VERY active ball python

Tyler99 · 11-23-04, 01:59 PM

I dont think its a probelm, but I have noticed my ball python is always climbing/crawling all over! I also have noticed she doesnt really sleep in her hide that much? When she DOES sleep, she sleeps behind her water bowel?

Is she diurnal or something? I mean every one says most of the time, there bps are asleep?

BoidKeeper · 11-23-04, 02:05 PM

The cage could be too hot and it is trying to find a decent place to rest. What are the temps and how are you heating the cage. Friends of mine once told me that their ball always stayed behind the water bowl. When I went over with my reytek we found out why. It was the coolest part of the cage at 97.
Cheers,
Trevor

Slannesh · 11-23-04, 02:08 PM

Normally my BP starts doing the 'cruising' his cage thing when he's hungry... though he does occasionally just wander around at night a lot.

You'll have to go through the standard battery of questions before anyone will be able to take a shot at seeing if anything is wrong.

So...

How big is the enclosure?

Substrate?

Temps and what are you using to heat the cage?

Humidity?

Age of snake?

How big and how often do you feed?

Bartman · 11-23-04, 02:14 PM

I officially found out mine only comes out to roam is usually when he is hungry, because thats the only times he takes a meal. So its usually about once every 2 or 3 weeks. If I try in between he always refuses. It could very much be that hes just hungry.

How often are you feeding him is important, along with the temps as slannesh and Trevor said.

Tyler99 · 11-23-04, 02:45 PM

Hot part:low 99s
Heated with: a reptile bulb
Cool part: around 80
A baby
Every week( I think I know why, I have to upgrade his food)

See, last week this is when it started happening, I went to upgrade his food, but some guy bought alot of mice, aND THEY ONLY HAD A FEW HOPPERS LEFT, SOME A GOT A HOPPER.

Sorry about the capitol letters.

BoidKeeper · 11-23-04, 02:56 PM

What are you using to measure the temps with? Is he in an open top glass tank with a screen lid? What is the wattage of the bulb? Is it a red or black bulb that doesn't give off much light or is it clear? How big is the water bowl?
Cheers,
Trevor

Tyler99 · 11-23-04, 03:39 PM

Im using a zoo med. Its like a dial.

About the screen and bulb wattages. On the weekend I am going to buy rubbermaid container for her. I will probally heat it with a human heat pad, or heat tape.

BoidKeeper · 11-23-04, 03:45 PM

Then in the mean time you don't know how hot the cage is. Those termometers are garbage. They measure the air temp on the side of the glass where they are stuck.
What size is the tank?
Wha size is the water bowl?
How many watts is the bulb and is it coloured or clear?
The tank can be used they just take more attention to detail.
The heat pad is the better choice though.
Cheers,
Trevor

Tyler99 · 11-23-04, 04:14 PM

Err...I cant really say how big the water bowel is, butthe snake can fit in it...Id say MABYE 7 inches long?

Clear.
I THINK its a 75 watt?

Clear.

Yeah, I know but a rubber maid would be easyer for me, and the snake.

When the snake is out of the 20 gallon tank, I want to get an albino or fantisy pacman frog for it.

Tim_Cranwill · 11-23-04, 04:42 PM

Pictures?

Slannesh · 11-23-04, 04:48 PM

if the dial thermomenter says the ambient air temp is in the 90's your hot spot is likely much higher than that.

WalMart around here sells cheap digital thermometers with a probe for about $8. For $15 you can get a better one that keeps track of min/max as well. I'd suggest getting one of those and a human heat pad to use as an UTH.

In the meantime I think the temp is probably too high on your hot side, move the lamp a little further away from the enclosure.

Tyler99 · 11-23-04, 04:48 PM

Of the enclosure?? If so, I will try whenever I get my grandpas camera.

I am taking your advise, bartman, so I will be moving Medusa into a rubbermaid.

nita · 11-23-04, 07:31 PM

Cool name by the way, I also have a Medusa!

BoidKeeper · 11-23-04, 07:44 PM

The bulb is clear and always giving off light. Are you turing it off at night and if so is there any other heat source? Some people turn their lights off at night but then the snake can get too cold. This is where a coloured bulb or heat emitter is better and a heat pad is best. The heat source can be left on all the time. 75 watt on a 20g even if its a 20g high is almost certainly too hot. But with out a proper thermostate it's imposible to know.
Trevor

Tim_Cranwill · 11-23-04, 07:46 PM

Yup, a picture of the enclosure with some details such as temps, room traffic, and the snake's activites and you'll get a ton of usefull feedback.