BP Climbing like a tree python

[redshepherd]

Wild juveniles and males commonly climb trees in search of food. That's been recorded many times already, with studies I can link to show it. Bp's may not be considered arboreal or even semi-arboreal, but the wild types have already shown us that climbing IS part of how they hunt, years ago. They aren't restricted to the ground like some other species. Which is why many keepers now provide their bp's with safe climbing opportunities, if they so choose to. People who still believe ball pythons should never climb are simply misinformed.

However, over-the-top climbing and finding an escape in captivity usually indicates stress or seeking heat.

To the OP, If you don't have one already, get a temp gun to monitor the temps on your hot spot and next to the lamp cage and you'll know if it's too hot or not!

[Mangiapane85]

Why could a young BP not also climb for fun?

My BP has climbed her entire life. Now that she is big she constantly pulls down the fake plants around her tank.

I see no issue with any snake climbing as long as there is nothing that can harm them when they climb. My Hognose climbs a lot too and she is really good at it. I have old pics of her doing it in my profile.

I knew you would be one of the guys that opposed me. That's fine..your BPs will do what they do. All of mine will do what they do.... but if you study the species, you would realize that they aren't a climbing snake... sorry

Thanks for the t10 advice for my kingsnake though... guess we are opposing forces now though considering you disagree with everything I say.


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[voodoolamb]

That's fine..your BPs will do what they do. All of mine will do what they do.... but if you study the species, you would realize that they aren't a climbing snake... sorry


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Just curious about your thoughts on the observations of juvenile males leading semi - aboreal lives out in the field then?

[Mangiapane85]

Just curious about your thoughts on the observations of juvenile males leading semi - aboreal lives out in the field then?

Well I'm sorry, but I don't have any first hand experience in Africa observing ball pythons in their true environment.. even if I had ventured Into Africa, I'm 6 ft 3 in tall, so it's hard for me to fit into a termite mound.

But please, entertain me with your experiences.


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[voodoolamb]

Well I'm sorry, but I don't have any first hand experience in Africa observing ball pythons in their true environment.. even if I had ventured Into Africa, I'm 6 ft 3 in tall, so it's hard for me to fit into a termite mound.

But please, entertain me with your experiences.


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I meant scientific observations....

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1...50009809386744

http://booksandjournals.brillonline....53806778190105

[redshepherd]

I feel like my post about this was totally skipped ahah

[AlbinoBull]

I read your post, I found it very interesting! I'd heard people mentioning that ball pythons are more likely to climb in the wild than first thought, but I hadn't heard about the stuff backing it up. o: Cinnamon Roll likes to climb when she can, I always found it interesting how she managed it despite the lack of grips on my dresser...hopefully I can get some stuff for climbing in her cage sometime.

Very interesting reads!

[redshepherd]

Here's just one example with a link to the study from this very forum, years ago, for those interested in learning new information.

"Three royal pythons were found outside of burrows. They were all males. Number 22 was in a mango tree, 26 was in open grassland, and 98 was found in a trench. Two other males (numbers 32 and 75) vomited rodents after capture, indicating that some males are active and feeding during the dry season."

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

Page 11 Dr Stefan GORZULA Consultant, CITES Secretariat.

Here's the video if you want to buy it and check it out.

http://www.stevegorzulapresents.com/

They're not actually studying them in the same sense that a professionally-produced nature documentary would be studying them, however--they're just counting animals for the CITES survey. So the "territories of an acre each" is really just based on density.

In order to make the counting easier, they do the surveys during the middle of the day, when the pythons are asleep in their burrows. The scientest are not out filming the snakes' behavior at night, when they're more likely to be awake and moving around. Nothing like that, unfortunately.

So there's no video clips of them actively hunting or climbing trees. So my assertion that ball pythons climb in the wild is solely based on the fact that there ARE trees and low bushes in the daytime shots, and on the fact that MY snakes would sure as heck be climbing and falling out of those things on a regular basis, if their behavior during handling time and escape attempts is anything to judge by....

No one is calling them semi-arboreal. Their feeding behavior clearly indicates that they are semi-arboreal in terms of hunting for prey. While that alone doesn't make them arboreal or even semi-arboreal, it does mean that they have successfully adapted to taking to the trees to hunt prey.

[redshepherd]

Posting another small example, because my last post editing timed out...

This guy really did go to Africa in search of ball pythons, and at least pretty articulately described his trip in a bunch of photos. Not sure if I can link other sites, so you can find his thread (on another forum) by looking up "my trip to africa! togo ball pythons".

"Another revelation I had was exactly how tough ball pythons were. While often found on the low land and Savannah, we were surprised to find ball pythons on the top of this mountain:" It's a picture of a forested mountainside. Further proof just from a single tourist that ball pythons live in a much wider range of habitats than most people here think. Ball pythons don't only live in termite mounts and poke their fragile heads out to eat the occasional ground-dwelling rodent.

Aaand I feel like the thread has de-railed, but hope my posts gave people some things to think about.

[KMG]

I knew you would be one of the guys that opposed me. That's fine..your BPs will do what they do. All of mine will do what they do.... but if you study the species, you would realize that they aren't a climbing snake... sorry

Thanks for the t10 advice for my kingsnake though... guess we are opposing forces now though considering you disagree with everything I say.


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Im not trying to be an opposing force against you and Im surprised by your comment. I didnt think you had an issue with me or I with you. I have not agreed with some things you said and obviously have different experience and different style to my keeping but I didnt think Id rubbed you wrong. As to Balls climbing I just don't agree with your statement that a BP being stressed or experiencing husbandry issues being the reason for climbing.

Your snappy comment about me needing to "study the species" is a bit out of line as well. You were presented with facts by others with wild snake observations. Where are your facts? You have not presented any and instead decide to shoot off at the mouth with cute comments to other keepers that did provide information and those that have seen the action in question first hand.

How bout you place your Balls in a cage that they could climb and see what you experience. I have seen your video and pics of your snake room and your snakes don't have anything to do so I bet that is why they do nothing. Its hard to do something when you do not have the opportunity. Your tubs are bare, small, and short. You can see my collection and see that I have true arboreal snakes. I never said my Ball was like my GTP, ETB, or even my BRB which is a great climber.

I can guarantee my Ball is not experiencing any stress and her cage is on point. She has the best tstat and has one of the nicest setups on the forum. I have not gone cheap on any part in any area of my keeping. My snakes have nice cages, proper tstats, and proper heating in their own heated room. They all have a great life in my care and want for nothing.

You ever seen a GTP or ETB coiled on the ground? I have. Just as those two can come down and relax on the ground a Ball can just as easy take a bit of a climb. My GTP and ETB also really enjoy swimming in their water and when up and active at night usually will take a trip around the cage floor and through the water bowl before going back to a perch. Seeing them swim so often really showed me something I would have never guessed. So just as an arboreal snake can slither on the ground there is no reason to believe a Ball Python could not take to a tree.

I think it would be interesting for you to put some of your Balls in taller tubs with some things to climb on and see what your snakes do. They may teach you something.