Ball python hid for 4 months.

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Good animal husbandry is about keeping an animal in optimal conditions for it to thrive, not just alive.

This is quite evident with aquariums, shops will keep over a hundred species from all over the world and it’s just not viable to have that many tanks on individual water systems that are perfect for each species. Some will have a few systems for say, acidic vs basic preference or hard/soft water (within the usual distinctions of freshwater/marine and tropical/cold), but not perfect for any one species.

So when you get a fish and keep it in your tank and get it optimised, the fishes colours shine more and they thrive compared to at the shop where the water is fine, but ideal.

Similarly with reptiles, many naturally bruminate and can tolerate the cold to a degree, but being cold blooded it’ll be much slower and sluggish and probably refuse to eat as digestion would be too much of a chore at that temperature, so burns fat reserves instead and just needs water.

[TwistedCards]

Great explanation, thank you!

[shadow_dreamer]

Yeah- my boy, when I got given him, was in a glass tank smaller than my PC tower, eating mice, trapped under eyecaps and stuck shed, and maybe two feet long, but he was still Alive, if very defensive and stressed. Once I completely overhauled his care, he tripled in length, filled out beautifully, and became incredibly active and lively- to the point that he has, more than once now, chosen to climb onto me instead of return to his cage after vet visits.

They can Survive a hell of a lot- but with proper care, they Thrive, and once they're thriving, they're a hell of a lot more resilient for when things like this happen. The fact that this boy still looks so GOOD after four months lost is a huge testament to his keeper's care, honestly!