enclosure and flicks her tongue regularly, she's just being inquisitive. Unless she is thrashing and obviously trying to flee when she's out, you shouldn't worry. (:

Keep in mind that ball pythons don't particularly enjoy being handled frequently, and too much of it could cause some discomfort. Some can tolerate being held more than others. You'll just need to spend some time studying her to figure out how much handling is best for her.

Just give it a while and you'll figure her out. Best of luck, and cheers!