my ball python needs more exercise?? - Where Responsible Reptile Keepers Connect!

sirens5 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-23-2007, 12:43 PM

I'm not really sure if this is the case but recently the last few times I have had Prada out to play which is a daily occurance he has been in spaz mode trying to go reminding me much of how my corn snake is. My corn Houdini is always on the move. Prada was my chill partner and was usually really happy to be on my stomach under my shirt where it was nice and warm and he would just peep his head out now and then to say hello or maybe slowly travel up my shirt and out the neck for a stretch. Now he is on the move and I constantly have to wrestle him into his enclosure too. He just knows when it is coming and he is getting stronger he is now about 2 1/2 feet long and maybe 2 inch diameter. Is this his age? Or do I need to let him play in the tub or something? Or maybe his enclosure is to small? Would love my chill buddy back.

jwoo1967 · #2 (**permalink**) 11-23-2007, 02:43 PM

my red tail was they same way for about 3 weeks. he DID NOT want to go back and then one day he was cool about going back in. why? i have no idea. so maybe its just a faze. i hope that is the case with your BP

Kobi Baby · #3 (**permalink**) 11-23-2007, 03:06 PM

My BP, Kobi, is usually very chill. She will rest her head on my shoulder and let me carry her like a baby, but then sometimes, she goes 90 to nothing. I guess sometimes they just get hyper like we do! I enjoy it when she gets hyper like that, because it means she is getting exercise. Sometimes when she gets all that energy, I will put her in the tub with a little water and let her slither around. I figure if she's got all that energy, might as well get some swimming exercise, as, in my opinion, works her muscles more than slithering around on the floor. Usually about 10 minutes in the tub settles her down good. (Note: I do not fill the tub higher than her height. Usually about 1.5" in the deep end, and .5" in the shallow end.I also put a washcloth in the shallow end for her to slither over and kind of give herself a little "scrub down"

TammyJ · #4 (**permalink**) 11-23-2007, 03:16 PM

How is the feeding schedule? Should be eating junior rats about every 10-12 days now. Or maybe it's that new cologne you are wearing. How are your temps/humidity? There are experts here that know much more about that than me. Could also be just moody or as my grandmother used to say, "growing pains".

Hope it settles down soon.

sirens5 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-23-2007, 05:48 PM

I can't get Prada to eat rats still doing a large mouse every week and his sheds are really good I always do good soaks for a day or two before a shed when I notice his eyes getting dull. He never regurgitates and poops pretty good though it has been about a week since a poop. he usually waits till I clean his cage lol! I think he does it on purpose. Maybe I will give him a little swim time today in my tub and see how he likes that. The aquarium I usually soak him in is getting a bit small hoping to buy a new enclosure for him in the next couple weeks so he will have more room and then I can use the bigger aquarium he is in now for his soaks. I keep his temps at about 87 at the west end of his enclosure and the cooler end is probably around 78 maybe a tad lower at night. He pretty much keeps to the same spot in his enclosure and both he and my corn snake from time to time get in a burrowing mode and hide under thier water dishes. maybe you are right and he is just getting his energy out and is in a hyper mood. Wish I could just let him slither around but I have a cat so don't think that would be wise of me..

Python05 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-24-2007, 05:52 AM

When I switched my bp to rats I was on large mice and all I did was just tried a pup rat that was a little smaller than the mouse that she was use to. Maybe try it after a shed so she is really hungry so she is over a week with out eating. Or have the place you buy from put the rat in with some mice for 5 minutes or so and then take it home and offer the rat. I just bought a rat slightly smaller and put it in a bag with a mouse and took both home and offered my bp the rat and she took it and then gave the mouse to my salmon boa. Hope something works out some are just more picky than others from what I've heard.

sirens5 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-25-2007, 04:33 AM

I've heard that rats are better for them than mice but figure the mice are keeping him happy for now. I know somehow I am going to have to switch to rats soon cause he is growing like a weed.

Python05 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-25-2007, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirens5

I've heard that rats are better for them than mice but figure the mice are keeping him happy for now. I know somehow I am going to have to switch to rats soon cause he is growing like a weed.

Just try like I said a little bit smaller or same size rat as the mice. It worked for me and now mine is a pig. I fed her one on wednesday one week and sunday I was trying to switch my boa over to rats but wasn't hungry so I just tried giving it to my ball python and she took it with out even thinking about it. It seems to me that they grow a little more on rats for what ever reason.

Kobi Baby · #9 (**permalink**) 11-25-2007, 04:41 AM

When I switched Kobi, my BP, to rats, she started growing faster, so I'm convinced that they have more protein and are more nutritious.

Python05 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-25-2007, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kobi Baby

When I switched Kobi, my BP, to rats, she started growing faster, so I'm convinced that they have more protein and are more nutritious.

I agree totaly! You can just see more muscle in a rat. BTW I'm copying you I took some pics of my BP and in 3 months I'm going to take more size shots to compare. She has grown 4 to 6" since I bought her in August.