Hello MorphMarket Peoples. I have noticed that as of late my Burmese python has been pacing around his enclosure a lot more than usual. I’m not saying he usually just sits still all day, because he doesn’t, but I have noticed that he seems to almost always be on the move. I’ve noticed this over the past few days.
A few details:
Temp: Amb. hot side ~ 85* (all in Fahrenheit)
Amb cool side ~ 75*
“Basking” spot from UTH ~ 92*
Humidity stays around 45-50%, when he is in blue I mist as needed to maintain about 65-70%
He doesn’t seem to be panicked, his motions are not sporadic and crazy, just much more frequent than usual. Could this possibly be a sign of something that I need to be aware of? He is my first experience keeping Burmese pythons, so I was hoping those with more experience could either make me aware of an issue, or put my mid at ease. Thanks!
How old is he, and is he a definite male?
During the breeding season sexually mature male snakes will become more active, “pacing” and pushing on their enclosure as they look for a female. This is normal behavior.
He is around 2-21/2 years old. He was sold to me as a male but I never thought to double check. He is about 6.5 feet long if that means anything. Is it normal for males to do that despite a lack of females nearby?
Yeah, at that age, if his activity level has become noticeably increased, it’s very likely to be breeding behavior. Excessive heat can also make them restless, but your temperatures look correct.
Thanks! Never entered my mind that he could just be looking for a lady. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll be able to add breeding burmese pythons to my resume.
I have definitely noticing behaviors like this with Kai, my boa. I can’t even imagine how it will be when Willow and Sherbet are up to size.