The first way is to soak your Ball python about an inch of (just warmer than room temperature) water for 30 minutes. The second way you can help is by dampening a paper towel with warm water, twisting out the excess water and placing in a tub. Then, let your Ball python cruise around for 30 minutes to 1 hour.[1]
Do Ball Pythons Like Baths?
Short answer: No. Ball pythons are not a species that are seen regularly soaking in their water bowls. With that in mind, if your ball python is often seen soaking in their water bowl it is most likely a sign of something incorrect in their husbandry or something wrong with the animal.Feb 20, 2019[2]
Why Is My Ball Python Wagging Its Tail
Tail Wagging
Ball pythons will wag their tail when breeding or feeding, but high arousal can also lead to stress. When you see tail wagging when you are not feeding and it’s not breeding season, then this shows a very stressed pet.[3]
Why Is My Ball Python Wagging Her Tail?
Tail vibration is a common behavior in some snakes where the tail is vibrated rapidly as a defensive response to a potential predator. Tail vibration should not be confused with where the tail is twitched in order to attract prey.[4]
Do Snakes Wag Their Tail?
While rattles are rare among snakes, tail shaking is common. Some species wave their tails as a visual lure to attract small prey—say a curious mouse—into striking range.[5]
How Can You Tell If Your Ball Python Is Happy?
Signs a Snake Is Comfortable1Casual Tongue Flicking. When a snake flicks its tongue in the air, it is tasting the air and ingesting chemical samples. … 2Casual Movement. A happy snake can appear lazy as it ambles and slowly slides around its enclosure. … 3Casual Alertness. … 4Casual Grip. … 5Casual Behaviour.[6]
What Are Signs Of A Healthy Ball Python?
7 Signs You Have a Healthy Ball PythonClear eyes. Snake’s eye color will seem to change during its shedding period, turning blue and cloudy. … Active. Ball pythons typically spend the majority of their waking hours in hiding. … Hiding/Burrowing. … Good appetite. … Quiet, unlabored breathing. … Normal scale color. … Sheds in one piece.[7]
Why Do Ball Python Yawn
Get Ready to Eat
Ball pythons often yawn when they are getting ready to feed. By performing a simple yawn, the jaw of the pet realigns or repositions itself in preparation for swallowing a whole prey.Oct 13, 2021[8]
What Does It Mean When Your Snake Yawns?
The obvious one is that they are yawning to increase their levels of oxygen as their airways are being restricted by the meal. The other potential reason why snakes yawn at this time is because they are trying to realign or stretch the ligaments in their lower jaw that were stretched as they consumed their meal.[9]
Why Is My Ball Python Opening Its Mouth?
This is generally a sign of a very sick snake. Open-mouth breathing is never normal in snakes. Although the most likely cause is a respiratory condition, it can also be seen with gastrointestinal disease and severe pain. Most respiratory problems are rooted in poor husbandry.[10]
Do Ball Pythons Yawn When Tired?
A snake may “yawn,” or utilize this mouth-gaping technique, as a means to limber up and stretch out these ligaments before consuming a meal.[11]
Do Snakes Yawn When Stressed?
Snakes may yawn if they feel threatened, tired, stressed out over too much noise and activity going on around them (a cage mate moving around all day), or just bored with nothing interesting to do. They’ll also display this behavior after waking up from a long nap – quite literally, they’ll stretch and yawn.[12]
How To Raise Humidity For Ball Python
How to Increase Humidity in Ball Python TankEnsure that the enclosure is well heated throughout. … Use a large shallow water bowl that will maximize atmospheric exchange and increase humidity. … Partially cover some of the ventilation holes. … Use a high-quality absorbent substrate. … Mist the enclosure regularly.[13]
How Do I Raise The Humidity In My Snake Cage?
5 Ways to Increase Humidity for Reptiles1Spraying the enclosure. The most common method of increasing humidity in the enclosure is to spray the enclosure. … 2Including a water bowl on the warm end. … 3Moving water sources e.g. large pools or waterfalls. … 4Absorbent bedding and decorations. … 5Foggers and humidifiers.[14]
What Humidity Is Too Low For Ball Python?
Low Humidity
Anything below 45% humidity for a long period of time can cause shedding problems (e.g. stuck shed). If a ball python cannot properly shed its skin, this can cause several health issues: It can result in patches of stuck shed, particularly on the eyes, which can cause problems with vision.[15]
What Is The Ideal Humidity For A Ball Python?
Ball pythons seem to prefer humidity levels of 50 to 60 percent. Maintaining proper humidity will allow your ball python to shed properly.[16]
Why Is My Ball Python Rubbing Its Face
When your ball python explores its enclosure, it will use its nose and face to feel and explore new things. It’s not uncommon for these snakes to do face rub when they feel a little stressed.[17]
Why Is My Snake Rubbing Against The Glass?
Snakes glass surf for various reasons. It may be because they’re unfamiliar with their glass enclosure and are trying to explore. It can also be a sign of husbandry issues, such as being too warm, hungry, or stressed.[18]
What Are Signs Of A Stressed Ball Python?
14 Signs That Show That Your Snake Is StressedLoss Of Appetite.Weight Loss.Rubbing Their Nose Against Objects In Their Tank.Hissing.Striking.Attempting To Escape. Make Sure To Check The Following To Keep Your Snake From Escaping:Tail Rattling And Vibration.Regurgitation.[19]
How Do You Calm A Stressed Ball Python?
How to Calm Down a Snake1Move Slowly. Quick movements can frighten snakes and send them into fight or flight mode. … 2Good Behavior. Snakes typically react to handling with fear or, if they are calm and relaxed, curiosity. … 3Guide, Don’t Restrain. … 4Cutting Your Losses. … 5Provide a Comforting Home.[20]
How Do You Know If Your Ball Python Is Hurt?
What is this? Defensive bites can be less predictable, but a snake’s body language will usually provide several warnings that a bite may be imminent. Things like hissing and maintaining a tense body posture are two of the best signs that indicate your snake may be feeling frightened.[21]
How Big Is The Biggest Ball Python
One study on wild male species found the largest individual was 4.5 feet long, but this is unusual. The smallest measured adult male was only two feet long. Female Ball Pythons are much larger due to their genetically faster growth rate.[22]
What Is The Largest Ball Python Recorded?
Key Points. The largest python ever was around 26.25 feet long (8 meters) and weighed roughly 550lbs (250kg).Jun 21, 2022[23]
How Many Mice Do You Feed A Ball Python
Your ball python should now be a consistent weight (unless it is being used for breeding) and your feeding schedule should not need to change. Most adults are happy with a single medium rat, two small rats, or 4-5 large adult mice every one to two months.[24]
How Much Mice Should I Feed My Snake?
Most snakes should be fed a size of prey that is about the same size around as the snake’s body at its widest point.[25]
How Many Mice Do Snakes Eat Per Week?
1–2 large adult mice every week or two. “Adults are typically fed every 10 days. However, it should be noted that some hobbyists feed adult snakes once a week.”[26]
How To Tell If Ball Python Is Overweight
SymptomsScale wrinkling/folding.Visible skin between scales.Round shape.Fat rolls near the head or cloaca.Feels squishy during handling, not firm.Body may appear segmented.[27]
Can Ball Pythons Be Overweight?
Obesity is a common condition in pet pythons, especially Aspidites species (woma and black headed pythons) and water pythons (Liasus fuscus). Snakes are generally kept in small enclosures, where their ability to exercise is limited, and they are often fed high fat foods too frequently.[28]
How Big Is Too Big For A Ball Python?
Males are between 2.5 to 3.5 feet long by the time they reach three years old. One study on wild male species found the largest individual was 4.5 feet long, but this is unusual. The smallest measured adult male was only two feet long. Female Ball Pythons are much larger due to their genetically faster growth rate.[29]
What Happens If You Overfeed A Ball Python?
Power feeding means feeding a ball python more than once a week. This is a controversial practice that is used by some ball python breeders to rapidly increase their snake’s weight. Power feeding quickly leads to obesity and can shorten your snake’s lifespan. It should not be done.[30]
Resources
[1]https://www.bhbreptiles.com/pages/ball-python-care-sheet
[2]https://www.goherping.com/single-post/2019/02/20/should-you-bathesoak-your-ball-python
[3]https://thepetenthusiast.com/ball-python-happy-and-stress-signs/
[4]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tail_vibration
[5]https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/montana-outdoors/2015/tails.pdf
[6]https://petkeen.com/how-to-tell-if-snake-is-happy/
[7]https://www.xyzreptiles.com/what-are-the-signs-of-a-healthy-ball-python/
[8]https://beingreptiles.com/ball-python-yawning/
[9]https://www.reptilerange.com/why-do-snakes-yawn-snake-opening-mouth/
[10]https://reptilesmagazine.com/snake-health-101/
[11]https://reptileroommate.com/why-do-snakes-yawn/
[12]https://reptileprofy.com/why-do-snakes-yawn/
[13]https://reptile.guide/ball-python-humidity/
[14]https://www.reptilecentre.com/blog/2020/02/5-ways-to-increase-humidity-for-reptiles/
[15]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/ball-python-humidity/
[16]https://reptilesmagazine.com/ball-python-care-sheet/
[17]https://thepetenthusiast.com/why-is-my-ball-python-rubbing-its-face/
[18]https://reptilecraze.com/why-your-snake-is-glass-surfing/
[19]https://reptilecraze.com/signs-that-show-that-your-snake-is-stressed/
[20]https://animals.mom.com/calm-down-snake-10358.html
[21]https://www.terrariumquest.com/ball-python/bite/
[22]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/how-big-do-ball-pythons-get/
[23]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/discover-the-largest-python-ever-to-live-26-feet/
[24]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/ball-python-feeding/
[25]https://www.thesprucepets.com/what-size-prey-should-i-feed-my-pet-snake-1239478
[26]https://rethinkpriorities.org/publications/rodents-farmed-for-pet-snake-food
[27]https://reptifiles.com/ball-python-care-guide/ball-python-diseases-health/obesity/
[28]https://www.birdexoticsvet.com.au/new-blog/2020/6/16/obesity-in-pythons
[29]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/how-big-do-ball-pythons-get/
[30]https://www.everythingreptiles.com/ball-python-feeding/