Buying Baby vs. yearling/pet store vs. internet

[Jamie]

I am buying a BP soon. A local pet store (looks clean, owner has lots of experience) has a very docile/curious female yearling ($85) and gets babies frequently. I also have seen a great deal available from reputable breeders over the internet. Is there a great advantage to buying a baby? The yearling seems temperamentally perfect and is a looker. The store owner has a great deal of experience. I am a bit nervous about snakes -through-the-mail sight unseen, but perhaps I'm overworrying. You know what they say, ..."a snake in the hand..." I want to buy the best snake I can, so am interested in your thoughts.

[mricyfire]

as long as the snake is in good condition and it is what you want...then were you buy it isnt an issue...as for age...I prefer babies, because well it is easier to understand what they do in the future if you already know their past. As for grown ones...who knows what they have been through?

also I just like watching them grow...mine has gone from 13 inches when i got him to a bit over 36 inches now.

Better quality for morphs is found usually online through big time trusted breeders.

NERD
NextWorldExotics
RMJReptiles
Glass Reptiles
The Snake Keeper
8BallPythons
RalphDavis
Graziani
Brock Wagner Reptiles
WestCoastJungle
....just a few of the many

[frankykeno]

Jamie, if you are looking for a nice snake for a pet, a normal (non-morph) male is always a wonderful choice. Many top breeders have these lovely males available at very reasonable prices each year.

Where I see a hatchling from a reputable breeder as better than a pet store yearling is this. That yearling has been "started" in a pet store environment, it's been exposed to gawd knows what as other snakes came in and out of that pet store. It's been handled by various staff and customers and may not have been handled correctly all the time. There may be little to no actual background information/record keeping on the snake.

A breeder selling you an 07 hatchling will be selling you a snake that you have a number of guarantee's....gender, hatch date, absense of parasites both internal and external, genetics (morph or normal the breeder will know exactly what your snake is genetically speaking), feeding history, live arrival (if shipped), etc. A reputable breeder will be with you during the sale and long afterwards as you become a confident ball python owner.

Be wary of online purchases as with anything....there are a number of awful so called breeders out there. However, if you work with a reputable breeder - one of you checked out by asking around, checking the BOI, going through our threads here sort of thing - I am confident you will likely have a much easier, less stressful experience for both you and your new snake.

[Jamie]

Thanks for taking the time--your input makes good sense.

[Kagez28]

for higher price morph ball pythons, which usually aren't in local pet stores, you pretty much have to get online. some of these animals are bought for thousands of dollars, and shipped to the new owner. so a normal male is going to be alright.

you best bet is to find a breeder, some one local would be good. talk with them and get to know then a little. ask around the forum, there is a great feedback/inquires section that you can learn alot from. also the Board of Inquires (BOI)- is a larger groups of threads that deal with breeders all over. heres the website: http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...splay.php?f=13

once you get to now a breeder and have some communication, that hardest part is going to be waiting for the day to come when a box shows up on your door.

it's your snake, so it's your preference. if you think the pet shop has been a good home for the snake and it is as healthy as it could be , then go for it.

another little note... you could also find a reptile expo or show in your area. there are tons across the country, and there will be plenty of ball python babies, yearlings, normals, morphs, rodents, the whole 9 yards. if you have one remotely close to you, i recommend going. even if your not buying, it's great to see everything that out there.

[Jamie]

Thanks again for the feedback. I found two local breeders, both of whom show at a monthly Show in Trenton, MI. Each breeder has had great success in their craft and have been more than helpful to me (and generous with their time ) on the phone.

Quick question: Is $100 a fair price for a baby Pastel Male?

[SiscoReptiles]

You can get male pastels from $100 to $400 or more based on quality. Look at the snake and ask yourself.. "Am I willing to pay $100 for this snake?" and you have your answer. There is no yes or no, it's all soley up to you. If it;s healthy and you like the look, you can not go wrong with $100.


Rick

[Jamie]

Thanks. I'm new to BPs, so I just wanted to check with the community.

[SiscoReptiles]

Thanks. I'm new to BPs, so I just wanted to check with the community.

No problem. That's what we are all here for.

Rick

[Kagez28]

i just bought a male blonde pastel for $100 an boy he is a looker.

but you have to do what Rick is talking about, look at the snake, go to the show, hold it, check it out, make sure you want to spend $100 on that snake. at a show you can usually get a normal male for $20-30, so make sure a pastel is what you want.

if you just want a pet, go for the #20-30 ball, and spend the money you saved on a nice thermostat, and a good set up for your snake to live in.

if you plan on getting into breeding, then a female would probably be your best bet. they take 2 years+ to reach maturity, so you'll have her a while before you get to breeding. male only take a year to reach maturity, so buying a female, year later buying a male, makes good sense.

i am in NO way trying to talk you out of buying a pastel, just giving you some ideas.