Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My 6 1/2 foot albino has had the freedom of roaming my room during the day lately.He is very tame and hasnt done this before.When He is out freely and I come in the room,he rapidly wakes up and come right at me and follows all of my movements,but not like he misses me,more like is that food.He eats regulary on FT rats so he shouldnt be too hungry..He basically has been VERY curious about movement...but more than usual because this behavior is new.Whats his problem...if it is a problem.Thanks guys.

Mike
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3 American Alligators
1.0 Albino Burm
1.0 Green Tree Python
0.1 Veild Chameleon
1.0 Red Eyed Tree Frog
1.0 Bearded Dragon

"Never insult an Alligator until you have crossed the river"-oriental proverb

I would immediately put your Burmese back in his enclosure. The behavior you are noting is a feeding response (mode) and could become very dangerous to your well being even at his small size. Pythons should not be allowed out of their enclosure without direct supervision. The python could also knock something over and start a fire. As for not being hungry, no matter how much I feed my pythons, they'd eat more. especially the larger type of pythons (burmese,reticulated,and african rocks). "free roaming" pythons, have lead on more than one occasion to the keepers untimely demise, it could be dangerous for the snake also (something may fall on him or he may somehow escape (snakes are good at this, even when their is no apparent exit) from the room. All Pythons in my collection over 6 feet are in "locked" enclosures, letting them roam, is irresponsible on the part of the owner. I don't think you are doing this purposely, just do, to a lack of education on the proper husbandry of large Boids. Although it may seem desirable to allow him this freedom. It is not in your or the snakes best interest, it also causes "wild type" kinds of behavior, besides a feeding response, it could cause overt aggression on the snakes part, he may start feeling his oats kind of thing. So do yourself, the snake, and all other keepers a favor and put the snake back in his enclosure before it leads to an undesirable result.
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Frank Roberts
R&R Herpetological Frank Roberts & John Rodriguez

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Roberts'Realm of Reptile Research

Frank hit it on the head....there's absolutely no reason to allow a burm free reign of a room (unless the room has been modified to serve as the cage and this requires many modifications). There are many reasons for this suggestion but the bottom line is that in order to be a responsible keeper of a large constrictor, they need to be in a secure and locked cage; plain and simple.

Rob Carmichael, Curator
Wildlife Discovery Center

>>I would immediately put your Burmese back in his enclosure. The behavior you are noting is a feeding response (mode) and could become very dangerous to your well being even at his small size. Pythons should not be allowed out of their enclosure without direct supervision. The python could also knock something over and start a fire. As for not being hungry, no matter how much I feed my pythons, they'd eat more. especially the larger type of pythons (burmese,reticulated,and african rocks). "free roaming" pythons, have lead on more than one occasion to the keepers untimely demise, it could be dangerous for the snake also (something may fall on him or he may somehow escape (snakes are good at this, even when their is no apparent exit) from the room. All Pythons in my collection over 6 feet are in "locked" enclosures, letting them roam, is irresponsible on the part of the owner. I don't think you are doing this purposely, just do, to a lack of education on the proper husbandry of large Boids. Although it may seem desirable to allow him this freedom. It is not in your or the snakes best interest, it also causes "wild type" kinds of behavior, besides a feeding response, it could cause overt aggression on the snakes part, he may start feeling his oats kind of thing. So do yourself, the snake, and all other keepers a favor and put the snake back in his enclosure before it leads to an undesirable result.
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>>Frank Roberts
>>R&R Herpetological Frank Roberts & John Rodriguez
>>
>>------------------------------------
>>Roberts'Realm of Reptile Research
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Rob Carmichael, Curator
The Wildlife Discovery Center at Elawa Farm
Lake Forest, IL

I have to agree, only good reason to let a burm free roam would be to snake proof a room, altough I can see why you would let a burm roam, I bring mine out of his enclosurebut he is only allowed on my bed because he is only 3ft and would get easily lost in my room. Why your snake is following you is because that room is his new home and you are possibly being a threat to him/her, this may explain his wild instinct of "tracking" you. Just my .02