Do most breeders typically raise on Live? Best age/wt to buy?

Welcome to BP.net!

I urge you to take a closer look at tubs. When you start out with a tank, you lose most of your initial enclosure investment when you finally realize you should have gone with a tub in the first place. By the time you figure out for yourself why most experienced keepers are telling you to go with a tub, you won't be able to recoup the cost of the tank, screen top, stuck on UTH, and lamps. You will be able to use your hides, water bowl and thermostat.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DrDooLittle

Ok, if (more like when:D) you get more bps, you will probably find yourself wishing you gone tub to start. I started out with tanks, and feeding f/t. Now a few years and 5 more bps later. I have tubs, and do live or p/k. I would never go back to tanks and love the tubs so much better. They hold temps and humidity better, and take up less space, easier to clean. As far as going tank because you want to see the snake, not going to happen as bps arent good display animals. They spend most of their time hiding. The saying is a hiding bp is a happy bp. (Check out Reptile Basics for the best hides) But, to each his own. Do some reading, gather some opinions, and decide what you want to do.

---

Wow thanks for the advice. I hadn't considered the tub from a humidity standpoint, but it makes a lot of sense that it would be easier to regulate. And you're right, when I want to see him or her I could just take them out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Slim

Welcome to BP.net!

I urge you to take a closer look at tubs. When you start out with a tank, you lose most of your initial enclosure investment when you finally realize you should have gone with a tub in the first place. By the time you figure out for yourself why most experienced keepers are telling you to go with a tub, you won't be able to recoup the cost of the tank, screen top, stuck on UTH, and lamps. You will be able to use your hides, water bowl and thermostat.

---

Awesome thanks, will do!

One thing I want to add. While hatchling balls are easier from a size standpoint, they can also be nippy and that freaks a lot of people out. They mistake it for aggression or anger, when it really comes down to the fact they are at the bottom of the food chain.

However, a well established ball at 6 months to a year old and around 600 grams or so, is usually calm, lazy and well mannered, very easy on a beginner with snakes and snake handling.

Gale

Im not too experienced, i have only kept bp's for about 2 1/2 years but i recently switched from live to f/t with not a single problem. If you want to feed f/t i recommend you find a baby ball that has been fed f/t before and even if it hasn't start off by offering f/t right off the bat. Also if you get a picky one, make the dead rat seem as alive as possible lol hope that helps.

I've had 5 bps, and all of them were eating live when I purchsed them. I've had no trouble switching them to f/t. In fact, each of them have taken a frozen rat first feeding with me. As far as age, I've had one 4 weeks old that switched fine as well as older balls. Recently got a new 7 month old and he switched fine also. That being said some will only eat live and if I had one like this obviously I would feed live. But don't be afriad to try f/t, most do okay. I think presenting it the right way and the right temp is key.

Feeding day for me takes about two hours with mostly everyone on f/t. Honestly at first I would ask breeders what they were feeding the snakes (rats, mice, f/t, live, etc..) now I have scraped asking. I make sure it is eating well and then do it my normal way until proven personally it cannot be that way.

I have the world's pickiest albino male python. He came to me eating f/t rat pups. He only eats the rat pups if they are extremely hot and the head has to be wet (:confused:). Then he decided he only wants to eat f/t adult mice. After that he would only eat small f/t rats. Back to f/t mice. Skipped two meals and this Sunday he ate a live mouse only if I would hold it still with the tongs :O

I have a normal ball python who refused to eat f/t for my girlfriend. She ate live mice a few times with me. Then wouldn't eat. Now only eats f/t mice hoppers if I deliver them to her hide for her. :rofl: The breeder would feed her stunned mice with apparently no problem.

They are not all like this at all. I have ten ball pythons and most of them eat the f/t right off the tongs even after eating live previously. They have even gone from f/t to live back to f/t. It really seems to be more of finding the right "trick" to getting your's to eat the way you want to.

That being said my first ball python was a male, big boy. He would only eat live white mice. I tried every which way to get him to eat anything else and no dice. He was happy with his two or three live mice every week.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by M&H

Feeding day for me takes about two hours with mostly everyone on f/t. Honestly at first I would ask breeders what they were feeding the snakes (rats, mice, f/t, live, etc..) now I have scraped asking. I make sure it is eating well and then do it my normal way until proven personally it cannot be that way.

I have the world's pickiest albino male python. He came to me eating f/t rat pups. He only eats the rat pups if they are extremely hot and the head has to be wet (:confused:). Then he decided he only wants to eat f/t adult mice. After that he would only eat small f/t rats. Back to f/t mice. Skipped two meals and this Sunday he ate a live mouse only if I would hold it still with the tongs :O

I have a normal ball python who refused to eat f/t for my girlfriend. She ate live mice a few times with me. Then wouldn't eat. Now only eats f/t mice hoppers if I deliver them to her hide for her. :rofl: The breeder would feed her stunned mice with apparently no problem.

They are not all like this at all. I have ten ball pythons and most of them eat the f/t right off the tongs even after eating live previously. They have even gone from f/t to live back to f/t. It really seems to be more of finding the right "trick" to getting your's to eat the way you want to.

That being said my first ball python was a male, big boy. He would only eat live white mice. I tried every which way to get him to eat anything else and no dice. He was happy with his two or three live mice every week.

---

Thanks so much. It seems to be fairly common that pythons can change their minds from time to time. I had no idea. As I'm looking at different morphs I'm wondering if some are more picky eaters than others, given the different genes.

I'm really interested in a super lesser, super mojave or even a karma, but haven't heard if most BELs are good eaters or not.

Morph really doesn't effect feeding response all that much the only one that I have noticed is the spider morph... and even still it is hit or miss.

I would be careful when selecting a super lesser, as they are know to have genetic issues (bug eyes) Not all have this, and will be very apparent right out of the egg, so as long as you can either see the Bp or get a picture you should be fine.

Bug Eyes:http://fire-ballreptiles.com/images/...terfemale1.JPG

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

Morph really doesn't effect feeding response all that much the only one that I have noticed is the spider morph... and even still it is hit or miss.

I would be careful when selecting a super lesser, as they are know to have genetic issues (bug eyes) Not all have this, and will be very apparent right out of the egg, so as long as you can either see the Bp or get a picture you should be fine.

Bug Eyes:http://fire-ballreptiles.com/images/...terfemale1.JPG

---

Thanks, yea I held a super lesser this weekend at repticon and the breeder did mention that he was priced lowed due to the bug eyes. Beyond mentioning it, he didn't say it caused any issues. Are the bug eyes something to worry about? Or more of just an aesthetic thing?