Ball Python dunking her head and blowing bubbles

Cclark4108 · 03-28-18, 11:08 AM

Is this Okay? I've never seen this before. She had ants in her tank, so I dumped it, cleaned it, and out in new substrate. It's coconut. Is that all Okay? I also bathed her incase there were any ants on her (we live in the south ants happen) just wanna make Sure she is okay.

Cclark4108 · 03-28-18, 11:18 AM

This is also the first time I've used this particular breand substrate with her. But I had researched that it was good to help with the humidity in her tank.

Albert Clark · 03-28-18, 12:14 PM

Well, depending on the type of ants you have and how much of a colony you and the snake are living with is a consideration. Are you paying special attention to the cleanliness of the enclosure? Coconut fiber based substrate is fine and a good choice. I would be inclined to want to get rid of the ants with either a commercial disc type of ant controller in the perimeters of where the enclosure is or relocate the enclosure to a less infested area.

Cclark4108 · 03-28-18, 12:53 PM

Our home is built on what was a swamp, so the ants come in this time of year. I have many bait traps and there isn't nessicarily a colony of ants, they just come in at random. We plan to spray outside this weekend. For now all of the ants that were there are dead and gone. It was just odd that after bathing she would do this.

Albert Clark · 03-28-18, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cclark4108

Our home is built on what was a swamp, so the ants come in this time of year. I have many bait traps and there isn't nessicarily a colony of ants, they just come in at random. We plan to spray outside this weekend. For now all of the ants that were there are dead and gone. It was just odd that after bathing she would do this.

Gotcha! Ball pythons live with ants and termites in the wild but we as keepers are always trying to reduce stresses in captivity. Which is the right thing. As long as the snake is dunking bc of bites from ants and not mites then we are ok. Lol.

Cclark4108 · 03-28-18, 03:08 PM

Yes, no mites at all. She doesn't seem very happy with the new substrate either. She is back out in my lap right now covered up in her towel. Lol I'm okay with snake snuggles though. I just always want to make sure they are well cared for as before us her and her brother were not.

Shauna0522 · 03-30-18, 12:33 AM

I get ants in my house sometimes as well and after discovering that there was a couple in her home I got rid of them and I now keep a parameter of diatomaceous earth around the outside of her enclosure that way I know that if the ants try to make there way up into her home they will die.