I posted a pic on Cold-blooded of my ball python basking after a shower and how beautiful his glow was but never considered to think if his basking is what’s normal or if I should adjust how I keep my balls? My handsome boy in reference as ransom :arrow_up_down:
Here’s my advice. As long as your snakes are eating well, shedding well, and eliminating waste, then you are keeping them correctly. Therefore you shouldn’t change a thing. If it’s not broke don’t fix it.
If your BP will bask if given the opportunity, then let him bask. Don’t listen to others. You are doing right by him. And yes he is very handsome!
Ok cool cause I saw a post on there right after I posted mine where someone was saying to prove them wrong that ball python don’t bask in the wild they’re reclusive little guys but mine still likes to watch me clean and feed everyone lol
It’s true that in the wild bps curl up in burrows during the day where it’s cooler. They wait for prey to pass by. They come out in the cool of the evening.
They will even climb trees to get away from flood waters. I have 21 bps now and some are more personable than others. Some are the true ball python type. They keep hidden as much as possible. Others meet me as soon as I open their tubs.
If your boy likes to hang out and watch you while you are doing reptile chores then I would say he is one of the more personable ones! Which means you are lucky to have one that you can interact with. Again don’t worry about what other people say. Not ALL ball pythons are reclusive. After all, you have actual living proof.
If he’s thriving and utilizing the setup you have for him (which looks lovely btw), then I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s possible that “basking” may not be the most technically correct term for what he’s doing, he may just be climbing and cruising around, but it looks like he’s enjoying the climbing opportunities. Zero reason to change that.
When stupid people ask stupid questions…well it just shows they are ignorant too.
I’ve got leopard geckos and boas and a hognose and a corn snake and tarantulas that will hang outside their hides and watch what I do.
People seem to forget that animals are individuals too - so it’s never a bad thing to give them the opportunity to choose for themselves. Choice is also a kind of enrichment, and in the wild they’d have the option, whether they use it or not. That being said, afaik they have been observed basking in the wild, at least so called cryptic basking where they’ll expose only their tail or head. My boy often sticks his head out in the morning when his bulb turns on, and the evening before it turns off.
They will absolutely take advantage of heat/light sources to cryptic bask in the early mornings and evenings given the opportunity. Providing more opportunities for enrichment and to encourage species specific behavior is never a bad thing!
Usually in my experiences the people telling you that they won’t bask or climb are the people who aren’t planning on providing their snakes with those opportunities
Thank you very much!