Extremely Active

[rspitz]

I got my normal bp about four weeks ago. He was never very active even at night usually just hid unless I took him out. Yesterday he started coming out lots, about every few hours during the day and almost all night. I fed him only three days ago, but he was up alot today so I tried feeding him again and he took it great. After I moved him from the feeding bin to his enclosure he hid right away, but after about an hour he was out again and has been out about every 2 hours for about 20 minutes since then. Just wondering if this is normal. His temps are 79 cold side 89 hot with 92 basking spot, 60% humidity, three hides (cold, middle, hot) two water dish's, climbing ladder and is on aspen substrate. Thanx for any input. Also he spends most of his time out at the top of his ladder.

[kane]

hi my two ball python do the same thing all the time that just means he is just checking out his cage lol.

[mykee]

Firstly, ball pythons basically do whatever they want, and no two do exactly the same thing, so yes, your ball python is normal.
As for your heat and hides, I would increase your hot side of the tank to 94 and get rid if the "basking spot" as it is fairly useless. Ball pythons are in their hides most of the day and require belly heat, so an overhead heat source will not do much good. Also, try to keep the ambient air temp in the enclosure around 85 or so.
As for hides, three is definitely overkill. I have none, and my ball pythons are never stressed.

[kane]

they do need a hide box and if i'm wrong then that means that every care sheet is wrong and all the top breeders are wrong.

[rspitz]

Thanx for the replies. What I meant by basking spot was the temp on part of the substrate, I am not using any overhead heat just UTH. Glad to know he is normal though lol

[rspitz]

sorry to post twice but I have always heard to have several hides, why would you suggest to have none?

[ohh_kristina]

I agree with mykee on the temp changes. I've had several balls over the years - some of them hardly left their hide boxes, some of them never went inside them. It really just depend on the individual snake. If you have a ball that likes to roam around - I'd consider you lucky! A lot of people complain that balls are boring because some of them never move! :)

[kane]

he is wrong ball python do need hide boxes and if you don't believe me you can ask any breeder and they will tell you the same thing.

[mykee]

Rspitz: I've been at this awhile; and from the few big Canadiain breeders I know as well as myself, none of us use hides. They look nice, and surely provide a place to be alone, but if your enclosure size (very important) and husbandry are bang on, hides are not necessary. I have over 80 balls right now, and not a single one, from hatchlings up to the big 3000g girls use a hide.

Note: they eat well, breed well, eliminate well and are not stressed.

Sidenote:if you're keeping your ball in a fish cage, then the extra stimuli from the outside world is very obvious to your snake andwill necessitate a hide just to keep your animals stress level down, but if you keep your balls in opaque containers (rubbermaids) as most multiple ball owners do, we don't bother.
You can use 'em if you want, no harm done by using them, but they're generally NOT necesary.
Repeat Kane, NOT necessary.

[Paul_Begg]

Yup, gotta agree with Mykee on this one. In a rack system using semi clear rubbermaids, hides are certainly not needed. I do use some for nervous feeders, or gravid females, but other than that I seldom use them.
The only time i always use a hide is when I house snakes in larger wooden vivariums.
cheers
Paul

[bassteck76]

breeders using hides.......................LOL

I dont think so.

[mykee]

Kane, your quote:
"he is wrong ball python do need hide boxes and if you don't believe me you can ask any breeder and they will tell you the same thing"

Breeders: Paul Begg (post below mine) Richard (post below mine) and Me
All three of us breeders, all three fo us disagree with you. Nuff said.
I'm glad that BOTH of your ball pythons have hides, hope it works out for you.

[kane]

well you guys are NOT the top breeders lol i've never heard of you.names like corey woods and markus jayne lol.

[mykee]

I'm also positive (seen his set-ups in his home) that on of the two breeders on your short list doesn't use hides.
You're ignorance is excused.

[bassteck76]

3 of the top 10 Ball Python Breeders in the US are all local to me.........I have yet to see hides in there setups. In the top 10 I am talking in production....not who you think is good or hearsay. Not to mention the multiple sites I am on that are geared towards ball pythons. Yes.......people use hides....I have a couple here that I keep hides in there for.....are they needed or a must have........no. Most BP's will lay next to a hide more then use it. My adults lay out in the open on the look out......I have one large female that uses a hide only because she is a super super strong feeder and if I dont have a hide in there I will get tagged everytime I fill her water.....LOL

[Paul_Begg]

well you guys are NOT the top breeders lol i've never heard of you.names like corey woods and markus jayne lol.

I've never heard of you either, but you're throwing out some pretty bold statements.
What seems to have been forgotten here, is that none of us 3 never heard of breeders have said once that a hide is detrimental to a ball pythons life. You on the other hand, have said they they do 100% need a hide. Well, we're living proof, along with several BIG breeders that they don't need or sometimes even use a hide if given one.
cheers
Paul

[Aaron_S]

Kane, originally Mykee wasn't clear that ball pythons don't need hides. He corrected himself to say that they ball pythons should have hideboxes if you're keeping them in cages with glass fronts and sides. (Fish aquariums) He only meant that rubbermaids,being opaque hide the snake and make it feel secure enough not to need them. (Also keeping them in proper sized rubbermaids) Breeders use rack systems with rubbermaids for various reasons and this is one of them.