pros of owning a ball python?

i am looking to get a reptile, my first!!! and i have heard that corns snakes and snakes like that are good but i also heard ball pythons were good and i like them more because they are fatter and bigger!!

i know the care for them.

now to the question... i think that they are nocturnal correct me if i am wrong, so they wont be at during the day so although they look really nice you will ever see them am i correct? and they prob dont like to be disturbed during they day, so why do people like them if i know then i might get one? also how often do they bite? and how often can you handle them?

thanks!:snake:

A ball python is a great snake that will often become tame enough to sit quietly in your lap while you watch TV.
All snakes are individuals, and some INDIVIDUALS can be temperamental and prone to bite. But most ball pythons are very docile, and would rather hide their head than strike if they are frightened. Hatchlings can be nippy--understandably, they are scared of most everything. This is true of hatchlings of all species of snakes, though.

Ball pythons will spend most of their time resting quietly in their hide--usually all day, and part of the night. You can take them out to interact with them--so long as they're eating regularly, and behaving normally, it won't do them harm.

I would keep handling of a hatchling down to about 30 minutes per day, max, after they're eating regularly for you. Adults can be out for an hour or so. I wouldn't recommend handling for excessively long periods on a regular basis.

The most important thing to remember is that the ball python needs to be warm. Room temperatures in most homes are only around 70F. That is 10 degrees too cool for a ball python. Holding the ball python close will help keep it warm, but it's still breathing cold air while you have it out, so keep handling sessions appropriately short. Breathing cold air for long periods of time could lead to respiratory infection. (Either that, or keep the room at 80F, lol). Also be aware that temperatures above 90F can be deadly.

Welcome aboard! :handshake

A warning about buying a ball python....they're ADDICTIVE! :rofl:

Seriously though....they're great animals to own. They do hide a lot both day and night...they sleep a lot. But are typically active in the late evenings and can be fun to watch whenever they are out and about.

Just because they're "sleeping" though...doesn't mean you can't take them out during the day for some handling. If you only waited until they seemed to "want" out, then you'd never get to play with them. :P

Babies can be nippy sometimes, because they are so little and vulnerable, they are trying to scare away anything that seems scary to them. On rare occasions, you'll find bigger ones with an "attitude". But for the most part, even as babies, they are pretty laid back and rarely bite. Most bites from ball pythons are due to feeding errors. (Don't smell like a rodent or tease your snake with your fingers! LOL) But even if they do bite you...they can't do any real harm and it rarely hurts more than a quick pin stick.

They have adorable faces that make you fall in love...and make it worth putting up with the fact that they hide most of the time. I'm not into anthropomorphizing my snakes...but they can seem down-right cuddly at times....which is very nice, even if intellectually I know it's not "affection" as I'd like to think of it.

If you get a nice, healthy ball python from a reputable breeder, I am quite sure you won't regret it one bit! (Except for the addiction part of it....that can get painful when you fall in love with all the beautiful colors and patterns! :rolleye2: )

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Originally Posted by JLC

A warning about buying a ball python....they're ADDICTIVE! :rofl:

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No doubt! haha

The number one "pro" of owning a Ball Python is that some day you may actually be lucky enough to be in the same location as Big Gunns...and if you're really lucky...he may look your way.:D:D

They're great starter constrictors. Good luck if you get one.:gj:

I own both ball pythons and corn snakes, and they each have their pros/cons. Corn snakes are cheaper, more active, easier to feed, and need less heat... on the downside they poop & pee MUCH more frequently, aren't as easy to handle (they can be squirmy/flighty), worth less if you breed, and have less "exciting" morphs. Ball pythons are super mellow for the most part, fairly hardy, and and require less care overall. As for the biting question, it happens but not often - I've been tagged twice by a ball, and each time hurt less than a paper cut (didn't even feel one of them). Anyway, both corns & balls are great snakes, so it all depends on what you're looking for! I'd probably choose a BP if I could only have one, mostly due to their lap-snake personalities. :)

You picked two good species as a first snake, but I should mention a few other possibilities. I keep Australian pythons (Stimsoni, Maculosi & Jungle Carpet), and really enjoy what they add to my collection... pretty similar to BPs in their husbandry, but a little more outgoing and unusual looking. My Stimsoni in particular get a lot of "oooohs" when I show them off. I also have a little Western Hognose snake, and she is a doll - really enjoys human interaction (to the point of neediness), and has the cutest face known to mankind. :D So while I would never talk you out of a BP or corn, keep in mind there are LOTS of cool snakes to consider. Don't worry, you'll end up with more than one... the addiction grabs hold of us quickly and strongly, LOLOL.

P.S. I personally don't mind the nocturnal behavior of a BP, since that's my schedule too! ;) But they usually wake up around dusk, so even daytime folks have a chance to see them up & about... and like the others said, you can always wake them for handling.

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Originally Posted by Big Gunns

The number one "pro" of owning a Ball Python is that some day you may actually be lucky enough to be in the same location as Big Gunns...and if you're really lucky...he may look your way.:D:D

They're great starter constrictors. Good luck if you get one.:gj:

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Why don't you come up to a Toronto show? Brian from BHB does every year!

Just remember ball pythons can go off their food for months at a time. Some people have a hard time dealing with that.

Good Luck!
Jim Smith

I looooove my Ball Python! :banana: :banana:

I keep Balls. My ex was totally into Corns. My roommate has a Corn.

Cornsnakes are nice but frankly they're too active for my tastes. The Corn my roomie has is ALWAYS moving, and I don't like that. I like my "lap cat" pythons...I can pour myself a soda, pop open a bag of chips, put on an episode of CSI or NCIS, and kick my feet up...with a python sleeping on my lap or (I know, I know, this is bad of me) curled around my shoulders. :) Once they get comfortable they tend to just chill out and relax. :D

Someone else mentioned...the Corn my roomie has and my Milk Snake tend to eliminate a LOT. I kindof hate getting pooped on...I'm sorry, I get bitten, peed on, thrown up on and drooled all over by dogs at work, I don't want to come home to a snake that'll smear poop all over me. My Balls eliminate infrequently and none of them has ever done it when out of their tubs being handled. Though...when they DO poop, it's like a PERSON snuck in there and dropped a load. :rofl: My Mojave male's leavings rival my biggest cat!!!

I concurr on this...Balls are addictive!!! I can't have just one. :) Just be sure to get one from a solid, reputable breeder and you probably can't go wrong.

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Originally Posted by seeya205

Why don't you come up to a Toronto show? Brian from BHB does every year!

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BG will let you in on a leeetle secret. He was talking to someone about this recently and he's considering taking a road trip. Tell the promoters to get the security ready.:D

Mine are in their hide for most of the day but when I go to get them out and handle them, its usually with no complaints from the snakes. They like to be held and they seem reluctant to be put back in their enclosure. So as far as the nocturnal thing goes...I dont see an issue with taking them out during the day. Usually when they dont want to be bothered, they can deifinitely let you know!;)

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Originally Posted by Flatheadhunter33

Mine are in their hide for most of the day but when I go to get them out and handle them, its usually with no complaints from the snakes. They like to be held and they seem reluctant to be put back in their enclosure. So as far as the nocturnal thing goes...I dont see an issue with taking them out during the day. Usually when they dont want to be bothered, they can deifinitely let you know!;)

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I agree with everything you just said. And for the last comment, I got my first hiss the other day! It was a big moment for me. haha :)

A ball python is probably the lowest maintenance pet I've ever owned. It can be a little pricey, but once you have everything set up properly they're a breeze to care for.