I tried keeping them separated

[Markus Heinsohn]

Where do you keep all your snakes then? 6-10 2x4 tanks would get ridiculous. I have 6 10 gallon breeder tanks for my rats and mice and still think they take up to much room.

I have one 4 x 2 ft tank for my 05 female, and a 2 x 1.3 ft tank each for my other 07 BPs.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Let me get this straight, I am sure that a BP can feel great in a rather small enclosure. But my point is simply that whenever somebody has the chance to get a bigger enclosure and mantain it properly, he should

[elevatethis]

They dont play Ball or anything.. They just eat breed and Poop!

Sounds about right...

And this makes me wonder why so many people want to have them as pets, when thats all they do!

If I didn't have a job...I wouldn't be far off from that.

[rabernet]

I disagree. There is no such thing as an enclosure that is too big... as long as the humidity and temperature is right, then the larger the better. Python Regius does indeed crawl around a lot for hunting in nature, especially during the wet period when the vegetation gives them plenty of security.

I would never ever keep an adult BP in an enclosure smaller than 4 x 2 ft.

It is my understanding that ball pythons are not active hunters - they are ambush hunters and come and sit at the entrance of their burrows and wait for prey to come by.

If larger is better, why do so many keepers find when they move their ball pythons to larger enclosures that they get refusals, and then when they move them back into what some might even call cramped conditions, they no longer refuse food?

To me, that clearly signals that they actually PREFER the secure feeling that they get from a smaller enclosure.

[rabernet]

Let me get this straight, I am sure that a BP can feel great in a rather small enclosure. But my point is simply that whenever somebody has the chance to get a bigger enclosure and mantain it properly, he should

I'm not understanding the argument why someone "should" provide larger when herpetologists who have been working with these animals for many, many years with thousands of these animals all agree that they prefer smaller enclosures? It sounds to me more like your opinion that they should, because it's what you personally prefer.

[Markus Heinsohn]

It is my understanding that ball pythons are not active hunters - they are ambush hunters and come and sit at the entrance of their burrows and wait for prey to come by.

If larger is better, why do so many keepers find when they move their ball pythons to larger enclosures that they get refusals, and then when they move them back into what some might even call cramped conditions, they no longer refuse food?

To me, that clearly signals that they actually PREFER the secure feeling that they get from a smaller enclosure.

The literature (plenty) I read states that BPs do indeed explore their enviroment looking for food. And I know someone who has been to Ghana several times, visiting several hatching farms and talking to locals. He's got to know, and he has written a book about BPs in German where he just says that.

Maybe some keepers have trouble maintaining proper humidity/temps in larger tanks, thus experiencing refusals.

[Markus Heinsohn]

I'm not understanding the argument why someone "should" provide larger when herpetologists who have been working with these animals for many, many years with thousands of these animals all agree that they prefer smaller enclosures? It sounds to me more like your opinion that they should, because it's what you personally prefer.

If they would prefer it, they would never leave their shelter in nature And how do people know they actually prefer it, have they been talking to them?

[rabernet]

If they would prefer it, they would never leave their shelter in nature And how do people know they actually prefer it, have they been talking to them?

They leave their shelter in nature because there's not someone providing them with consistent temperatures, fresh water and food on a weekly basis.

They know that they prefer it by "listening" to their animals. If the animals is feeding better in a smaller enclosure (with all else remaining the same - temps and humidity and snug hides) then they're "telling" you that they prefer a smaller enclosure.

[Markus Heinsohn]

Another thing: Why would there be problems with BPs escaping if they love their small enclosure that much? As soon as you give them an oppurtunity, they escape... why? Because they are curious & looking for food elsewhere...
It's their natural habit, when they're hungry they go out and look for food...

[littleindiangirl]

If they would prefer it, they would never leave their shelter in nature And how do people know they actually prefer it, have they been talking to them?

Which comes right back to where the majority of ball pythons are found. In their burrows...