Is this a normal ball or is she special? (:

http://usera.ImageCave.com/fairiegrl3746/HPIM0634.JPG
Hi, this is a picture of my ball Ganja.. I've had her for about 2 years since last january and payed a hefty price for her as opposed to other small balls because she is really pretty (as in her markings and colors). I was wondering if she is a special breed or anything? Unfortunately I have not been able to spend enough time with her lately so I need to sell her or give her to a dedicated new owner and just wanted to see if I should be calling her something special as opposed to just a regular ball!! Thank youu!!
-Ashley

here is a picture which shows her head a little better!

http://usera.ImageCave.com/fairiegrl3746/HPIM0650.JPG

She just looks like a nice normal to me. What would you say a hefty price is? When you purchased her, was it mentioned that she was het for anything?

She has a nice reduced pattern but she looks pretty normal to me. Are those old pictures? She looks tiny for a two year old.

Thank you so much! Yes these pictures are from two years ago right when I got her.. Okay so when I said hefty, I meant in comparison to the other normals which were about $40, I paid $100 for her. The shop owner did not mention het. anything, just that she was unique, which I agree with because my two balls in the past were much less vibrant and bright in color.

But she has some problems, she wont soak herself (I have to do it for her and she HATES it), and she is SOOOO temperamental. I'm talking, strikes at the glass when you walk by! Shes only been able to bite me once right after I fed her but shes struck at me a million times. I had my reptile store owner work with her for a couple weeks and she improved for a couple days but as soon as I wasn't able to hold her for a few days she was right back at it. And now I realize I don't have the time to spend with her :(

Actually, your snake would probably be happier if she were never handled at all. I only handle mine once or twice a week for about 10 mins or so. More handling will probably just stress her out. Your tank looks pretty open, do you have more than one hide? How are your temps and humidity? Do you have a hot and cold side? How often do you feed her and what size prey? All of these things can affect the snakes behavior.

BPs don't need to soak. They only do that if they have mites, so it's a good thing she doesn't. What's your set up like? If there's a lot of open space she might have security issues.

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Originally Posted by PghBall

Actually, your snake would probably be happier if she were never handled at all. I only handle mine once or twice a week for about 10 mins or so. More handling will probably just stress her out. Your tank looks pretty open, do you have more than one hide? How are your temps and humidity? Do you have a hot and cold side? How often do you feed her and what size prey? All of these things can affect the snakes behavior.

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I only have one hide...which she is always under just about. The temp is usually at about 90 on one side and no heat added on the other. It is hard to keep the humidity up in there, I've tried a few things but it doesnt seem to help her shed (which is another problem of hers). She eats once a week, one rat fuzzie.

I would put another hide on the other side of the tank. Also try putting aluminum foil over the lid (I'm assuming it is some sort of screened lid). This will help with the humidity. Also you can try putting the water bowl closer to the warm side to bump up the humidity. As for her shed, you can get Spagnum moss at your local pet store. Take a clump of it and soak it and then put it in the hide. This will create a humid hide for your ball to go in when she is in shed. I would also suggest picking up an acurite thermohygometer with a probe at your local lowes if you don't already have one. They are under $15 and will help you get a better reading of your temps (both hot and cool ends) and humidity.

thank you so much, you are so helpful!

Oh, if you still have that branch I see in your second pic, I would cut it down some and try laying it on it's side. I have one in with my son's ball and I did this. It gives him another place to lay out and still feel "covered". My son's uses it to ambush his prey. Also, if your snake is 2 years old, you should really switch to a bigger prey item (like a small rat). My new '10 pinstripe takes a rat fuzzy and he is tiny.

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Originally Posted by srhsocalstyle

thank you so much, you are so helpful!

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I am just helping you like so many on here have helped me with questions. There is alot of useful information on this site and great people who are willing to help. Who knows, you may even change your mind and keep your girl after you get her settled right.

Thank you for the suggestion. She is still really small though and I dont know why, my reptile store owner said she is fine on fuzzies still. I have tried feeding her more but she got constipated.

A good rule of thumb for feeding is to feed a prey item that is around 15% of your snakes weight and no wider than the widest part of your snakes body.

They can go weeks to months without pooping, I doubt more food would make her constipated, more food would also help her anger issue, as it's probably hungry all the time.

To the first post, it's a reduced pattern normal.

Definitely up the prey, and don't worry about constipation, balls can go a really long time with out going to the bathroom. I'm talking like 6 or 7 months. That's the longest mine have ever gone at least. After they are on the bigger prey for a while they will start to go more regularly. And she'll grow like a weed.

As for your original question... she has pretty gold sides and looks like a slightly reduced pattern, but yeah, she's a normal. $100 is quite a bit if she isn't a het. I paid $80 for my girl (at a local pet store) and she has similar colors to yours.

It sounds like she has security issues, though. Even if you're going to be getting rid of her, you should at least give her another hide on the other side of the tank. Laying the branch down is a good idea! That and testing the temps/humidity to see if they're correct will probably calm her down a lot. 90 is good for the hot side, but the overall temp of the room shouldn't go below 75, and it's better for it to be around 80. Bps don't need to soak either... the only time you might have to is if she had a bad/stuck shed. Also, she really needs to be moved up to larger prey!! I'm sure part of the reason why she strikes is hunger. A 2 year old snake should be eating large mice at the least, but if you're moving up from fuzzies then I would go to a small mouse.

Thank you all very much I will definately give her more hiding room and up her prey!

If you really don't want to give her up, but feel you must be doing something wrong to make her angry all the time so it would be best if you did, please reconsider.

Truthfully, she's scared and stressed and hungry, and that is why she is so aggressive. Give her another hide and clutter her tank up a bit more, give her some quiet time without handling her, and definitely up the size of her prey, and I bet you money she'll calm down and be a real sweetie in no time.

If she is really two years old, you have been severely underfeeding her, no thanks to that crummy pet store who knows jack about keeping a snake healthy in the first place. At two she should easily be taking small rats weekly. Don't go too big too fast, because that isn't good for her either, start by going up one size from her current food. After a month or so, step up again. This gives her time to adjust to the new food size and start catching up her growth. And don't worry about her going to the bathroom, mine go anywhere from once a week to once every few months.

Best wishes for you both.

Gale

Tanks are so open as to cause ball pythons to stress out, especially if there are dogs and cats and kids running/walking by it constantly.

Covering 3 sides of the tank will help your snake feel more secure. :)

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Originally Posted by sarahlovesmiike

BPs don't need to soak. They only do that if they have mites, so it's a good thing she doesn't. What's your set up like? If there's a lot of open space she might have security issues.

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Ball pythons will soak in water. If a BP is soaking, it doesn't mean that they have mites. They will some times soak when it's time to shed if they feel like it.

Sometimes ball pythons will soak in a water dish because it feels secure on all sides like a hide.

The suggestions are good ones, especially covering the 3 sides of the tank, and covering the top to help keep in humidity. A humid hide is a good thing for reptiles in tanks. You can also make one from a tupperware style container(like a plastic shoebox) with a hole for a entrance and the damp peatmoss.

The moss should be damp, not wet. Squeeze the soaked moss until it stops dripping water and you should be good.

How did you know she was constipated? Just wondering if there was some sign, or if you just noticed she hadn't pooped?

Oh dear - fuzzies for a 2 year old? I've got hatchlings eating fuzzy rats as their first meal. I would guess that her striking is from hunger. :(

I have babies WAY smaller than your snake looks in the pictures from when you first got her that are eating adult mice. If she is two years old and snappy it is because she is hungry! :D

I second the notion that you need to increase what you are feeding her. More hides plus covering the sides and back of your tank with black foam-core board will help a lot too. :D

I hope you decide to keep her, she is beautiful. :D

It looks like a nice reduced pattern normal.

As to the soaking, both of my BP's have never soaked in water. The only reason I can think of a BP doing so it because they are either too hot or the humidity is too low and they need to get wet to help themselves shed.

Fuzzies do seem small for a 2 year old. I have a male Spider that just turned 1 year old this month and he's up to Adult Mice already at 440g. My 2 year old female Normal is eating full sized Adult rats. She's a big one though, already at almost 1,700g