Enriched Bioactive Ball Python Vivarium Setup
My Enriched Bioactive Ball Python Vivarium Setup - Apologies for the terrible audio. An audible follow up video with how-to information is available: • Bioactive Ball Python Vivarium: Constructi... Also, the contest was postponed indefinitely due to COVID19, so we may never know if I would have won. But the enclosure was fun to make and The Snake seems to like it, so it was a personal win regardless. The final update and replacement of this enclosure is detailed here: • DIY Bioactive Ball Python Vivarium/Tub Hyb... Original: My entry into the UC Davis Behavior Medicine and Animal Welfare Club's Annual Animal Enrichment Contest is an enriched bioactive enclosure I built for 'The Snake', my 23-year-old ball python. This enclosure is 3’ T x 3’ W X 2’ D, and contains 26 different species of live plants, a warm hide area, a cool hide area, and a pond he can completely submerge in. The plants provide additional hiding places as they grow, so the landscape is constantly changing. After ~2 weeks in this enclosure, The Snake began accepting prekilled (frozen thawed) rats after refusing to eat anything other than living prey items for the first 23 years of his life. His activity level has noticeably increased since he was switched to this enclosure, though this is more difficult to quantify as he is nocturnal. Temperature is controlled by a thermostat that will turn on a ceramic heat emitter when The Snake’s warm hide decreases below 90 degrees F. Humidity is maintained with manual misting and watering of the plants. Lighting is provided by LED panels and two floodlights, all which are on timers and have a staggered start up and shut off time to simulate sunrise and sunset. The heat element is protected by a guard so The Snake cannot burn himself, and the LEDs do not emit enough heat to cause burns. The backdrop is built using expanding pond foam which is then coated in aquarium safe silicone and covered with coco fiber and orchid bark. Plants are placed into pots embedded in the backdrop, or placed directly into the substrate at the bottom of the cage. The Snake has access to a climbing branch that allows him to climb up to his warmer hide, and to access the higher reaches of the enclosure. Traditionally, ball python husbandry guidelines have stated that ball pythons do not require climbing branches, but one study that surveyed wild individuals found that about half of the males they captured were located up in trees. In any case, The Snake frequently uses his climbing branch. The Snake also has access to several different substrate textures, including cypress chips, plant growth substrate, reptile carpeting in his warm hide, branches, plants, and his cork hide. I will touch food items to various cage furniture to establish a scent trail he has to follow to find his prey item. Overall, this project has been a success as it has resulted in The Snake accepting pre-killed prey items, which are more economically feasible and readily available, are more humane, and are safer for The Snake. Sources Cited: 1) Reptile enrichment suggestions from the American Association of Zookeepers: https://www.aazk.org/wp-content/uploa... 2) Snake enrichment suggestions from hobbyists: http://www.natureboxpetemporium.com/b... 3) Peer reviewed journal article demonstrating ball pythons regularly climb in the wild: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/1... 4) Peer reviewed journal review of ball python husbandry guidelines: https://jherpmedsurg.com/doi/abs/10.5... 5) General overview of bioactive vivarium construction: https://www.neherpetoculture.com/viva... 6) YouTube tutorial for bioactive vivarium construction specifically designed for a terrestrial snake: • Setting up a Naturalistic Kingsnake Enclosure 7) Second YouTube tutorial for bioactive vivarium construction specifically designed for an arboreal snake: • Building a Naturalistic Bioactive Green Tr... 8) Anapsid.org - Feeding prekilled prey: http://www.anapsid.org/prekill.html 9) Background music is "Chalk Railroad Tracks" courtesy of Morgan Komure: https://morgankomure.bandcamp.com/tra... All views are my own and are not necessarily representative of UC Davis or any other organizations I am affiliated with.
