Comments on: Captive Care of the Ball or Royal Python, Python regius – Part 2 http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2009/02/18/captive-care-of-the-ball-or-royal-python-python-regius-part-2/ That Pet Place Reptile Blog Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:38:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: findiviglio http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2009/02/18/captive-care-of-the-ball-or-royal-python-python-regius-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4589 findiviglio Tue, 15 Feb 2011 04:23:25 +0000 http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/?p=253#comment-4589 Hello Kim, Frank Indiviglio here. Thanks for your interesting post and the kind words, much appreciated. With most snakes, you can relate fasts to breeding seasons or to internal “clocks” that respond to conditions in their natural habitats. Unfortunately this seems not to be the case with ball pythons; despite generations of captive breeding, they continue to exhibit this behavior – but it is not clearly tied to, for example, the dry season in their natural range. Even long term captives – 50+ years in one case (the longest lived captive snake known) continue with unpredictable fasts. But they are very good at adjusting their metabolisms to suit their needs (please see <a href="http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2009/04/29/research-news-how-snakes-survive-and-continue-to-grow-despite-food-deprivation/" rel="nofollow">this article</a> for an example) – as long as your snake has fed regularly in the past, 3 weeks is of no consequence – indeed, 3 months is not unusual. Snakes fed on live rodents sometimes take awhile to adjust to pre-killed food…but best to stay with dead prey; ball pythons never become confirmed live-food specialists as might other species. An old trick is to “hide” food within a cave; no research behind this, but it seems that tracking and “finding” the food kicks many individuals into feeding mode. Spraying the terrarium each day is sometimes helpful as well – just be sure the snake has a warm basking spot and that the cage dries out thoroughly. If they are housed together, it may be that the female is stressed by the presence of the other. They show very few external signs of stress, but it is an important concept – ball pythons are solitary in the wild and so separating them might be helpful (usually helps in future breeding as well, if that is your goal…“absence makes the heart grow fonder” and all…!). Be sure also that the snake has a small, dark, hiding spot. Good luck and please take notes – maybe you’ll be the one to break their code. Please let me know how all goes, Best regards, Frank Indiviglio. Hello Kim, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interesting post and the kind words, much appreciated.

With most snakes, you can relate fasts to breeding seasons or to internal “clocks” that respond to conditions in their natural habitats. Unfortunately this seems not to be the case with ball pythons; despite generations of captive breeding, they continue to exhibit this behavior – but it is not clearly tied to, for example, the dry season in their natural range. Even long term captives – 50+ years in one case (the longest lived captive snake known) continue with unpredictable fasts. But they are very good at adjusting their metabolisms to suit their needs (please see this article for an example) – as long as your snake has fed regularly in the past, 3 weeks is of no consequence – indeed, 3 months is not unusual.

Snakes fed on live rodents sometimes take awhile to adjust to pre-killed food…but best to stay with dead prey; ball pythons never become confirmed live-food specialists as might other species.

An old trick is to “hide” food within a cave; no research behind this, but it seems that tracking and “finding” the food kicks many individuals into feeding mode. Spraying the terrarium each day is sometimes helpful as well – just be sure the snake has a warm basking spot and that the cage dries out thoroughly.

If they are housed together, it may be that the female is stressed by the presence of the other. They show very few external signs of stress, but it is an important concept – ball pythons are solitary in the wild and so separating them might be helpful (usually helps in future breeding as well, if that is your goal…“absence makes the heart grow fonder” and all…!). Be sure also that the snake has a small, dark, hiding spot.

Good luck and please take notes – maybe you’ll be the one to break their code. Please let me know how all goes,

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

]]> By: Kim http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2009/02/18/captive-care-of-the-ball-or-royal-python-python-regius-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4588 Kim Tue, 15 Feb 2011 00:32:24 +0000 http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/?p=253#comment-4588 Hello Frank, I find your articles very informative. Thank you. I have two ball pythons, a 3-month old and a 11-month old. The younger is a male named Henry and the elder is female (yet to be named). I have a concern about the female, she seems to be in good health and is from a reputable reptile store. My mother knows the owner personally and does all her business there. But she won't eat. It's been going on 3 weeks since she ate last. I read a few of your articles that state this can be normal. However, she did not exhibit this behavior prior to purchase. We have tried frozen (thawed and then warmed) mice and rats as well as live baby rats. The store we bought her from said they fed her live mice and rats. Henry (the male), did not have any problem eating even after the trauma of purchase and moving and being a Christmas present (packaged in a small gift box for about 5 mins). If you have any other info on this habit of fasting or any other resources I should check out, I would greatly appreciate it. Keep up the great info. Thank you for getting the word out about these amazing creatures. Thanks again, Kim Hello Frank,
I find your articles very informative. Thank you. I have two ball pythons, a 3-month old and a 11-month old. The younger is a male named Henry and the elder is female (yet to be named). I have a concern about the female, she seems to be in good health and is from a reputable reptile store. My mother knows the owner personally and does all her business there. But she won’t eat. It’s been going on 3 weeks since she ate last. I read a few of your articles that state this can be normal. However, she did not exhibit this behavior prior to purchase. We have tried frozen (thawed and then warmed) mice and rats as well as live baby rats. The store we bought her from said they fed her live mice and rats. Henry (the male), did not have any problem eating even after the trauma of purchase and moving and being a Christmas present (packaged in a small gift box for about 5 mins). If you have any other info on this habit of fasting or any other resources I should check out, I would greatly appreciate it. Keep up the great info. Thank you for getting the word out about these amazing creatures.

Thanks again,
Kim

]]> By: findiviglio http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2009/02/18/captive-care-of-the-ball-or-royal-python-python-regius-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4339 findiviglio Sun, 21 Nov 2010 16:56:06 +0000 http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/?p=253#comment-4339 Hello Brett, Frank Indiviglio here. Thanks for your interest in our blog. A ball python is a fine choice – one at the Philadelphia zoo lived for 50+ years, so you may have a long time to enjoy your pet! Please write in with any questions you may have. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted. Best regards, Frank Indiviglio. Hello Brett, Frank Indiviglio here.

Thanks for your interest in our blog. A ball python is a fine choice – one at the Philadelphia zoo lived for 50+ years, so you may have a long time to enjoy your pet! Please write in with any questions you may have.

Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.

Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.

]]> By: ball python care http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2009/02/18/captive-care-of-the-ball-or-royal-python-python-regius-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-4338 ball python care Sun, 21 Nov 2010 07:33:31 +0000 http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/?p=253#comment-4338 I just got my first pet snake and I decided on a ball python. I love it and now I'm reading all about it online so I can take great care of it I just got my first pet snake and I decided on a ball python. I love it and now I’m reading all about it online so I can take great care of it

]]> By: Reptiles Now More Popular Than Dogs | ChoosingThePerfectPet http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2009/02/18/captive-care-of-the-ball-or-royal-python-python-regius-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-613 Reptiles Now More Popular Than Dogs | ChoosingThePerfectPet Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:46:43 +0000 http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/?p=253#comment-613 [...] Captive Care of the Ball or Royal Python, Python regius - Part 2 ... [...] [...] Captive Care of the Ball or Royal Python, Python regius – Part 2 … [...]

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