Should i buy a ball python?

That piebald price is nuts! Here's some advice that hasn't really been touched on yet: do some research into what morphs you may want, then shop around for a reliable breeder. Buying directly from the breeder will usually save you money, you know where the snake is coming from, its genetics and background, and you have an extra source of care information for trouble shooting should you need it. Good luck, and keep us posted when/if you pick one up!

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Originally Posted by Black Hills Reptiles

Another one to look in to would be Woma pythons. While not as popular they are great display snakes and handle really well. Some of the top people in the reptile world "not breeders" say they are the best pet because of there activity and easy handling.

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Dumeril's boas are another good option. They grow up to a nice but not unmanageable size, and have a reputation for being pretty chill.

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Originally Posted by Black Hills Reptiles

Always buy from a responsible breeder

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YES!!!

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Whether a ball python is the right snake is a different question. If your kids are going to want to interact with it a lot, that can stress some critters out enough that they stop eating. You may be better off with something like a king, corn, or milk snake initially, as they are much cheaper, easier to maintain, have a more consistent food response, and are more of a "display" snake and tolerant of handling than ball pythons are.

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I'm not sure I agree with this completely... While ball pythons are more shy than a corn or a king, you can get one for 30$, they are extremely simple to maintain, and with the right care they should have an excellent feeding response. One of the most fun things about reptiles is making a beautiful display cage. My ball python likes to believe he's a tree python, so he's out and about quite a bit. A beautiful display animal IMO. I really disagree that they aren't as tolerant for handling. They are slow moving, manageable size, and very docile personality unlike say a king who are constantly on the move. I think it mostly depends on exactly which ball python you buy. Make sure you take the time to handle the snake before you buy it to make sure it's the right one for you. I held two very different snakes before choosing my boy. The first was a female, who instantly went straight for my hood and was extremely head shy. The next was a male(the one I own now) and he balled up at first, but soon he was exploring my shirt crevices and was extremely chill. He also likes cheek rubs :) I hope this helps.


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Originally Posted by LivingwithBalls

I'm not sure I agree with this completely... While ball pythons are more shy than a corn or a king, you can get one for 30$, they are extremely simple to maintain, and with the right care they should have an excellent feeding response. One of the most fun things about reptiles is making a beautiful display cage. My ball python likes to believe he's a tree python, so he's out and about quite a bit. A beautiful display animal IMO. I really disagree that they aren't as tolerant for handling. They are slow moving, manageable size, and very docile personality unlike say a king who are constantly on the move. I think it mostly depends on exactly which ball python you buy. Make sure you take the time to handle the snake before you buy it to make sure it's the right one for you. I held two very different snakes before choosing my boy. The first was a female, who instantly went straight for my hood and was extremely head shy. The next was a male(the one I own now) and he balled up at first, but soon he was exploring my shirt crevices and was extremely chill. He also likes cheek rubs :) I hope this helps.


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And I will have to disagree with this base on the fact that YOUR perception is based on less than 6 months of ownership of a single Ball Python and the fact that you seems to apply human emotions when it come to your snake.

Ball pythons can make great pets so long people have the right expectations.

They make poor display animals (spend 80% of their time hiding) and they are very easily prone to stress (FACT), which means over handling or not being on the top of husbandry requirements can make a HUGE difference between an enjoyable ownership and a difficult one.

There is no such a thing as choosing the right Ball Python aside from an health standpoint, you can handle one for hours at a store and come back home to a complete different animal, or it can change very fast if husbandry is not met, choosing a Ball Python is not like choosing a puppy.

Now to the OP you have to remember that 4 years old is very young and ultimately this will really be YOUR snake, so make sure that YOU are ok with this long term commitment, the good news is that snakes are very low maintenance especially if you only own one.

Since this is something that sparks your daughter's interest, and will probably be an animal that she will want to hold quite often (at least in the beginning) I would also recommend something that is more forgiven husbandry wise and more tolerant of frequent handling, many colubrids fits the bill however due to their speed and size as hatchlings I would recommend a sub adult or adult one.

Something else I would highly recommend is a sand boa they stay small, and are a lot easier to handle than a colubrid, really a great starter snake for a younger child.

And in the future if she is still as passionate a transition to a Ball Python may be the right transition depending again on the expectations.

Here are some pointers when choosing the right animal

Size, docility, level of care, EXPECTATIONS, price, longevity.

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Black Hills Reptiles


Another one to look in to would be Woma pythons. While not as popular they are great display snakes and handle really well.

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About the womas I agree with Black Hills

And everything else I agree with Deborah.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

And I will have to disagree with this base on the fact that YOUR perception is based on less than 6 months of ownership of a single Ball Python and the fact that you seems to apply human emotions when it come to your snake.

Ball pythons can make great pets so long people have the right expectations.

They make poor display animals (spend 80% of their time hiding) and they are very easily prone to stress (FACT), which means over handling or not being on the top of husbandry requirements can make a HUGE difference between an enjoyable ownership and a difficult one.

There is no such a thing as choosing the right Ball Python aside from an health standpoint, you can handle one for hours at a store and come back home to a complete different animal, or it can change very fast if husbandry is not met, choosing a Ball Python is not like choosing a puppy.

Now to the OP you have to remember that 4 years old is very young and ultimately this will really be YOUR snake, so make sure that YOU are ok with this long term commitment, the good news is that snakes are very low maintenance especially if you only own one.

Since this is something that sparks your daughter's interest, and will probably be an animal that she will want to hold quite often (at least in the beginning) I would also recommend something that is more forgiven husbandry wise and more tolerant of frequent handling, many colubrids fits the bill however due to their speed and size as hatchlings I would recommend a sub adult or adult one.

And in the future if she is still as passionate a transition to a Ball Python may be the right transition depending again on the expectations.

Here are some pointers when choosing the right animal

Size, docility, level of care, EXPECTATIONS, price, longevity.

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Sure I don't have as much experience if any, but my opinion is still valid. Not sure why you say I apply human emotions to snakes? If you could please explain that statement it would be greatly appreciated.

You are right in saying that they hide most of the time. I was talking more about the cage setup and all is a good addition to any room. But when they do come out of hiding, it's quite fascinating and they truly are amazingly beautiful creatures. And hey, it can be a game for the kid to find the snake! I am a strong believer in that as long as the snake is not stressed, you can hold them however much you like. There is a lot of debate on this topic though, so I will just leave it at that.

No ball python is alike in personality. If you own more then 1 ball, you should know that.



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I probably wouldn't recommend a BP as a first snake. The husbandry needs to be spot on or they get stressed, they hide all the time, and they're prone to fasting. If the OP has their heart set on a BP, it can absolutely be done and they make wonderful pets, but these are just some things to think about.

I always recommend something like a corn, garter, or kingsnake as a first reptile. The husbandry requirements are pretty minimal compared to a tropical species, they get big enough to easily handle without worrying about hurting them or anything, and (I think someone already mentioned this) they tend to have more solid feeding responses. That and a 10-15 year life expectancy may be more appealing than 40 years for someone who doesn't really know if snakes are their thing or not.

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Originally Posted by LivingwithBalls

Sure I don't have as much experience if any, but my opinion is still valid. Not sure why you say I apply human emotions to snakes? If you could please explain that statement it would be greatly appreciated.

You are right in saying that they hide most of the time. I was talking more about the cage setup and all is a good addition to any room. But when they do come out of hiding, it's quite fascinating and they truly are amazingly beautiful creatures. And hey, it can be a game for the kid to find the snake! I am a strong believer in that as long as the snake is not stressed, you can hold them however much you like. There is a lot of debate on this topic though, so I will just leave it at that.

No ball python is alike in personality. If you own more then 1 ball, you should know that.



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When you mentioned that you BP love to have his cheeks rubbed that is human emotion, the truth is your BP does not love it, and really does not care, he only tolerates being handled.

I think that is great to have an opinion but I also know that if I was in the OP's shoes I would consider the opinion of peoples that have enough experience to actually have experienced the pro and cons and you are not there yet. Trust me I love those animals, however I also know the cons of those animals.

Bottom line if a customer or potential customer casked me the same question than the OP did (to sum it up is a BP an ideal snake for a 4 year old?) I would not recommend a BP as a first snake, yet BP are what I do and that is because this is what I do that I know there are better snakes out there to fit the bill.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

When you mentioned that you BP love to have his chick rubbed that is human emotion, the truth is your BP does not love it, and really does not care, he only tolerates being handled.

I think that is great to have an opinion but I also know that if I was in the OP's shoes I would consider the opinion of peoples that have enough experience to actually have experienced the pro and cons and you are not there yet. Trust me I love those animals, however I also know the cons of those animals.

Bottom line if a customer or potential customer casked me the same question than the OP did (to sum it up is a BP an ideal snake for a 4 year old?) I would not recommend a BP as a first snake, yet BP are what I do and that is because this is what I do that I know there are better snakes out there to fit the bill.

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Well, despite whether he "likes" it or not, he leans into my hand when I rub his cheeks. It's very cute.

Are you saying I shouldn't share or comment on posts? I'm a little confused. This is a forum after all, which are meant for sharing and commenting on other people's posts. I know that ball pythons do have cons, one of them being that they are extremely sensitive to error as you mentioned.

Do you breed ball pythons, or keep them as pets?


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I totally agree with livingwithBalls. If you can manage a Betta fish, you can manage a BP. I have a collection of tropical fish along with my 6 BPs. The BPs are much less maintenance when compotes go fish, that need much more frequent water changes. If kept properly, they should be eating well. Although I've treated and worked with snakes at my animal hospital, this is my first time owning them. My only regret is not getting them sooner. ;-)


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