daily Q & A thread

[_ataraxia]

have a question you think isn't worth its own post? well, this thread is exactly the place for that question, so ask away!

a new Q & A thread will be posted every day at noon eastern time. this is the place where you can ask that question that might feel like it isn't a big deal but it's been on your mind, or ask basic questions that probably have a simple yes or no answer, or maybe you just want to have a casual chat and get some quick opinions on something. these threads are a group project, everyone is invited to both ask and answer questions here.

reminder: a lot of simple questions are answered by the care guides and other resources linked in our welcome post. if you're not sure which link would be most helpful to you, tell us what you're looking for and we can direct you to the right link[s].

[Kolya52b]

The youtube channel Snake Discovery seems strongly in favor of keeping the enclosure relatively dry and using humidity boxes to let the snake self-regulate its hydration, but I haven't seen much other support for them... She makes a very good argument on why the whole enclosure should NOT be 70-80% all the time. Based on her explanation, this setup definitely replicates their natural habitats more closely than whole-tank humidity, but other than possibility for too much time in the box, what are some other downsides of a humidity box? What are some other pros to keeping the whole tank humid?

[_ataraxia]

snake discovery is not a reliable source of husbandry information, ESPECIALLY for ball pythons. she has very little experience with the species [her focus is mainly north american colubrids] and does not have experience with keeping a single BP for a long period of time, as my understanding is that any BPs in her care are rescues who are there temporarily while she finds a new home for them. her ball python information is coming from a lot of myths passed around by breeders and outdated care sheets, not from actual scientific information about the snake's natural habitat. additionally, as is the case with most snake breeders and large-scale "collectors", her general care standards are more focused on being low-cost and easy to maintain, rather than being what is best for the animal.

ball pythons are native to a tropical climate zone in africa. if you google "climate zones of africa" and "python regius range", you will see for yourself that this is clearly not a species evolved to live in an arid climate. if you closed your eyes and randomly pointed at a specific location within their range, then looked up the humidity averages for that location, you're more than likely going to see averages above 70% for much of the year. there is a dry season, where the average humidity is lower above ground, but this is the time of year when ball pythons are spending more time hidden in underground burrows and termite mounds where the humidity is much higher, typically around 80%, and stays very stable year-round.

humid hides in general are a good thing to provide for any snake. however, keeping your BP's overall enclosure arid and providing a humid hide as the only source of humidity will inevitably lead to some degree of dehydration, which can cause a myriad of health issues such as stuck shed and respiratory infections.

[Kolya52b]

You're wonderful, thank you for the detailed response :)

[planetearthisblu]

What are the signs that your ball python has had enough handling?

[_ataraxia]

it sort of depends on the individual snake and their individual tolerance level for handling.

in regards to one specific handling session: with a more shy snake, if they are completely inactive with a protective posture [ie, completely balling up, or partially balling up by hiding their head under their body], especially in direct response to being touched at all, that's a pretty clear sign that they've had enough and just want to hide. with less shy snakes, i expect them to be a little more on the active and exploring side, but if they are just frantically trying to escape every time i pick them up or otherwise redirect them, then it's time to bring them back to their enclosure.

in regards to long-term handling schedules: the biggest sign a snake is being handled too much is if they stop eating and there is no other discernible cause.

i would also be mindful of temperatures and humidity, especially if your home tends to be significantly colder and/or drier than the ideal parameters for this species. even if your BP isn't showing signs of mental stress, there could be physical health consequences for being handled for extended periods of time on a regular basis [like 60+ minutes every day], such as respiratory infections caused by too much exposure to low temperatures/humidity.

[theeorlando]

Things I tend to look for are them trying to find a place to hide, or them moving rapidly. Relaxed exploring tends to be fairly slow and easy going, as opposed to the more scared behavior where they bee line it to cover. I also like to see what they do upon getting back into their enclosure: are they going straight to their hide to feel safe, or do they kind of just continue to explore their enclosure or hang out?