Very active ball python - Ask Extension
Hello,
We’ve had Jake the Snake for almost 2 months he’s about 6 months old. He has eaten well since we’ve had him, successfully shed and seems...
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Very active ball python #718552
Asked August 28, 2020, 12:39 PM EDT
Hello,
We’ve had Jake the Snake for almost 2 months he’s about 6 months old. He has eaten well since we’ve had him, successfully shed and seems to enjoy being handled (isn’t afraid). He is however SO active. He moves with purpose and doesn’t have mites. He just seems to always be trying to find a way out of his tank. He has a cool and hot side. A plant. A stick with leaves. A cave (that he does sleep in) but he is VERY active several hours of the day. It’s neat to watch him but the research I’ve done shows this very untypical. Can you help with this?
Mesa County Colorado
Expert Response
Thank you for your question. Most snakes, even ball pythons will explore their enclosure, and, if there is a weakness in the enclosure or lid, will escape.
It sounds like you are feeding it regularly and providing appropriate places to hide. In the wild, ball pythons spend a lot of time hunting in rodent burrows. In captivity, they generally feel more secure if they have a place to hide. Temperature and humidity are important in maintaining your snake's health. I have attached a care sheet that lists ideal temperature and humidity for this species. In addition, ball pythons don't need large enclosures. It's difficult to tell from your photographs how large the snake and aquarium is, but putting a small ball python in a large enclosure can cause them a great deal of stress. The care sheet below provides recommended cage size for both juvenile and adult snakes.
I don't think your snake is behaving abnormally, but if you believe this behavior is due to an illness, they I recommend you take your snake to a reptile veterinarian for an examination.
Here's a link to a ball python care sheet published by Reptiles magazine that outlines habitat requirements for this species:
https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/ball-python-care-sheet/
I hope this information helps, and thank you for contacting Ask an Expert.
Jim
It sounds like you are feeding it regularly and providing appropriate places to hide. In the wild, ball pythons spend a lot of time hunting in rodent burrows. In captivity, they generally feel more secure if they have a place to hide. Temperature and humidity are important in maintaining your snake's health. I have attached a care sheet that lists ideal temperature and humidity for this species. In addition, ball pythons don't need large enclosures. It's difficult to tell from your photographs how large the snake and aquarium is, but putting a small ball python in a large enclosure can cause them a great deal of stress. The care sheet below provides recommended cage size for both juvenile and adult snakes.
I don't think your snake is behaving abnormally, but if you believe this behavior is due to an illness, they I recommend you take your snake to a reptile veterinarian for an examination.
Here's a link to a ball python care sheet published by Reptiles magazine that outlines habitat requirements for this species:
https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/ball-python-care-sheet/
I hope this information helps, and thank you for contacting Ask an Expert.
Jim
