Young ball python ridiculously active??? Help

mikehev · 01-06-19, 07:13 PM

I have a ball python I got back in November, and for the past few days, he's pretty much constantly been roaming around his enclosure. I tried feeding him both today and yesterday, and he wasn't interested. Here's the parameters of his enclosure:

Warm Side: 89-92F
Cool Side: ~75F
Size: 2ft by 3ft tub, holes drilled in sides and clip on lid
Heating: Under belly heating pad w/ thermostat

He is about a 1.5 feet long, although I don't know his exact age. (The person I got him from didn't know - he looks to be maybe about 5-6 months old.) He eats a medium mouse every 3-4 days, and is a WONDERFUL eater.

He has pure aspen bedding, with two hides (one cool and one warm), a few sterilized pieces of driftwood, a live plant, and a water bowl. The hide is misted every few days, but I also have a humidifier running in the room, as well as some sphagnum moss to help with humidity.

Toby (the python) has always been super curious and docile, although a bit shy. However recently, he's gotten a lot more used to handling and quite loves exploring around the house. As I'm typing this, he curled up under my blanket and is now asleep.

Is this something I should be worried about?

mikehev · 01-08-19, 06:51 PM

Hi! So I've had Toby (my ball python) for a couple of months now, and this past week, he's been ridiculously active and I'm not sure why. He's out wandering about a majority of the time. Here's the specs:

TOBY:
- Store didn't know his age, but he seems around 6 months
- Male
- About 1.5 feet long
- Eats a medium mouse every 3-4 days on average (tried feeding him yesterday because he was out and about, but he wasn't hungry yet)
- Has always had a very curious personality, although very easily frightened
- last shed was whole

ENCLOSURE:
- plastic tub w/ 10 holes drilled in the sides
- under belly heating connected to a thermostat; warm side = 88 degrees F,
cool side = 75 degrees F
- two hides, one on each side
- aspen fiber bedding
- medium sized water bowl
- live plant w/ sphagnum moss (for humidity)
- some sterilized driftwood and branches for enrichment
- about 2x3x2 ft.

I know that young male balls are known to be pretty active, but I'm just not sure. Is this normal / should I be worried?

craigafrechette · 01-09-19, 08:46 AM

Hello and welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of snake keeping!!

Sounds like ypur setup is pretty well dialed in. Although your cool side temps could come up a bit. 75 is the bare minimum, somewhere around 80 is preferred.

As for young male BPs being pretty active, that's not true. There's a saying in the BP world " a hiding ball is a happy ball". BPs are nocturnal, so a bit of roaming at night can be expected, but during the day they should stay hidden.

So now let's troubleshoot...

- Are your hides identical?
Sometimes snakes will choose one hide over another for securityreasons if they're not identical.

- Are your hides nice and snug fitting?
Snakes love tight hides, they should almost for like a turtle shell.

- How much does the snake weigh? How much does the prey weigh?
Feeding every 3-4 isn't necessary. Feeding juvenile BPs every 7 days is best assuming the prey is the right size.

Answering these questions will help us help you.

mikehev · 01-09-19, 05:14 PM

Yes, my hides are identical, and they're snug.

I had been feeding him every 3-4 because he was very underweight and 'sharp' feeling - he's been nicely gaining back weight. I don't have a working kitchen scale right now, so I can't supply any numbers. The mice are mediums from snakesatsunset.

craigafrechette · 01-09-19, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikehev

Yes, my hides are identical, and they're snug.

I had been feeding him every 3-4 because he was very underweight and 'sharp' feeling - he's been nicely gaining back weight. I don't have a working kitchen scale right now, so I can't supply any numbers. The mice are mediums from snakesatsunset.

Ok. Do the mice leave a noticeable lump in the snakes stomach after it is eaten?

**Aaron_S** · 01-09-19, 10:18 PM

Feed it a bigger meal.

**Aaron_S** · 01-09-19, 10:20 PM

Also please only make one version of your thread in one forum.

mikehev · 01-10-19, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Ok. Do the mice leave a noticeable lump in the snakes stomach after it is eaten?

They leave a visible lump, but a very small one - I'll order bigger mice. He's always been a great eater and he's not hungry right now.... I still don't understand why he's been so active though. Whevener I take him out, he falls asleep in my hands, which makes me think that something's wrong with the enclosure, but I don't know what.

Royals1988 · 03-05-19, 01:29 PM

Hi there i have a little girl she was hatched in December i was told, she was eating fine now she is just not interested in food, she weighs 126g spends alot of time hidding (which is good) but i just cannot get her to eat,

Shes in a 21L RUB her heat at the warm end is 30'c and at the cool end it is 26.1'c both hides are identical. i am just abit worried i have tried everything i can think of to try and entice her to eat here is a list of my methods so far

Dry thawing
Wet thawing
wet thawing then using a hairdryer to dry mouse off a little
Braining
leaving the mouse in her vivarium for a 24 hour period with the vivarium darkened
have put the mouse in the vivarium and lightly misted the vivarium
also with the mouse brained.

Any help would be great guys thanks