How lazy is normal?

Nafun · 05-30-10, 12:31 PM

I only have one, so I have no basis for comparison between specimens. I know ball pythons aren't a very active snake, but mine seems docile to the point of silliness.

For example, twenty minutes ago, I picked him up, looped his tail over his branch, and left him to dangle. He's still there. He's moved, perhaps 3 inches, he moved his head so he could look around. If I pick him up and set him down somewhere, he just sits there, for at least an hour in most cases, is this normal? It's not a fear response. He doesn't ball up, he just seems content to be wherever he happens to be.

Is this level of laziness normal? He's a yearling.

infernalis · 05-30-10, 03:38 PM

I'm no expert, but my BP is downright boring. he does explore his cage maybe once a month, usually when he does, he's telling me he wants food, because if I feed him, he goes back up under his hide for like a week before I see him again.

That's one reason why I like garter snakes and racers, they are busy and active a lot.

Lankyrob · 05-30-10, 04:23 PM

Our BP seems to be active from til about 10am in the morning and after 10pm at night but during the day i have actually checked on him cos i thought he was dead! May change as he gets older tho - he is only a baby.

shaunyboy · 05-31-10, 07:04 AM

Nafun,he's probaly thinking " heh this is great,wheres that big guy who carrys me around my tank,i really feel like hanging off a branch but i really cant be bothered moving.come on hurry up big guy i need to move " haha

and i thought my snakes were spoiled rotten,haha

just had a thought,ive got a 17 year old son thats just like your ball.my son would happily let me or his mum carry him from room to room.maybe he's a reincarnation of a ball python,haha

cheers shaun

infernalis · 05-31-10, 08:07 AM

My step daughter Samantha will sit on her bum all day "bring me this, bring me that" so I know all about reincarnated BP "souls"

marvelfreak · 05-31-10, 02:30 PM

My BP almost always pops his head out when i go in the room. If he smells food he's all over the cage. All my snakes but, my borneo get active around dusk.(8 pm) If i get my BP out and set him down within a minute he's taking off. My snakes are more active than any of my three teenagers. So what have we learn today? Bp are lazy, but teenagers are lazier. lol

Nafun · 06-01-10, 01:20 AM

How lazy is this snake?
He finished his shed cycle today, so I decided to offer him a rat.

He was hiding in the top of his bird house hide, I wiggled the rat with the feeding tongs in front of it. He grabbed it, and drug it into the bird house, and ate it, without ever leaving the hide. He even managed to shed in the hide (found the skin in a pile on the bottom).

I think if I shrink wrapped this snake, he'd still have more space than he needs.

Paradise · 06-01-10, 03:15 AM

Hi Nafun there are a few things you can check to make sure if your BP is just really lazy. Firstly BPs generally content with where they are unless looking for food in some cases you will have to take the food to him as well. ok so this is probably obvious stuff but heat and humidity can affect the BP either too much or too little is not good also the subtrate you use is very important and if you are using any live plants in the enclosure could also affect the BP. A lot of our local pretty plant life is poisonous in some way or the other so we generally advise our clients to use fake silk plants lastly is feeding. Is your BP eating regularly, if so are you feeding him enough? If you have check all these and they have no bearing on your situation or enclosure or if the BP still does not seem to be moving around as he should then it would be best to take him to a good herpe vet

mykee · 06-01-10, 07:34 AM

You need to throw all conventional thought about snakes on captivity pacing thier cages and looking alive out the window when dealing with ball pythons; they are one lazy SOB snake.
It's what attracted me to them in the first place; they're just like me: fat, lazy, but sexxxy as hell...

shaunyboy · 06-01-10, 11:17 AM

It's what attracted me to them in the first place; they're just like me: fat, lazy, but sexxxy as hell...[/quote]

Nafun · 06-01-10, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paradise

Hi Nafun there are a few things you can check to make sure if your BP is just really lazy. Firstly BPs generally content with where they are unless looking for food in some cases you will have to take the food to him as well. ok so this is probably obvious stuff but heat and humidity can affect the BP either too much or too little is not good also the subtrate you use is very important and if you are using any live plants in the enclosure could also affect the BP. A lot of our local pretty plant life is poisonous in some way or the other so we generally advise our clients to use fake silk plants lastly is feeding. Is your BP eating regularly, if so are you feeding him enough? If you have check all these and they have no bearing on your situation or enclosure or if the BP still does not seem to be moving around as he should then it would be best to take him to a good herpe vet

Oh, don't worry, I know all about all of that. No live plants, substrate is astroturf, temp gradiant of 95 at basking spot to 79 at cold hide, Humidity is maintained between 50-70% (70-80 during shed) monitored with 2 digital hygrometers. Hot, middle, and cool hides. I also took him to the vet and had him checked for parasites when I got him. Anything that went into his enclosure from outside was baked in the oven at 250 for a minimum of 2 hours.

I just only have *one* ball python. It's my experience in snakes that when they're handled, when you put them down they either bolt for cover, or turn and coil to strike. Mister Slithers, however, just lays there, and I wondered if this level of laziness and docility was normal as I had no basis for comparison. Hence my original question, "How lazy is normal?"

Paradise · 06-02-10, 01:09 AM

Well my red tail is also lazy but he is handled very often so maybe the handling has something has something to do with it. The only time he fight or resists is when I try put him back in the enclosure. He is at home in my arms

Nafun · 06-02-10, 02:04 AM

My bp is a little nippy still, I've only had him about 100 days. He hasn't actually struck at me in several weeks, but I still handle him cautiously.

My carpet on the other hand.... jesus christ. I wouldn't handle her without gloves if you paid me.

Lankyrob · 06-02-10, 04:18 AM

Guess we have been lucky - our BP is very young (jsut had second feed - fussy git!) - which we have been told is the most nippy time for BP - yet he is more docile and "happy" to be held than our adult corn!!

kayleegrace · 06-08-10, 08:27 PM

I have a bp and that sounds like exactly what he does sometimes he will be active at night but I believe that this complety normal.. They I will put him around my neck and he will not move until I put him back In his viv.. Haha
So do you have a bp and a jcp or do u have more cause that is exactly what I have... Haha