Ball Python Hibernation Period..

StaticKaos · #1 (**permalink**) 03-03-2003, 04:08 AM

K.. We some broke peoples so we keep our heat on low..So I got scared leaving my BP in his big cage cuz its harder to keep warm..So i moved em to a 20 gallon where its warmer an he's fine..He's startin to wake up tho, crawlin around at night an in tha water bowl.. Does this mean hes comin out of his winter period or what? Plus, I havent fed em in a couple months (theres no signs of physically effects, its cuz he wouldnt eat cuz he was sleeping).. When u think i should bring back tha food?? thanks..

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XzyluM · #2 (**permalink**) 03-03-2003, 04:54 AM

Balls do not hibernate. They however will go on a winter fast; this depends from snake to snake. It's best to offer food about every week and see if they will eat.
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#3 (**permalink**) 03-03-2003, 10:39 PM

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>It's best to offer food about every week and see if they will eat. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Hmm.. Offer every week ? WHY? What if the snake is an older one that requires a feeding every 10 days ? Wouldn't you then offer the food every 10 days if that were the case ?

How old is the snake static ? What is it's normal feeding schedule [ when it does feed?]
No matter.. I would offer the prey at the regular feeding intervals that they snake has been kept on [ when it feeds that is.]

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#4 (**permalink**) 03-03-2003, 10:42 PM

Oh and also...Seeing that B.P. could stand for either Ball Python or Burmese Python.. I went and changed your title for the post to state BAll Python too. While I was at it I also fixed your spelling error on the hYbernation too [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] That way people would be able to find this post when doing a search on the site for relative information [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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StaticKaos · #5 (**permalink**) 03-04-2003, 03:40 AM

haha okay lori.. I'm not sure of exact age but I'd say about a year maybe.. The snake isn't very active and doesn't seem hungry..I tried feedin it once recently an it had NO interest in the food at all.. Im thinkin its juss a fast I guess because it hasn't lost any weight..Noticeably atleast.. What can I do to promote activity for em??
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#6 (**permalink**) 03-04-2003, 08:21 AM

OK..Then I take it the snake usually feeds more like every 10 days also when it does eat right ?

Just offer either every 10 days or even every two weeks until it does get back to eating basically. Balls are known for doing something like this at this time of year anyways. Long as the snake is not losing noticable weight and is otherwise healthy.. You'll be the one stressing more than the snake while it is off of the feeding. lol.
Most of them that do this go back on feeding in like April..so just hang in there for a lil while longer....

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JuliusSqueezer · #7 (**permalink**) 03-04-2003, 02:32 PM

Something that is bothering me about this post is your problem with keeping temps up in your cages because of the ambient room temp. You do know that you can use higher wattage bulbs to get more heat right? and add a moderate wattage red or black light for night heating if needed. cover part of the screen to help hold in heat and humidity...It can be a pain but it's all part of it. I have to maintain about 50 cages here and almost none are alike. With every season change, comes new sets of problems or blessings to address or take advantage of.

It doesn't get very cold or even cool in the grasslands and tropical forests of Africa. So your ball python probably doesn't appreciate a cooling down for the winter period too much. A couple of degrees is fine maybe but anything you are considering hybernation will cause RI and will kill your snake. Pythons do not hybernate. Greatly fluctuating a reptile's body temps is very stressful. Think about what it makes you feel like when you have a fever or hypothermia....just a couple of degrees change in your body temp makes you feel really bad and you are warm blooded. Your body has an internal thermostat to help keep things right. Snakes do not...they have to rely on their surroundings and in a cage, it is you who has to do what it takes to keep them ideal year around.....the other cage is warmer...how warm? are there thermometers in the cages?

How to promote activity: open the cage....remove the snake...play with/handle the snake for awhile....let it crawl around and get some excercise. It is easy for them to get lazy when they live in a small box and have food handed to them weekly or everyother week right on schedule.
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telefrag · #8 (**permalink**) 03-04-2003, 03:17 PM

Im with you on that Mr. Brett,
I do nothing more than shut off heat at night for ball pythons,
if you get it too cold, it may take them a few months to start feeding again.
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XzyluM · #9 (**permalink**) 03-04-2003, 03:55 PM

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>Hmm.. Offer every week ? WHY? What if the snake is an older one that requires a feeding every 10 days ? Wouldn't you then offer the food every 10 days if that were the case ? </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

I was referring to 7-10 days actually. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
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Sunn · #10 (**permalink**) 03-04-2003, 04:15 PM

I have 3 young balls, year old and younger and they all ate all winter on their normal schedule of every 7 days.

However my adults did not eat and of the 5 adults only one has eaten to date. They have been too busy mating and shedding to be bothered. I'm sure they will soon.

My hubby is in the process of building a new Python cage similar to another he saw here and
I'll learn how to post the pics by the time it is done hopefully.

Ball python feeding habits is one reason I bought some Columbians....there is a world of difference for me emotionally on feeding day with the Boas. I just don't worry....they eat.
I have learned though not to stress with the pythons as long as they are parasite free and
overall healthy....they come around eventually.

Just listen to these folks and you won't go wrong.....

Good luck with your Ball and please do something about the temps. The care sheets cover the ranges and the reasons.

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Sunnsand43@aol.com
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Microwaved · #11 (**permalink**) 03-04-2003, 06:03 PM

They should turn around soon as long as they are healthy. My BPs have only once or twice refused a meal in the winter months, however they are a bit less active.
Good luck!
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StaticKaos · #12 (**permalink**) 03-05-2003, 02:19 AM

Well with a cage the size of mine temp's are hard to maintain. At night time I always kept the ceramic light bulb on. From 7:20 am to 830 PM I keep on his day time heating light as well.. There is also a heating pad against the side of his hidebox.. Thats how it was setup but temp's were just getting too low.. I guess I will cover up more of the screen ASAP.

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