he is trying to get out!!!! is this normal

[mattramsfan]

ok soo i have a young male ball python (born in october) and he is always goin around his tank and climbing up the sides and poking at the top of the tank. acting as if he is trying to get out... is this a bad thing or is it just because he is young and curious.... we have only had him for a little more than a month sooo i am just assuming that he is doin this because he is a bit curious... any suggestions?? thanks guys!!!!

[mooingtricycle]

More than likely normal behavior. Snakes can be curious.

What are your Hot side and cool side temperatures? How big is the enclosure, and what do you have in there in regards to furniture ( Bowls,Hides,Climbing stuff if any)

[mattramsfan]

hot side 90 to 92. cool side is between 80 -82. he has a humid hide and a hide on the hot side. and a piece of wood in the middle. and obviously a water bowl. its a 30 gallon.... ooo and some fake leaves that we bought. he loves those darn leaves. he goes in and out of them and rubs on them. with that info does that give u any more ideas. like i said i think he is just curious

[Bloodsong]

In addition to what has been asked already when was the last time you fed him?

[mattramsfan]

we feed him every sunday... and this past sunday we gave him a hopper. soo it was a pretty big meal...

[mooingtricycle]

we feed him every sunday... and this past sunday we gave him a hopper. soo it was a pretty big meal...

Does the prey leave a lump? baby ball pythons generally can eat small adult mice right out of the egg. id offer a mouse.

[Bloodsong]

As a juvenile he may be hungry. Some of them can eat every 4-5 days. Another possibility is itchiness. Do you know if he is close to shed? Watch him for a bit if he "yawns" then his is likely trying to loosen the skin. Only question about what you posted earlier:

he has a humid hide and a hide on the hot side.

Are both these hides on the warm end? If so he could be looking for a safe place on the cool side to thermoregulate.

Bloodsong

[mattramsfan]

nope. the 2 hides are on seperate sides of the cage. i almost knew that he could eat more than just a hopper. i would say he is about a foot to a 1.5 feet long. and his width is about the same width as a quarter prolly a little bigger

[llovelace]

Put him on a 5 day feed schedule, increase the size of prey also, try a med mouse to start with. keep him on a 5 day schedule til he's around 300g then you can go to a weekly schedule he should be eating weanling/small rats by then.

[Bloodsong]

Likely hungry. Try a mouse. If you want to keep with rats get a size better.

Bloodsong