New to the forum - can use some advice.

I second going to an expo. You can browse around and talk to different breeders to find a good fit and price.

Ditto on going to a reptile show. You'll find some smokin deals, and get to speak personally with many breeders. Plus they're super fun, and I'd bet your daughter would get a kick out of it.

With regards to f/t, I had to deal with someone that was vehemently opposed to keeping frozen rodents. Now she helps me with the rat breeding and euthanasia :) I just keep all mine in brown paper bags labeled 'rats'. Meat is meat, right? What's the difference between frozen cow and frozen rat? Discrimination is bad :)

Or if the wife's really stubborn, dish out the cash for a mini freezer lol.

Ha! Yeah I think i can get past the freezer part I was only wondering on the process of the thaw. I guess as long as its planned in advance leaving it for an hour or so at room temp should do it. As the snake will be kept in the basement playroom she wont see that part much if at all.

We have been to the Westchester reptile expo two times in the last year. It seems a bit chaotic as it is really really crowded there, but admittedly we were there to just look and not on the mission to buy. So maybe if I am going with the intent to buy I would be less caught up at admiring the emerald tree boas and fixated on finding the right BP.

You don't even need to do that. If I'm short on time, I just pop them straight from the freezer and into a dish of super hot water. I usually have to refresh the hot water for bigger feeders, but about 15 min later, you have warm tasty rodent lol. Easy peasy.

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Originally Posted by billyb

The whole frozen/live debate. While the concept of frozen seems more convenient, is that the case in reality? I understand that it may be cheaper but the idea of having mice in the freezer, then having to thaw them might be something that is a hassle to deal with? I am not sure the wife would even allow this option.

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I feed F/T - Its very easy and takes no time at all (small group of snakes) - Place it in a container, add warm water, wait, then feed.

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Originally Posted by billyb

Do they need to be fed in a separate tank? We never did this as kids but it seems I read that over and over. I would think it may create some stress for the animal moving it back after eating as well as possibly a higher chance of the snake striking her?

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Mine do everything in their tubs.

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Originally Posted by billyb

As my wife despises snakes, I was thinking a male would be better for her as they are generally smaller in size. Aside from value does it matter? Is one more docile than the other?

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No, there is nothing definitive. Overall, ball pythons have a really good disposition and males are smaller.

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Originally Posted by billyb

I like the idea of either re-homing one that an owner can no longer keep or buying one from an enthusiast. I understand there are risks in this thinking as you do not always know the history of the animal and in cases there would be no way or returning a snake. There is certainly a cost benefit as I regularly see snakes, and the complete setup on Craigslist for far cheaper than at a pet store (I do not want to buy from a pet store).

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Make sure you can acquire one with a complete setup.

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Originally Posted by billyb

Lastly my thinking was rather than get a "normal" ball I should get her one that has some sort of breeding value. I am generally not crazy about obtaining a pet for the "look", but if they are about the same temperament-wise then I guess it is not so bad (she loves the spiders!). My thinking here was if husbandry was something she may wish to do she would not have to give up her now beloved pet (we have some experience in this realm). In addition if it were something that she lost interest in then recouping some of the cost would also be a possibility.

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This one point here can start a thread all on its own :). To keep it simple, pick one out that appeals and with proper husbandry it will thrive. ;)

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Originally Posted by billyb

Thanks to all in advance and sorry for the long post.

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Best of luck...

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Originally Posted by billyb

The whole frozen/live debate. While the concept of frozen seems more convenient, is that the case in reality? I understand that it may be cheaper but the idea of having mice in the freezer, then having to thaw them might be something that is a hassle to deal with? I am not sure the wife would even allow this option.

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I would suggest f/t, primarily because if you just have one BP and he starts a six month hunger strike, you'll end up caring for his last unwanted meal during that time. Rodents require more effort to day care than snakes, and I prefer not to have them in the house - it seems to me that they can't go more than five minutes without doing a job. Keeping a supply in the freezer, packaged separately from my food, is not a big deal.

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Do they need to be fed in a separate tank? We never did this as kids but it seems I read that over and over. I would think it may create some stress for the animal moving it back after eating as well as possibly a higher chance of the snake striking her?

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No. I used to and found out the hard way it's a good way to end up bitten. Just feed in the enclosure.

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As my wife despises snakes, I was thinking a male would be better for her as they are generally smaller in size. Aside from value does it matter? Is one more docile than the other?

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Males typically stay smaller, though there are exceptions to every rule. Also, all of my males are pretty chilled out, and the only BP's I have who hiss or have struck out defensively are the girls. That said, my most "in your pocket" BP is an adult normal female.

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I like the idea of either re-homing one that an owner can no longer keep or buying one from an enthusiast. I understand there are risks in this thinking as you do not always know the history of the animal and in cases there would be no way or returning a snake. There is certainly a cost benefit as I regularly see snakes, and the complete setup on Craigslist for far cheaper than at a pet store (I do not want to buy from a pet store).

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If you're patient and savvy you can find gems on CL. I just checked mine locally and found two worth at least an in-person look (adult pastel male and juvenile spider female) for $100 or less, if I happened to be in the market for one.

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Lastly my thinking was rather than get a "normal" ball I should get her one that has some sort of breeding value. I am generally not crazy about obtaining a pet for the "look", but if they are about the same temperament-wise then I guess it is not so bad (she loves the spiders!). My thinking here was if husbandry was something she may wish to do she would not have to give up her now beloved pet (we have some experience in this realm). In addition if it were something that she lost interest in then recouping some of the cost would also be a possibility.

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There's nothing wrong with getting an animal and recognizing that because it's long-lived, while you fully intend at this time to give it a forever home, life happens and it will be easier to find a new home for a morph than a normal. People lose jobs, they get sick or die, they move, etc. and the animal simply can't be kept any more.

Can anyone identify this one for me? This is one that she saw that she liked.

​http://i42.tinypic.com/35cptg9.png

I feed frozen as well, I keep a little tupperwear container that I pull out fill with hot water and drop them in. The nice thing about picking one up at the expo (which is what we just did) is once we found the breeder we wanted to go with he let us hold most of his snakes and was even able to pick out the ones that seemed to be more even tempered, there was a few we were looking at, and before we even asked to hold them he said they were nippy and wouldnt reccomend them since it was for my son (5 years old), he didn't want him to get bit and be turned off by it. He sat with us and helped us pick the right one for us.

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Originally Posted by billyb

The discussion about frozen vs thawed was more around the process of keeping dead rodents in the freezer, then the process of thawing them (understanding that my wife is not totally on board) sounds like it is a bit more intrusive to a household than a live mouse. I was merely looking to some real world advice in that regard. Sounds like it may not be as bad as I think.

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Mice and rats are like miniature cows for snakes. You don't have to cut them up or grill them. Just warm them up. It's a very simple process and you can do other things while you are waiting for it to defrost. On the other hand, with a live mouse you have to come to terms with the fact that you are immediately terminating the life of another animal. If your wife isn't keen on the process, don't involve her. There's a reason my mother doesn't look in brown paper bags in the freezer anymore. As for your concern of it sharing a freezer, just think of raw chicken and frozen peas. You don't expect the sealed chicken to get on the peas, right?

Also thank you for your volunteer efforts with animals.
I would say that if you are looking to rehome an animal that isn't from a breeder or a trusted person, be prepared to take care of a sick snake and have the proper knowledge to do it. Also you should be up to date on what to look for in a healthy ball python when purchasing.

Personally, if your daughter is going to be the one with a snake, have her pick out what morph she wants (but give her a reasonable price range for you). After having a normal for over a year, I would still chose a normal if I had to do it all over again.

If I offended you , I apologize.