Will be first time snake owner, hello all

Thanks for the responses. I'm well aware of the time/money investment just didn't want to start out with dumping like $2k+ into it at the beginning you know? The guy at the reptile store basically said $200 for the equipment, excluding snake. Under tank heater, heat lamp, thermostat, etc. As for the dogs, they're not allowed in my bedroom which is where the snake will be most of the time. And for you asking my age, I'm 27 btw.

I'll be going to talk to the store owner a bit more tomorrow and get some more information on him and see what all he knows, etc. And if everything seems good with him hopefully order the snake and get the equipment that day so I have time to set it up and monitor it before getting the snake in there.

Can't edit my previous post now, but one more question.

How young should I get a ball python? I don't want one thats older, but after reading some more on em how young is to young?

Most would say, and I agree that they need to have a few meals down them. As an example, the guy I picked up this weekend has had four meals and a shed twice. He's still pretty young at 95g, but an established feeder. That made me comfortable enough to bring him home.

Dave

I second what Dave said, and I feel like that should be a general rule with all snakes, but ball pythons especially.

If you are worried about the live feeding buy one that has been eating f/t....ball pythons IMO are pet rocks. Don't get me wrong I love all of my balls but for a first snake do you want something that is very skittish and hide 95% of the time or something that will cruise the cage and explore. Boas are garbage disposals and I have never had a single skipped meal with my 4 boas...all pound f/t. If your wanting a snake that will interact more with you I would go boa...if the size is an issue get a male or one of the smaller locality boas. Last note I would skip the fish tank you are wanting a snake not fish right so why would u buy a fish tank... I would suggest a simple tub setup for a hatchling boa or ball. It way easier to maintain proper husbandry....i see it so many time people throw more money and time trying to dial in a fish tank then just buying the right setup from the start tubs are cheap and you can upgrade to a bigger one as the snake grows without breaking the bank until the snake it ready for a forever cage like animal plastics or other similar enclosure. If ur handy and have the tools you can build nice cages for 1/3 price. And the single most important supply for the snake is the thermostat i highly recommend a herpstat or VE... my 2 cents

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Age doesn't matter so much as being an established feeder, but make sure that you put the snake in a small environment if it's a baby and don't use half log hides. One of my dogs is afraid of my snakes and one doesn't care, but I wouldn't let them interact even if they were good with each other. A herpstat is a good thermostat. Don't skimp on the thermostat! It is the most important piece of equipment! The thermostat alone will likely be around one hundred dollars, but it is necessary. I would agree with getting a tub instead of a fish tank. They work nicely.

One thing. Even if you're creeped out by live feeding, you must be willing to feed live if there's a feeding issue with frozen thawed while your snake is young. It's ok when the snake is older to skip some meals, but not if it stops eating as a baby.

Just creeped out with live feeding now, but that can always change. It's not like I'm going to let the snake starve just because I'm afraid of a live rat. I'm not that cruel =/. A friend of mine didn't like feeding live so he just dropped it into the cage from the box the rat came in, never had to touch it. Then he started actually playing with it and goes on from there. Just watched a youtube video of someone feeding his red tailed boa a live rat with tweezers lol.

The only reason I was going with a ball python first was because it was a very docile snake. I didn't want to get to deep that I couldn't manage if that makes sense. And about the tubs vs tanks, I keep seeing all these people putting snakes in tubs on youtube and to me it seems like the snake would be happier in something that mimicked their natural habitat. Nothing a lot of time and googling and reading up here can't fix with regards to properly regulating the heat/cold. And yes I'm aware a good thermostat/hydrometer will cost a pretty good amount.

Hydrometers are cheap. Ball pythons in the wild love in termite mounds and feel secure in small tighter spaces. I keep my yong boas in racks as well because they work so well at holding the correct husbandry and your not buying tank after tank as they grow tubs are very cheap. The best option if you want a display cage is to buy and animal plastics type but a hatching bp won't feel as secure in an adult size tank as it would in a small cage/ tub..

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If you're willing to feed live and understand that all live feeding must be supervised, you should be fine.

If you want to mimic a natural environment, you can. There is nothing to prevent you from putting realistic hides, substrate and plants in a tub. Remember, they aren't normally seen in the wild, so a tank is actually not as good as a tub. A tank is completely clear, but a tub is harder to see through and will make them feel more secure. Animal Plastics cages are very expensive, but they're good for display, as frostysBP mentioned. Just some food for thought.

My 6 ft female Boa is just a docile as my BP, maybe more so. Considering the previous owners had problems with their toddlers pulling her out of her tub and dragging her around the house! :O


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