How do I soundproof my ball python's terrarium?

[lainyflower]

She isn't in a busy area or anything, but when I am moving around in my room during the day I don't want to disturb her. What can I do to lessen the sound? Anything that I can put on the outside of the cage? Underneath? Any suggestions help. Thanks.

[Aaron_S]

Short answer is they don't really have ears like us so you're good.

[eminart]

Like Aaron said, snakes are deaf. They "hear" by feeling vibrations through the ground.

[Minkness]

Totes didn't know that....awesome!

[RAD House]

Sounds are vibrations. Hearing is the way a being picks up and the brain translate these signals. I am assuming Aaron means snakes do not have outer ears. They do have internal ear structures and are by no means deaf. The way they hear is similar to the way you can hear when something vibrates on your jaw bone just much more sensitive. Any sound dampening would decrease these vibrations. You could lay a thick blanket over the tank, this would be the easiest solution. Other than that you could surround the tank with noise damping material but these tend to be quite expensive. Also I think what the others were trying say is that the snake senses you with it's taste organs well before it does with it's hearing organs.

[eminart]

I don't think sound dampening materials are going to make much difference unless she comes up with a way to sit the enclosure ON some sort of dampening rubber mat or something. I think the vast majority of the "sound" a snake picks up inside a home is the foot traffic transmitted through the floors. Putting soundproofing on the sides would be akin to silencing a songbird beside a busy interstate for us.

It's true that "deaf" is an oversimplification. Snakes do "hear" through ground vibrations, and may even be able to hear some airborne sounds. But, I think it's fairly safe to assume that they are limited enough with the airborne sounds that there's no need for soundproofing panels. Try yelling at your snake vs. stomping the floor or tapping on the glass (Don't actually terrorize your snake, but anyone who has kept them knows where I'm going with this).

[Minkness]

Perhaps a Styrofoam sheet under the tank then. =)

[PatrickT]

Originally Posted by lainyflower

She isn't in a busy area or anything, but when I am moving around in my room during the day I don't want to disturb her. What can I do to lessen the sound? Anything that I can put on the outside of the cage? Underneath? Any suggestions help. Thanks.

place her tank on styropor matt, that dodges the vibrations.

[Chris72]

If you think your going to bug your animal with vibration, put it on Aspen.

You are going to get way more 'dampening' from a 1 inch layer of shredded Aspen than from any rubber mat, etc.

...but... Are you sure there is even a problem? Is anything else wrong with shed, feeding, big changes in temperament, etc)


If not, everything is probably just fine.


(Often some of ours pass-out with face mashed up against the front of their tub. I can turn the big lights on and clean others for 2 hours..... Most of them don't wake up until I actually touch them.)

[MDT]

or do nothing like the rest of us and your snake will be fine. nothing dampens vibrations in the wild...they do ok.

[lainyflower]

Originally Posted by MesoCorney

Sounds are vibrations. Hearing is the way a being picks up and the brain translate these signals. I am assuming Aaron means snakes do not have outer ears. They do have internal ear structures and are by no means deaf. The way they hear is similar to the way you can hear when something vibrates on your jaw bone just much more sensitive. Any sound dampening would decrease these vibrations. You could lay a thick blanket over the tank, this would be the easiest solution. Other than that you could surround the tank with noise damping material but these tend to be quite expensive. Also I think what the others were trying say is that the snake senses you with it's taste organs well before it does with it's hearing organs.

You're intelligent. Thank you.

[lainyflower]

Originally Posted by MDT

or do nothing like the rest of us and your snake will be fine. nothing dampens vibrations in the wild...they do ok.

or I'll do my own thing and be a bombA$$ snake momma.

[lainyflower]

Originally Posted by Chris72

If you think your going to bug your animal with vibration, put it on Aspen.

You are going to get way more 'dampening' from a 1 inch layer of shredded Aspen than from any rubber mat, etc.

...but... Are you sure there is even a problem? Is anything else wrong with shed, feeding, big changes in temperament, etc)


If not, everything is probably just fine.


(Often some of ours pass-out with face mashed up against the front of their tub. I can turn the big lights on and clean others for 2 hours..... Most of them don't wake up until I actually touch them.)

Thank you.

Hahahaha that's precious.

[lainyflower]

Originally Posted by PatrickT

place her tank on styropor matt, that dodges the vibrations.

Where can I purchase this?

[lainyflower]

Originally Posted by eminart

I don't think sound dampening materials are going to make much difference unless she comes up with a way to sit the enclosure ON some sort of dampening rubber mat or something. I think the vast majority of the "sound" a snake picks up inside a home is the foot traffic transmitted through the floors. Putting soundproofing on the sides would be akin to silencing a songbird beside a busy interstate for us.

It's true that "deaf" is an oversimplification. Snakes do "hear" through ground vibrations, and may even be able to hear some airborne sounds. But, I think it's fairly safe to assume that they are limited enough with the airborne sounds that there's no need for soundproofing panels. Try yelling at your snake vs. stomping the floor or tapping on the glass (Don't actually terrorize your snake, but anyone who has kept them knows where I'm going with this).

Thank you!!