How far can my ball python see? Can my ball python see us from inside his cage if were very far away??

Question

How far can my ball python see? Can my ball python see us from inside his cage if were very far away??

Answer 1

According to a research paper I found on the visual abilities of ball pythons, they are much more sensitive to changes in lighting conditions (bright and dark) but not so much to color; this makes sense since they are nocturnal and require vision a night. The visual system of a ball python works closely with its heat sensory system, and the snake uses these systems simultaneously to detect prey and strike accurately. It is suggested by this article that a snake can only detect the presence of something if it the snake can sense it visually and thermally.

To answer you question, ball pythons are very good at seeing in dim lighting, but their visual accuracy is nowhere close to a humans. So it is likely that your snake cannot see you if even if you are very close to the cage, especially if you don't move, because the cage blocks out its thermal sense. I've noticed that my own ball python only reacts to sudden movements near its cage, and isn't bothered at all when my cat appears to be stalking it!