Suggestions for my 8 y.o's first snake

Our 8 y.o has taken a liking to all the mophs and such and wants a snake of his own. We looked at several on craigslist but none really turned him on. The cinny was close but he wants unusal and cool. We went to a local reptile store that we didn't know had TONS of morphs...(couldn't get him or I out of there...just like heaven for us!) He really wants a bumblebee and there is one available for 180.00. So here is my question...Is there anything particular we need to know about that morps...quirks, defects etc. We BOTH are new to snake genetics and are learning slowly. Should i make him start with a normal first? We eventually want a breeding project...any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.

$180 sounds really cheap. I'm skeptical about that bee. I know they're coming down in price, but spiders and good examples of pastels still go for those prices.

With the bee, its a pastel + spider. Snakes carrying the Spider gene can have a neurological disorder we call a 'wobble'. It can go unnoticed and be a minor issue or the snake can be full out corkscrewing. It varies from animal to animal.

And if you plan on breeding in the future, start off with buying females. They take time to grow to breeding size.(average 2 years or so)

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For the most part the morphs are exactly like their normal counterparts, but there are a few morphs that have issues.

You mentioned the bumble bee. To produce a bumble bee you breed a pastel with a spider ball python. The spider morph has what is called a "wobble" this is a neurological issue that causes them to lose motor control, and seem to not be fully aware of their orientation. That being said it is rare for the wobble to cause any issues and I personally feel that people make way to big a deal of it. Some have it worse than others. I have one and 99% of the time you wouldn't even know that he had any issues.

$180 would be a really good deal for a Bee, almost too good of a deal, especially from a store.

I dont think youre looking at a bee for $180... If you want a cool looking morph youre looking to spend close to $400.
Imo there are some really cool base morphs out there too. A high quality pastel, pinstripe, lesser, butter, or mojave are all good options...

I have seen some stunning Mojaves for less than $200, as well as CLEAN Spiders, Pastels, Pins. Maybe a bit more for females.

I have seen Albino or Orange Ghost males for as little as $250 (less for the OG actually), if you like recessive.

I would be skeptical of what you are actually getting for that price. Bee prices aren't that low yet, and pet stores are always over priced. I would think more in the $400 range for a morph. If you don't want to spend that much, a normal would have the same personality as a morph, just not the same visual appeal. Please make sure you read through the care sheet on here and get your set up first. Proper enclosure, with uth on a thermastat, proper hides, and get it up and running with the right temps before you bring home a new snake. Bps also when you first bring them home, let them be untouched, no fussing with or holding for a week. Then after they feed for you, start handling. I have seen many newbie come on with their snake being stressed on not eating, and they usually don't have them set up right, or are handling them too much. Welcome to the addiction, though! :D

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Originally Posted by jinx667

I have seen some stunning Mojaves for less than $200, as well as CLEAN Spiders, Pastels, Pins. Maybe a bit more for females.

I have seen Albino or Orange Ghost males for as little as $250 (less for the OG actually), if you like recessive.

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Very good point.
When i said $400 i was thinking super pastel, bee, lemon blast etc

Sirchaos,

I recommend double checking on that bumble bee before purchasing it. Ask the store owners if there are any issues with it. Is it feeding regularly and on what? Does it have a wobble? etc etc. Look for anything abnormal.

Maybe take a picture of it and post it back here so we can take a look at it.

It doesn't seem right that a Bee is going for such a low price.

I know this is slightly off topic, but have you looked at corn snakes by chance? dont get me wrong I LOVE bp's, but for an 8 year old a corn may be something to look into, they are hardier in their husbandry requirements, stay about the same length but have a slightly thinner body, and have some pretty neat, colorful, cheap morphs. also, they are more active and "user friendly" then balls who curl up/hide most of the time. Again dont get me wrong, im by no means trying to deter you from a ball, or tell you what you should do. but I have a 8 y/o sister and 5 y/o brother, and they like my ball, but they get bored fast because she doesnt do much.

regaurdless, happy hunting I hope you are able to find something your son likes :]

EDIT: reason I bring it up is because you say you are both new to morphs and all, and I didnt see a list of what you own so I wasnt sure what interaction you have had with the various snakes.

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Originally Posted by BFT12890

for an 8 year old a corn may be something to look into

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I agree with this completely. Corns may be a better choice. They make a better display snake, are not as shy, and come in lots of bright colors and patterns. And you can't beat the cost! Your 8 year old may not be happy with a pet that needs to remain hidden. I'd recommend a young corn - not a 2012 hatchling, but maybe a 2011 or 2010.

Of course, since this is a ball python forum I would suggest getting a ball python =].

Corn snakes are pretty quick and they move around a lot. Ball pythons will sniff around the place, but they won't really move as quickly.

Females get bigger than males but not by much (around 1 or 2 feet longer). Also, if you buy a pastel female, as an example, for 200, in about 2 years, she would probably be worth ~500. That's a pretty good investment. However, take into consideration the cost of rodents, electricity, and housing that she'll need as she grows. The same kind of costs would go into the male, but the male's monetary value won't go very high. Females that are old enough and large enough to breed will cost more than a male that's old enough and big enough to breed, no matter the morph. That being said, keep in mind that if you ever need to re-home this big female, it probably won't take very long, and you might even get some outstanding offers for her :D

I think ball pythons are GREAT first snakes! I'm pretty sure it was an episode of snakebytes, or some other random youtube video, but the person speaking hit the nail on the head when explaining why. They have a real snake-like head (unlike corn snakes or other snakes that seem like giant worms). They have big full bodies, and they come in crazy patterns and colors!

Even though pastels are very common, you can still appreciate how cool looking this black and yellow snake is :gj:.

I suppose it depends on the kid. Our daughter has been around snakes since she was 6. We started with a corn, and now have bps too. She prefers the bps to the corn. The corn is so busy and always on the move. She likes the bps that sit with her like lap cats. She will take them out and sit and watch tv with them, and they just curl up and hang out, sucking up her warmth.

Thank you ALL for you help...we will be visiting this place again this week to do a "double check" and learn a little more. Our 8 yr old son is kind of a brainiac and loves researching things. He's very particular in his wants....he ideal "dream snake" is a leopard spot piebold....he saw that and instantly fell in love and we've been researching the prices and we're finding 1500 is a base price for a male but oh no AJ wants a girl and he's even gotten specific in naming her too :D We just picked up what we believe to be an Enchi tonight...i sent my friend who is a snake breeder a pic and he said to snag it and tomorrow we will find out if it is a Lucy or a Bubba. :D We're hoping for a Lucy. She's adjusting pretty well at the moment. Very curious and AJ loves her alot and keeps asking when she'll be ready for him to take her to school. I'm sure this snake will end up in his hands most of the time bc he's so fascinated at this point. Our 5 y.o loves it too.

Just make sure you give it a week to settle in. I know that it is hard to leave them alone at first but it really is important.

Yes i will make sure she is settled a week. Tomorrow she will be going to a vet to get a look over and then we'll see if it's a he or she. I always like to take store bought pets straight to a vet soon after purchase just to make sure they're safe. So far AJ has swooned over how pretty she is and all her bright colors...although my husband says she doesn't look any different than Chaos to this AJ about flipped and pointed immediately the color differences, length of tail and all her pretty stripes. It was all i could do to get him to go to bed. He wants her tank in his room so he can wake up to her....i know he's gotten bitten by the snake bug! LOL

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Originally Posted by sirchaosofgb

Yes i will make sure she is settled a week. Tomorrow she will be going to a vet to get a look over and then we'll see if it's a he or she. I always like to take store bought pets straight to a vet soon after purchase just to make sure they're safe. So far AJ has swooned over how pretty she is and all her bright colors...although my husband says she doesn't look any different than Chaos to this AJ about flipped and pointed immediately the color differences, length of tail and all her pretty stripes. It was all i could do to get him to go to bed. He wants her tank in his room so he can wake up to her....i know he's gotten bitten by the snake bug! LOL

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LMAO :rofl::rofl:

Sounds like me talking to my mom haha XD. I know i talk about it too much XD.. The hobby that is