My first BP

Let me start by saying hello to everyone...

Obviously I am new here and just purchased my first ball python. She is a pastel morph and was just hatched on the weekend. I think I get to bring her home in a few weeks. My girlfriend and I are trying to decide between Nixon and cypress as her name.

I have been reading tons of the posts to try and educate myself before I ask any newbie questions. However there are a few quickies that I have.

As she is growing do I have to simulate seasons before she is ready to breed? Or do I only go through a temperature change when she is big enough to breed?

I read one breeder advertise his snakes as only feeding rats. Is there a benefit to 100% rats over starting out with mice?

My ultimate goal would to be a hobby breeder so this is my first step. I would like to purchase another female in the next few months and then purchase a few males next year as they mature quicker. Am I off in my thinking?

Thanks again for having me around, my name is Jeremy and I hope to be a contributor to this forum one day.

Thanks
Jer

I like Cypress better. Nixon makes me think male, and it also has some bad connotations. :/

I don't know about the seasoning, but I know you're supposed to do that for leopard geckos. Also note she'll stop eating from roughly January to March, which is breeding season.

It's actually better to feed both mice and rats. Mice have some nutrients that rats don't, and vice versa.

Keep your boots on. Spend a lil time with the one you got before you start thinking about getting more. I almost made the same mistake recently (I've had my ball for a lil over a year), but the good folks on here quickly talked me out of it. Then again, I was looking to do it through college, which is not a time to be getting into such a costly hobby.