Question about behavior in enclosure...

[OlWolf]

I know Balls are ground-based snakes - but if one is placed in a taller enclosure, will they seek UP as well?
I'm debating about whether I can get a taller enclosure and plant epiphytes on the upper back wall - will the Ball mess with them, or stay on the bottom.

[TRD]

Juveniles and male balls tend to be semi-arboreal.. females will climb too in a vivarium because well, from the snake's perspective, even a 5' high enclosure isn't arboreal at all... bushes grow higher.

[craigafrechette]

It honestly varies animal to animal, but juveniles and males do tend to climb more frequently than others though.
If you want to find out of your snake is a climber or not try setting your snake on a dining room or kitchen chair, something climbable with spindles or something similar. If the snake always climbs down you probably don't have a climber.

[bigsnakegirl785]

It will likely use it, especially if you offer climbing from a young age. Adults who haven't been allowed to climb are a lot less likely to be willing to climb, and won't be as adept as they missed the window to build proper neural networks and muscle structure for regular climbing. They'll still benefit from it if they use it, but they'll be very clumsy, but keep in mind snakes do the majority of their activity away from our eyes, so I wouldn't assume just because you don't see it climbing that it isn't climbing. Unless you have a camera on it 24/7 lol, some people do set up little nighttime cameras, and get some awesome footage that they never would have seen otherwise.

[OlWolf]

Thanks, Folks!

[kazz]

Originally Posted by OlWolf

I know Balls are ground-based snakes - but if one is placed in a taller enclosure, will they seek UP as well?
I'm debating about whether I can get a taller enclosure and plant epiphytes on the upper back wall - will the Ball mess with them, or stay on the bottom.