Ball python natural habitats details, straight from a trapper in Ghana

[redshepherd]

I have a friend who has been living in Ghana for a few months and befriended some snake people involved in catching wild ball pythons, among other native snake species! Exciting stuff, he got deets on where ball pythons are found, straight from the trapper/exporter (named Gyasi) himself… I told him to ask for more exact percentages on where they're mostly found in Africa:

55% in “the bush” near ponds
25% under rocks
10% under trees when they are well fed/full
10% around trash areas (like literally in piles of trash apparently LOL)

No mention of termite mounds or “hiding in holes their whole life”, at least from this trapper. Go figure?

My friend also hasn’t seen very many grassland areas or open areas in Ghana at least where he is, even the drier areas have a lot of low-growing trees.

He went with his trapper group on a short expedition lately too, and that sounded exciting, getting to see the native range and habitat of these animals.

In conclusion: ball pythons have a very wide natural habitat range! They are not solely ambush predators like gaboons, and definitely not living in holes and hiding their whole life. Funny thing, the trapper mentioned nothing of holes or termite mounds himself haha. I think my friend brought up the "holes and termite mounds" thing, since I asked specifically about how this is always preached in the states, and Gyasi was just like "?????" If the holes thing is from other trappers, it must be only one very small part of how ball pythons live!

My friend is on this forum, but he never posted before. I'm trying to get him to eventually post a short journal and pics of the habitat and the various wild caught snakes there, it would be fun! (I've seen the pics already bahah)

Anyway, I think these are exciting and interesting details, because I personally believe at this point that the average keeper/breeder's knowledge that is constantly preached in the states on their natural habitat and living conditions are apparently quite skewed. And it's always nice to be more informed about the animals we are keeping and the way they are kept. The more knowledge, the better!

[DennisM]

It's said that humans spend 1/4 - 1/3 of our lives sleeping. I see thousands of people every day, yet almost none of them are sleeping. I don't think this disproves that humans sleep that much. Perhaps I'm just not looking in the right places for humans at sleep. Perhaps these trappers are not looking in the right places for hiding BPs.

I have no idea what % of their lives BPs spend in termite mounds or holes. And I very much doubt that these trappers do either.

the numbers you present add up to 100%. Are we to believe that BPs only exist in the bush, under trees, under rocks and under trash pile and can never be found elsewhere? I would suggest that your friends anecdotal evidence adds nothing to our knowledge of BP natural behavior.

[redshepherd]

It's said that humans spend 1/4 - 1/3 of our lives sleeping. I see thousands of people every day, yet almost none of them are sleeping. I don't think this disproves that humans sleep that much. Perhaps I'm just not looking in the right places for humans at sleep. Perhaps these trappers are not looking in the right places for hiding BPs.

I have no idea what % of their lives BPs spend in termite mounds or holes. And I very much doubt that these trappers do either.

the numbers you present add up to 100%. Are we to believe that BPs only exist in the bush, under trees, under rocks and under trash pile and can never be found elsewhere? I would suggest that your friends anecdotal evidence adds nothing to our knowledge of BP natural behavior.

The percentages are obviously a general take on where the trapper finds his ball pythons, obviously? I'm not quite sure what has got you all riled up, when I'm just posting what the trapper has said.

Your "our" should be replaced by "you". And it's totally fine if you don't think it adds to your knowledge of BP natural behavior. No need to comment on my thread, just thought it was something to share.

[AbsoluteApril]

Very cool, thanks for sharing the inside info!
I do agree though, just because the trapper(s) don't find them in holes doesn't really mean they aren't there but still, really cool to hear all the details!

10% around trash areas (like literally in piles of trash apparently LOL)

Trash piles are probably fantastic areas to get an easy rat meal!

[redshepherd]

Very cool, thanks for sharing the inside info!
I do agree though, just because the trapper(s) don't find them in holes doesn't really mean they aren't there but still, really cool to hear all the details!

Trash piles are probably fantastic areas to get an easy rat meal!

I know they must be in some termite mounds and holes as well! I remember seeing another thread of someone who went to Togo, and they dug up a few termite mounds during the day, but they happened to find nothing at that moment. But shows that trappers do dig up termite mounds, so there are BP's there sometimes.

What I meant by my posting this was just that ball python habitat isn't only restricted to termite mounds/holes, but quite a wide range.

LOL I thought so too! Probably a lot of rodents hanging out in trash

[JoeNapoli]

The percentages are obviously a general take on where the trapper finds his ball pythons, obviously? I'm not quite sure what has got you all riled up, when I'm just posting what the trapper has said.

Your "our" should be replaced by "you". And it's totally fine if you don't think it adds to your knowledge of BP natural behavior. No need to comment on my thread, just thought it was something to share.

that ^^^^

[Slither Seeker]

thanks for posting this. I have been clamoring for more info on actual habitat. this doesn't need to be scientifically exacting to be of interest. in my book, the more perspectives on their actual habitat the better.

[redshepherd]

thanks for posting this. I have been clamoring for more info on actual habitat. this doesn't need to be scientifically exacting to be of interest. in my book, the more perspectives on their actual habitat the better.

Exactly! I thought it was super interesting info from a person who traps them for a living. I never knew ball pythons were so commonly found just chilling in some brush next to ponds, for one. And now I know they're often trash snakes. LOL

[ballpythonluvr]

Very interesting information! Thanks for sharing. So who cares if some of these snakes are not found in their typical termite mounds, heck, my ball python isn't that typical either. He has some very unusual traits and characteristics and I find it interesting. He eats, sheds, pees, and poops just fine, so I must be doing something right!

[Bmocken]

Very interesting and I would like to see and hear more. It would be really cool to see pics.