Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how far away can ball pythons see clearly? can they see clearly at all or is their vision not great?

I grew up keeping a lot of colubrids, with a sparse collection of smaller boas, and one Ball Python. Experience with those guys had me thinking that snakes couldn't have any visual acuity beyond 5 feet or so.

My '03 female BP has drastically changed my opinion on this however. I cannot possibly test her vision to a finite level, but I will say I was very impressed. I got her when she was a yearling from a college kid who didn't know what he had (though she was locally CBB) and just didn't want to deal with keeping "it" anymore. She had not been kept in humid enough conditions, so her eyes scales were quite wrinkled, but she didn't have any other health problems - not even any retained eye scales.

About six months or so after I got her, it became pretty apparent that she had a ridiculous preference for my husband (who is only slowly becoming a snake person). They're gaga over each other and I can't explain it. My husband won't give any of the other snakes a second glance.

Well, somewhere around the time that we could tell she behaved differently when I held her or when my husband held her, I also noticed that she would behave differently while in her cage if she was out and about and saw my husband from across the room. The room she is housed in is over 10 feet long. She acted like she recognized my husband from across the room! And this with wrinkled eye scales!!

However that was accomplished, I think it's pretty cool. There is always more to learn about these guys!

~Rebecca
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0.1 Dumeril's Boa '04 (Courtney)
1.2 Ball Pythons
[1.0 '05 Orange Hypo (Specter)]
[0.1 '05 Het Orange Hypo (Sylvia)]
[0.1 '03 Normal (Sue)]
0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40lb darling lap dogs:Brandy&Mara)

signature.
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"yeah, eagles have feathers hanging off of them too and I don't smoke --- out of them!" PS it was a dream catcher!

n/p
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0.1 Dumeril's Boa '04 (Courtney)
1.2 Ball Pythons
[1.0 '05 Orange Hypo (Specter)]
[0.1 '05 Het Orange Hypo (Sylvia)]
[0.1 '03 Normal (Sue)]
0.2 American Pit Bull Terriers (40lb darling lap dogs:Brandy&Mara)

about the sensor specs on a BP but it seems as likely as one being able to recognize your husband from you visually. Could be smell too. Who knows?
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"yeah, eagles have feathers hanging off of them too and I don't smoke --- out of them!" PS it was a dream catcher!

cool. I am beginning to think they can see at least 10 feet. Mine are very "visual" acting.... the newest one peeks out of the hide, if he see's me looking he goes back in. If I can keep myself turned enough, that my eyes aren't directly pointed at him, he'll come out, tour the tank and then go back in....been doing this daily since the 10th... (and yeeha, he ate a mouse for me on his 5th day home!)
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2.0 normal ball pythons

Stacey

Sal