Any good books on ball pythons?

[chibi_tama_love]

I'm fairly new to the world of ball pythons, and I want to get some books that are good. I figured it would be better to get some that are recommended by keepers, instead of buying one that just looked good. I also plan on getting The Art of Keeping Snakes by Phillippe De Vosjoli, and some others. Tell me what you think of these:

• The Ball Python Manual by Phillippe De Vosjoli
• The Ball Python: Care, Breeding and Natural History, Second Revised & Expanded Edition by Andreas Kirschner, Hermann Seufer
• The Complete Ball Python: A Comprehensive Guide to Care, Breeding and Genetic Mutations by Kevin McCurley

Just looking around Amazon and put the ones that looked good.

Thanks in advance,
Aly

[cassandra]

I own both The Ball Python Manual by Phillippe De Vosjoli and The Complete Ball Python by Kevin McCurley. The de Vosjoli book is okay for starters and for comparison, but I think Kevin's book is better.

However, a really amazing ball python was just published by the Barkers, Pythons of the World, Volume II
Ball Pythons: History, Natural History, Care, and Breeding
By David G. Barker and Tracy M. Barker

available here and I'm guessing a few other places, although maybe not Amazon.

I saw a copy at NARBC Anaheim and it looks amazing; it's my Christmas wish list. =)

I've flipped through de Vosjoli's book Art of Keeping Snakes, but it didn't seem that special.

[Evan Jamison]

The BP manual is a little outdated as far as morphs go, but has a lot of really good info for a relatively small price tag. Kevin's book is awesome, and very visual (lots 'O pics). It is a little costly, but still worth it. The Barker's book is about the same cost as Kevin's but seems to be much more comprehensive, I've only flipped through it though, I still need to order one. You can never have too many snakes...I mean books .

-Evan

[chibi_tama_love]

Oooh, thanks. I was thinking fo the Art book for setting up a nice enclosure but I guess I can just do that by eye and save a few bucks.

I'm putting the Barkers' book on my wish list too, and maybe McCurley's too. But I only really need one good one, I guess. They're both pretty expensive, too... So I think I'll stick with the Barkers' book.

I never knew there was that much on ball pythons... I mean, for corn snakes, I've got the Corn Snake Manual by Bill and Kathy Love, and they're the experts on corns, and it's about 100 pages long. The Barkers' book looks like its 5 times as big. Wow. But I'm guessing it's mostly on breeding, eh?

[cassandra]

I couldn't say on the Barker's book as I only flipped through it. And yes, the McCurley book is nearly half pictures (goooorgeous pictures) of ball python morphs, but also has excellent husbandry information and common health issues, etc.

But I'm glad I both the de Vosjoli and the McCurley book (and eventually the Barker book) because I can compare and contrast information and oh yeah, amazing pictures of snakes and neat information. =)

[chibi_tama_love]

Hm...

If you get the Barkers' book before Christmas, tell me if it's got good information, please! I'll have to go to Barnes and Noble eventually and see if they have it.

NARBC is the Reptile Conference they had on September 23/24, right? I was there! I should have checked for books, I bought my ball there. I know general care, but I've been interested in the idea of breeding ever since we found out that our friend is moving. They can't take their ball with them, and we're getting it. We're actually building some stackable vivs so that there is actually room in my room.

[cassandra]

I'll have to go to Barnes and Noble eventually and see if they have it.

Doubtful. (sorry...B&N tick me off since they rarely have anything I ever want "in"...) Anywho, Amazon doesn't sell the McCurley book directly themselves so I doubt you'll see the Barker book available from the Amazon nor any major bookseller for a while, especially since it just came out. =)

[JLC]

I already checked at B&N...they've never heard of it. They do have the old Barker book in their computer system though....so maybe someday this new one will go "mainstream." In the meantime, you can order it off their website if you want...I'm pretty sure.

[Alice]

I received my copy of Barker's book in the mail about 2 weeks ago. It is amazing. I also own Kevin's book. Both are great. They both have very good background, history and beautiful pics. The Barker's book has an interesting chapter on the organs/muscles/skeleton of the ball python . . . I don't know if I'll ever need that info but it sure was intriguing.


One complaint about my copy of the Barker book: the captions under each picture are so small and a very light gray that they are very difficult to read. I'm going to write them to see if I got a copy from a bad printing. Has anyone else noticed this? I know I'm getting old and the eyes are going but . . .

[monk90222]

One complaint about my copy of the Barker book: the captions under each picture are so small and a very light gray that they are very difficult to read. I'm going to write them to see if I got a copy from a bad printing. Has anyone else noticed this? I know I'm getting old and the eyes are going but . . .

I have this book and mine is also very light (under the pictures). I think it is supposed to be like this...I guess just a bad choice in print color!!