In person or Online, where to purchase first ball python?

I have never done business with EBV but I do know some people that have bought from them and I have seen the animals that they have purchased. Great stuff! I would not hesitate doing business with them.

I my self wouldn't suggest buying from a pet store. Pet stores don't take the proper time to quarantine there new arrivals. It's just “get them and sell them” attitude. I worked for a pet shop that had that attitude with Ball Pythons. Getting in a shipment of about 20 and putting them all in a 10 Gal tank, Then not 5 min latter I ended up having to take the poor things out to let people look at them and buy them. They never get the proper time to settle in and 9 times out of 10 they have something wrong with them.

Also a lot of times the pet store will not feed them. We would get in 5 day old hatchings that haven't feed yet, when my store found out that I was feeding them they fired me. I was spending money the store didn't have to feed ”worth-less” 160$ hatchings and they could have gotten sick on a customer.

I dot care for pet store BPs. But that is just my opinion.

lllreptile.com is where i got my bp he is awesome and toattly healthy. i buy every thing but boas from them. great to deal with.

I'd go to a show. That's where I go my first BP ever, and the prices and selection can't be beat. Plus, you don't have to pay shipping. The average going rate to ship a snake is about $50....that's in addition to the price you're paying for the animal.

I agree on the show bit... I just went to the Indy show and there were a TON of baby BPs for sale. Most were priced around 25-30 for healthy feeding babies.

NOTE: Make sure the baby's a feeder. A woman at the show had babies for sale for $10. I asked her about them and she said they weren't eating. Don't always go for the best deal.

Go somewhere where you can see them in person. Also look at several to see the differences in personality. If you are going to have the BP around kids, you want a tolerant snake, and something that is not too head shy or easily startled. sp??


Neil

you're in Concord right? im 20 min. away from you! if i were you i would either get the BP now at EBV or wait till the sacremento show in september and you can still purchase it from EBV or many other good places there.

Try to buy one from a local breeder if possible. I talk a bit about pet store ball pythons on my FAQ page. Regardless of whether you buy from a show or online, buy from a breeder that has a reputation to keep in this business. No reputation, no reason not to screw you. Reputation, a reason not to screw you.


Check the animal over CAREFULLY regardless of where you purchase one from. Look out for mites, ticks, respiratory infection, check the animal over completely and find out when it fed last, what it's feeding on and how frequently it's feeding.

Good luck! :carrot:

Hello all!

Well I went with the advice and took a jaunt(more like an journy..) to EBV. It was a very nice store with great service! I took my boyfreind and my best friend with me(because I refuse to venture around the forgin land of berkely alone..) Me and my boyfriend(who is obsessed with snakes and reptiles in general...) picked out a cute little girl ball python, she's very sweet and her name is Kitty(or Belladona, we can't decide). I plan to get more BPs in the future(they're addictive!). I think I'll get my second from a breeder at a show. Thank you all for the helpfull advice! Kitty thanks you all as well!


Sugar

Congrats on the purchase! "Kitty" sounds like a really cute name. And you know everyone is gonna pester you for pictures, so you better get some soon! ;) :P