Love reptiles, especially ball pythons - I think they're some of the coolest & most stunning pets around! They can also do this when they are upset. We’ll use ball pythons as an example since that was the question. However, you should ensure that your hand is clean and does not smell like prey. Snakes have a much greater sense of smell than humans, in fact. While there are many different snakes that you can keep as a pet, one of the most popular options is the ball python. I also have a cat blog, as well as blogs on a slew of other topics. Ball Python Temperament: How Friendly are Ball Pythons? Ball pythons sense their world in infrared with their heat pits. Try holding your hand about 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) away from your snake’s head so it can smell you. In fact, the very first ball python I ever owned went more than 6 months without eating before I finally figured out how to get him to accept prey. By flicking their tongues, snakes are able to pick up the tiny particles in the air that will eventually be perceived as scent. The site is a compilation of research I dug up: guides on proper ball python care, tips for choosing a pet python, a variety of snake facts, and many other miscellaneous snake-related articles. Started My Pet Python way back when I first adopted Havana, an adult female and my first real pet. Learn more about My Pet Python here. Learn more about My Pet Python here. After all, snakes rely primarily on their sense of smell, and ball pythons are largely nocturnal. Snake mites, respiratory … Did you recently change your supplier? Afraid she might have lost sense of smell (if possible) or something else might be wrong. Handling your ball python with your hands smelling like a prey can cause it to bite you. If bedding is used, using a paper towel, one can remove just the spots where a ball python has urinated, or where feces have been left. Once their tongue is placed back into their mouth after having picked up these particles, their tongue fits neatly back into a small organ at the top of their mouth (called the Jacobson’s organ). Snakes recognize things by smell, so your snake needs to get comfortable around your scent. The ball pythons I kept were challenging to feed, and many of the customers I tried to help experienced similar issues. The ball python (Python regius), also called the royal python, is a python species native to West and Central Africa, where it lives in grasslands, shrublands and open forests.It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of its wide distribution. Therefore, you must wash your hands after handling your ball python’s food. Ball pythons can hear sounds between 80 and 1,000 Hz. These snakes also rely heavily on their strong sense of smell to locate prey. First, If you feed your ball python in their tank or tub and rarely handle them, it is possible that they could be food aggressive. This allows them to pick up various smells from all around them. For example, if you played with a mouse, hamster, or any other type of rodent, or even if you handled meat while cooking. © 2012–2021 My Pet Python. The smell that results from bedding is not particularly a bad one, and can be described as earthy or woodsy. These are located below the nose on both sides of the head, and they allow ball pythons to sense their prey using infrared radiation. Let Your Ball Python Smell You . When it’s doing this, try not to move or pick it up. Ball pythons have such an amazing sense of smell. I removed mention of it from the article. ), water, and how to tell the difference between regurgitation and poop. I just want to say that cedar is not a recommended ball python bedding/substrate to use. If you're interested, you can check out my other blogs here. Can a Ball Python Lay Eggs Without Mating. Other times ball pythons might bite if they smell something edible on you. Snakes have a great sense of smell! this made me laugh because I always defrost and blow dry the rat to heat it up in my spare washroom across the hall with the door closed with the fan and window open. Ball pythons have little pits along their jaw, just below their nose. Ball pythons have poor eyesight. They use their long tongue that allows them to pick up on various smells. My ball python nose is scabbed over and her nostrils are blocked. Their tongues “taste” the air and send the chemical information to the Jacobson’s organ which then transmits electric signals to the brain. Snakes have a powerful sense of smell and they know the difference between food from one rattery to another. I come back and He is already out of his den and looking for it lol the point to posting questions is to have them answered in a helping way, not someone being a … This organ then rallies the chemical information about the particles to the brain of the snake, allowing them to experience the tiny particles as scents and odours. To make up for it, ball pythons have a highly developed sense of smell. Snakes do not have protruding noses(or ears, for that matter). Can I Tell My Ball Python’s Sex Without Popping or Probing? They can detect the smallest trace of scent from far away, and figure out where it’s coming from. Thus, they highly depend on their sense of smell together with their sensing pits. jason, obvisiously it would have some kind of smell, im not a freakin idiot, im not a first time snake owner, as i am comparing my recently boughten snake to the ball pythons that i have owned in the past. They shoot that in and out and they move it up and down too. They do this as a defense mechanism when they are scared. Also, ball pythons have an excellent sense of … Instead, snakes, and pythons and boas, in particular, use infrared vision to seek out their prey. It’s toxic to them as well. A ball python, disregard of being a wild or a pet one, will bite if it’s afraid. This forked tongue allows the reptile to sense specific smells from different directions. Physiological: While most snake's sense of smell relies on their tongue to process chemical trails within their Jacobson's Organ, Pythons have the added advantage of having heat sensing pores on their upper lip called labial pits. By flicking their tongues, snakes are able to pick up the tiny particles in the air that will eventually be perceived as scent. I created My Pet Python when I first adopted my pet snake: an adult ball python named Havana. That being said, if an owner does not upkeep their ball python's vivarium, the enclosure will certainly begin to smell bad over time. Also never keep rodent feeders in cedar. Conclusion If you're interested, you can check out my other blogs here. These bad smells result from either urine … That being said, if an owner does not upkeep their ball python’s vivarium, the enclosure will certainly begin to smell bad over time. Will Ball Pythons Eat Another Ball Python. the fact is that it smells more foul than the other snakes i have owned. In this post, you will find out why your ball python is regurgitating food or vomiting (mouse, rat etc. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases; learn more here. If your snake doesn’t react, try moving your hand closer. Filed Under: Ball Python Pet Care, Environment, Snake Facts. I also have a cat blog, as well as blogs on a slew of other topics. Let your ball python smell your hands: Ball python has poor eyesight. Many popular lizard pets – especially heliothermic (sun-loving) species, such as bearded dragons and iguanas – require light that includes rays in the UVB portion of the spectrum to remain healthy. It is threatened by hunting for its meat and for the international pet trade. All Rights Reserved.Writing and photography by Elise Xavier. Clay County Florida. Regardless, waste should be removed and disposed of as soon as possible. Ball pythons themselves do not give off an odour. They have two nostrils just above the mouth. With National Science Foundation- (NSF) support, biologist Michael Grace and his team study infrared (thermal) sensors in snakes. Like other pythons, ball pythons use their incredible sense of smell and heat sensitive pits to know where unsuspecting prey is. These pits are heat sensors, to put it simply. Pythons have little pits along their face above their mouths that they use to sense heat in their prey. If your ball python isn’t feeling well, they may stop eating. Just for people reading to know its harmful as is pine. 1 Response. Make sure the prey item is HOT! Started My Pet Python way back when I first adopted Havana, an adult female and my first real pet. For this reason, it is imperative that if you are looking to handle your snake, you should wash your hands thoroughly beforehand. They also take those smells back into the mouth and into the … 6. I wanted a place to share all the tips & advice I dug up while I was researching pet care, hoping the research I did could help others along the way. Slithering Out of Her Skin: Photographs of a Ball Python Shedding. Heat Mat Thermostat Controller. Ball pythons are ambush predators, lying in wait patiently for prey and then striking suddenly to catch small animals unaware and eat them. Your goal is to get your pet to associate your scent with safety rather than danger. Thus, putting your hand inside their cage can sometimes help them recognize you. Assuming your snake is a ball python , as those are one of the most commonly kept species, those holes are what it uses to find it's food along with it's sense of smell, as their eyesight and hearing isn't very good. Do Ball Pythons Smell? Bedding may also cause a ball python’s vivarium or enclosure to smell. These bad smells result from either urine or feces that have not been removed from the enclosure. This means that it is under the impression that every time you open their tank or tub, it will be fed and get aggressive. Any suggestions to help heal her nose. Do Ball Pythons Need UV Light? As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases; learn more here. This smell can be avoided with proper ventilation: either by opening a window, if possible, or by making sure the door to the room the ball python is kept in is not closed for very long. Until i get her to a vet. Once their tongue is placed back into their mouth after having picked up these particles, their tongue fits neatly … In other words, ball pythons can sense the heat coming from potential prey, and they use that information to determine where to strike. If you have adopted a ball python for yourself, you should make it feel at home and give some time to adjust to the new situation. It is going to take some time for your new python to adjust to her surroundings- but with a lot of time and handling to your new buddy she'll calm down and relax. I didn’t realize it was bad as well (I only knew pine was toxic for them). Unlike humans, who use their noses to smell the air and objects around them, snakes use their forked tongues in order to smell. Because a Ball Pythons does not usually go looking for a fight, it tries to become as small as possible, and tuck its head under its body. Ball pythons themselves do not give off an odour. Although ball pythons don’t have visible ears, they can still hear. Heat Mat Thermostat Controller. This little guy could send in an application to the Justice League. Most snakes have an excellent sense of smell, in part to make up for their poor eyesight and limited hearing. I created My Pet Python when I first adopted my pet snake: an adult ball python named Havana. © 2012–2021 My Pet Python. If it gets into striking position, slowly move your hand out of the way. The bedding will of course smell like the tree that has been used to create the bedding (aspen bedding will smell of aspen, cypress bedding will smell of cypress), yet the smell can become overwhelming if the room a ball python is in becomes stuffy. For the purposes of this article I am assuming you are feeding frozen thawed. This allows them to navigate, identify prey, and find a mate. Thanks! Hi, I'm Elise! I wanted a place to share all the tips & advice I dug up while I was researching pet care, hoping the research I did could help others along the way. All Rights Reserved.Writing and photography by Elise Xavier. Snakes have a very advanced sense of smell. The longer the forks of the tongue of the snake or lizard, the more it uses its sense of smell-tasting. She hasent eatin in awhile. | #aumsum They are best able to hear low-pitched noises of 80-160 Hz. Few of the main reasons why a ball python is regurgitating food or water are very low cage temperatures, feeding very big prey items, handling too soon after feeding. Hi, I'm Elise! Ball pythons got their American name because of the way they tense up and coil up. These bad smells result from either urine or feces that … Their forked tongue can pick up microscopic chemical particles in the air. That being said, if an owner does not upkeep their ball python's vivarium, the enclosure will certainly begin to smell bad over time. Why do Snakes have Forked (Split) Tongue? Sickness. Love reptiles, especially ball pythons - I think they're some of the coolest & most stunning pets around! This is the most common reason for them to be aggressive. Ball python owners can easily keep away any stench by doing regular spot checks, once every day or two. ... Ball pythons … However, they have a good sense of smell. The site is a compilation of research I dug up: guides on proper ball python care, tips for choosing a pet python, a variety of snake facts, and many other miscellaneous snake-related articles. She flicks her tongue to get a sense of smell and in a new environment that is expected. It can take air samples quite rapidly (as evidenced by the quickly flicking tongue), which can help it hone in on a smell's location. Of course, one of the most common questions relates to their temperament – specifically how friendly they are. You’ll know your ball python is taking in your scent when it flicks its tongue at you. 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