Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, this is about my snakes, who all live in captivity in big cages, not little plastic boxes, but boxes nonetheless. In other word they are not wild snakes, but captives adjusting to the confines of their cages.

One of the ways they have adjusted (accommodated themselves to captivity) is the kings (pyros are the only kind of king I have) all poop as far away from their sleeping quarters as possible. Even my tiny baby pyros choose a place outside the nest to poop. The Pacific gophers also poop outside of their sleeping quarters most of the time. The bull snakes do the opposite, pooping in their big moss hides quite often. I go through a lot of moss! Its not due to shyness with the bulls, either, as they are my boldest snakes.

I think this behavior is pretty interesting. Now if they were in the wild probably everybody would poop outside the nest, bulls included. How they behave in the cage is a whole separate topic, so nobody needs to jump all over me about this box thing again. If anyone else has noticed different behaviors amongst their captive snakes especially according to species, I'd be interested in hearing about it.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

Bob,

You should never be jumped on about keeping snakes in a plastic box, as that behaviour is what children, not adults do. You are a successful snake keeper my friend, and a significant contributor to this forum!

Now, per the subject, I have seen some of my snakes do consistent pooping behaviour. I have a 277 dark blairs grayband that poops 3 times with each meal, not 2, not 4, but 3. I think personally it is something physical with him, but who knows.

I do have pits that do what you have seen as well. My biggest pit, a 6 foot ghost bullsnake always poops inside his hidebox, every time. Same with an albino Applegate San Diego gopher snake I used to own. He would poop inside his hidebox each time.

Maybe there is something to this action??
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Genesis 1:1

When my pits poop in their moss hide, a 12 quart plastic tub with an entrance hole in the lid, they then get disgusted and wont hang out in it anymore. I check for poops daily, so its not like they have to live with a mess in the bedroom for very long anyway. But bull snake poop is more than just the solids, so I do wind up having to throw away a lot of moss. I wish the bulls could put two and two together and not do number two in their hide box anymore! Maybe I should just give them moist shredded paper towels, or even toilet paper! LOL! That would be cheaper.
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Bob
Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.

HA HA! I hear ya!!!
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Genesis 1:1

My kingsnakes seem to go more often than not in their water bowls...Even the ones with the smallest water bowls seem to go there...My ball pythons will go anywhere, hide box, rest of cage, etc. I find I'm changing water more often than not...Dave.

My Florida almost always poops in his water dish right after eating. Used to bug the heck out of me because I have to clean and disinfect the tub. Plus he's 70", and poops a lot! But, I've grown used to it now. He'll poop again in a few days, usually on the far side of the cool side of his tank.

My California always poops on the warm side, under his hide.

Both are creatures of habit, but aren't we all?

Bob I have one Florida king that poops in her water bowl, and on top of one of her hides. LOL The other three kings poop outside of all their hides. Same with my Milks. Everyone has three hides one on the hot side one on the cool side and their cypress hide.
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Tom S
1.1 Flame Lampropeltis getla Floridana
1.0 Hypomelanistic Lampropeltis getula Floridana
0.1 Axanthic Lampropeltis getula Floridana
0.1 Hypomelanistic Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis
1.0 Anerythristic Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis

At work we have three stalls in the men's bathroom. I find it funny how everyone has their favorite stall. LOL
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Tom S
1.1 Flame Lampropeltis getla Floridana
1.0 Hypomelanistic Lampropeltis getula Floridana
0.1 Axanthic Lampropeltis getula Floridana
0.1 Hypomelanistic Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis
1.0 Anerythristic Lampropeltis triangulum hondurensis

Do you have a sign up sheet for each stall?

Great post guys. I think my snakes pretty much poop where-ever, but rarely in their hides or their water dishes. I don't mind either, since their hides are just cardboard (cracker boxes,etc), and it is easy enough to disinfect their water dishes.
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Kent

1.1 Hypo (het lavender, striped) corn snakes, 2010
1.2 Gray-banded king snakes, blairs phase, 2008
0.0.10 Gray-banded king snakes, 2011
1.1 Oregon rubber boas, w/c 2000 and something

Colossians 3:17

Bob, you need to read this to your snakes:

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Kent

1.1 Hypo (het lavender, striped) corn snakes, 2010
1.2 Gray-banded king snakes, blairs phase, 2008
0.0.10 Gray-banded king snakes, 2011
1.1 Oregon rubber boas, w/c 2000 and something

Colossians 3:17

I have the same issue with one of my hypo-stillwaters. Without fail she poops in her hide box. the thing about her though is that she goes right back inside and curls up on top of or next to the poop. I thought she was just "slow" but I guess its a species thing.

Miller

>>Okay, this is about my snakes, who all live in captivity in big cages, not little plastic boxes, but boxes nonetheless. In other word they are not wild snakes, but captives adjusting to the confines of their cages.
>>
>>One of the ways they have adjusted (accommodated themselves to captivity) is the kings (pyros are the only kind of king I have) all poop as far away from their sleeping quarters as possible. Even my tiny baby pyros choose a place outside the nest to poop. The Pacific gophers also poop outside of their sleeping quarters most of the time. The bull snakes do the opposite, pooping in their big moss hides quite often. I go through a lot of moss! Its not due to shyness with the bulls, either, as they are my boldest snakes.
>>
>>I think this behavior is pretty interesting. Now if they were in the wild probably everybody would poop outside the nest, bulls included. How they behave in the cage is a whole separate topic, so nobody needs to jump all over me about this box thing again. If anyone else has noticed different behaviors amongst their captive snakes especially according to species, I'd be interested in hearing about it.
>>-----
>>Bob
>>Pyromaniac AKA Greatballzofire
>>Keeping cats allows man to cohabitate with tigers. Keeping reptiles allows man to cohabitate with dinosaurs.
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1.1 Black Pine
1.2 Still Water Hypos
0.1 Possibly stillwater x Red Bull
1.2 N. Pinesnake
1.1 Eastern Kings
1.0 Black Milksnake
1.0 Chow Chow(2003 Papi)
0.1 Cat(Shug)