Getting a BP

I have been looking strongly into getting a BP for the last eight hours. I am positive I am getting a BP, and I am setting up the cage tomorrow. However, I am going to a reptile show to pick out my snake in 2 weeks. If I do not find the snake I want, I will order it online.
However,

• I do not know what morph to get
• I only have 300 dollars MAX to spend
• I want a unique snake that doesn't cost thousands of dollars
• Do you recommend going to a reptile show or buying it online?

Thank you so much if you took the time to read this, I am very new to the topic of Ball Pythons.

reptile show, prices are usually a little bit lower and you can try and haggle! good luck

I'm looking forward to going to the reptile show regardless. My main concern is getting a cool morph, as I can not decide which appeals to me most. I've looked at morphs for 3 hours straight, I need guidance. My price range is 50-300 dollars.

A lesser platinum is a good start. If your looking to get into breeding start off with a female. They usually for for around 250-300. Rey to get one that ways frozen thawed. A whole lot easier to deal with. What show are you going to?

I don't understand what you mean by "Rey to get one that ways frozen thawed". However, I do think the lesser platinum's look very cool! I am going to the Havre De Grace Reptile show.

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Originally Posted by Richie-D

Rey to get one that ways frozen thawed. A whole lot easier to deal with. What show are you going to?

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*get one that eats frozen thawed.

I just picked up a lesser for $100 at a show here. Normally $225 for my exact snake on their website. I love shows.

Sent from my Evo V 4G using Tapatalk 2

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Originally Posted by Richie-D

*get one that eats frozen thawed.

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Oh, so you mean one that doesn't eat live mice? I was considering getting a snake that ate frozen mice. I would like to feed it a live mouse once in a while though.

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Originally Posted by DeathByDabs

I just picked up a lesser for $100 at a show here. Normally $225 for my exact snake on their website. I love shows.

Sent from my Evo V 4G using Tapatalk 2

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I'm for sure looking forward to the show. I just want to make sure I can go into the show and know what morphs cost what.

Well talk to a breeder that has a good selection. Theirs a lot off single gene morphs that you can find for under 300.

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Originally Posted by Richie-D

Well talk to a breeder that has a good selection. Theirs a lot off single gene morphs that you can find for under 300.

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I will definitely do that! =) Thank you! Looking forward to the show also.

One thing I have noticed, atleast at the shows around here, is there are always a few I guess you'd call them "flippers?" People that haven't really bred
anything on their tables, and are just reselling. IMO they are no better than the chain pet stores...

The good thing is, you can usually tell the real breeders from the "flippers" :)

Do you have any intention of increasing your Ball Python collection and possibly getting into breeding in the future? If so, I would try and get a female first. At that price range, you could find a Lesser, Mojave, Pastel, Vanilla, and MAYBE even a Super Pastel if you negotiate well enough. I was told if you intend to breed, purchase the female first as it takes longer for them to mature to a healthy breeding weight.

If you do not plan on ever breeding and really just want to get the coolest morph you can for your money, then get a male. You could possibly find a Bumblebee (I've seen them as low as $275), Pastel Lesser, Pastave (Pastel + Mojave), etc. It really just depends on what you like and what you plan on doing in the future with them. This is just from what I've seen shopping online for Ball Pythons.

Good luck and make sure and look online at prices so you don't pay more than you should! Know what you are buying and what the normal value for that particular morph is. Hope you find your perfect snake!

Also when at the show, have a smart phone or tablet with you. Then you can goto kingsnake.com and the bp classifieds. Any snake that you like, search it up then compare prices and pics to make sure its a the real snake and a good deal.

Also look around at everything before you buy, so you can compare local prices. I searched the whole show looking for a good snake. Saw a few lessers for 200+, then the very last table had only one male. He was $100 and gorgeous. I snatched him up because I had already seen all the other snakes and knew he was less then 50% the cost of the others.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Sent from my Evo V 4G using Tapatalk 2

I was doing research, and I am becoming shy of the idea of buying a BP for two reasons.

• According to research, sometimes they are very hard to feed - which scares me.
• I have a 60 gallon tank, and I am not sure it will like that.

I would like to know if the feeding, or over sized tank should be a concern.

Also, I was wondering what kind of morph I should get. I don't know much about morphs, but I just want a pet (Not for breeding)
I have 300 dollars to spend.

• Let me know your favorite morphs (In my price range $25-300) and any stories you would like to share.

Thank you! I am looking forward to your feedback.

Ball pythons are not hard to feed. They are only hard to feed if you are doing something wrong. So, as long as you get your husbandry spot on, there's no reason to be worried. As long as the conditions are right, a ball python won't starve itself. Also, why not look into a different enclosure? You can get sterilite tubs at walmart really cheap, and they're actually ideal for attaining the right conditions. I have a normal that I paid $30 for at a reptile expo. There are a lot of morphs you can get for $300, but why not get a normal for $30, and use the rest to get the proper enclosure and supplies for it?

As Norman said, I wouldn't worry too much about the feeding. I had the same reservations though I had corns but bit the bullet and haven't had an issue.

I do have a question for you though... You said you have a 60 gallon aquarium. Judging by that statement, are you looking for a showcase animal? If so, bp's are NOT the way to go. I have 3 big 40 gallons set up for display in my family room and they contain a corn, dragon, and tortoise but never will I put a bp in one. They will hide and the openess would stress them out.

However, if you're looking for a bp to enjoy the species, I would look into a tub setup. You don't need a rack or to own 15 of them to make it work. A UTH, thermostat, and appropriate sized tub with 2 hides and a water bowl will suffice. I definitely wouldn't be putting a bp into a 60 gallon anything. Even my big girls and boys stay in the smallest possible tubs as that's what they like. Remember that a hiding bp is a happy bp.

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Originally Posted by NormanSnake

Ball pythons are not hard to feed. They are only hard to feed if you are doing something wrong. So, as long as you get your husbandry spot on, there's no reason to be worried. As long as the conditions are right, a ball python won't starve itself. Also, why not look into a different enclosure? You can get sterilite tubs at walmart really cheap, and they're actually ideal for attaining the right conditions. I have a normal that I paid $30 for at a reptile expo. There are a lot of morphs you can get for $300, but why not get a normal for $30, and use the rest to get the proper enclosure and supplies for it?

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I appreciate your quick feedback!
I already bought 100-120 dollars worth of supplies, I have 300 dollars leftover. I just want a unique looking BP, something that strikes out to people. Do you recommend live-feed or frozen? I am planning on using frozen food, with the occasional live-feed.
What's your favorite morph for around 100-300 dollars?

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Originally Posted by Brent152

I appreciate your quick feedback!
I already bought 100-120 dollars worth of supplies, I have 300 dollars leftover. I just want a unique looking BP, something that strikes out to people. Do you recommend live-feed or frozen? I am planning on using frozen food, with the occasional live-feed.
What's your favorite morph for around 100-300 dollars?

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Honestly, the one you like the look of. My personal favorite is the albino but it might be hard to find one for $300. You can find lessers, mojaves, spiders, pastels, and several others in that price range though. My recommendation would be go to a show and see what strikes you. Also surf on FaunaClassifieds to get an idea of price on morphs you like. Remember that they are generally a bit cheaper at a show and you can also haggle a little.

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Originally Posted by Dracoluna

As Norman said, I wouldn't worry too much about the feeding. I had the same reservations though I had corns but bit the bullet and haven't had an issue.

I do have a question for you though... You said you have a 60 gallon aquarium. Judging by that statement, are you looking for a showcase animal? If so, bp's are NOT the way to go. I have 3 big 40 gallons set up for display in my family room and they contain a corn, dragon, and tortoise but never will I put a bp in one. They will hide and the openess would stress them out.

However, if you're looking for a bp to enjoy the species, I would look into a tub setup. You don't need a rack or to own 15 of them to make it work. A UTH, thermostat, and appropriate sized tub with 2 hides and a water bowl will suffice. I definitely wouldn't be putting a bp into a 60 gallon anything. Even my big girls and boys stay in the smallest possible tubs as that's what they like. Remember that a hiding bp is a happy bp.

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I'm for sure going to get a tub setup, I knew the aquarium was a stretch. Do you recommend any specific morphs? I want something striking as I said to Norman.

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Originally Posted by Dracoluna

Honestly, the one you like the look of. My personal favorite is the albino but it might be hard to find one for $300. You can find lessers, mojaves, spiders, pastels, and several others in that price range though. My recommendation would be go to a show and see what strikes you. Also surf on FaunaClassifieds to get an idea of price on morphs you like. Remember that they are generally a bit cheaper at a show and you can also haggle a little.

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I'm going to a show on the 9th, I just am trying to learn about morphs and what not before the show. I just picked up the interest today, and I will fore-fill any needs it has.

You'll just have to look around. Each morph can be striking to different people. Personally, in your price range, I would go with a pastel, a mojave, a normal, or a lesser.

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Originally Posted by NormanSnake

You'll just have to look around. Each morph can be striking to different people. Personally, in your price range, I would go with a pastel, a mojave, a normal, or a lesser.

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Is the only difference how they look? I honestly don't see the difference between most snakes, besides colors.

Yeah, the only difference is how they look. They just have different 'paint jobs'.

I'm thinking of putting A LOT of accessories in the 60 gal, to make him feel secure. I will have a backup tub, but I'm confident I could make it a comfortable home for him. Plus I plan to have him on me whenever possible.

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Originally Posted by Brent152

Plus I plan to have him on me whenever possible.

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What does this mean?

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

What does this mean?

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I plan to have him around my neck, and/or arms when I am doing things.

From what I hear from you, I don't think a ball python is the snake for you. Too much handling can make your snake stressed out and ball pythons are not good 'chilling' snakes. They like to be left alone to hide out in their cozy secure enclosures. I would suggest getting a corn snake or some other species that can handle the 60gal with less stress, and can be handled more with less stress. You also mentioned being worried about feeding problems. Both the larger tank and the frequent handling can stress the snake out and that is what WILL give you feeding problems.

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Originally Posted by NormanSnake

From what I hear from you, I don't think a ball python is the snake for you. Too much handling can make your snake stressed out and ball pythons are not good 'chilling' snakes. They like to be left alone to hide out in their cozy secure enclosures. I would suggest getting a corn snake or some other species that can handle the 60gal with less stress, and can be handled more with less stress. You also mentioned being worried about feeding problems. Both the larger tank and the frequent handling can stress the snake out and that is what WILL give you feeding problems.

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" I take mine just about everywhere in the summer including libraries and ren faires where small children pass her around and pet her and play with her."
I read this from an article. She says it just chills on her neck.

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Originally Posted by Brent152

I have been looking strongly into getting a BP for the last eight hours. I am positive I am getting a BP, and I am setting up the cage tomorrow. However, I am going to a reptile show to pick out my snake in 2 weeks. If I do not find the snake I want, I will order it online.
However,

• I do not know what morph to get
• I only have 300 dollars MAX to spend
• I want a unique snake that doesn't cost thousands of dollars
• Do you recommend going to a reptile show or buying it online?

Thank you so much if you took the time to read this, I am very new to the topic of Ball Pythons.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brent152

I was doing research, and I am becoming shy of the idea of buying a BP for two reasons.

• According to research, sometimes they are very hard to feed - which scares me.
• I have a 60 gallon tank, and I am not sure it will like that.

I would like to know if the feeding, or over sized tank should be a concern.

Also, I was wondering what kind of morph I should get. I don't know much about morphs, but I just want a pet (Not for breeding)
I have 300 dollars to spend.

• Let me know your favorite morphs (In my price range $25-300) and any stories you would like to share.

Thank you! I am looking forward to your feedback.

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In an effort to keep the forum organised and clutter free your threads have been merged.

Lol Deborah, I thought I saw this thread twice...or similar threads :)


And to the OP, just because some person wrote it somewhere that her BP chills on her everywhere she goes doesn't mean it should:)

A corn or even a smaller locality boa sounds like something more fitting from everything you are saying...

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Originally Posted by Brent152

" I take mine just about everywhere in the summer including libraries and ren faires where small children pass her around and pet her and play with her."
I read this from an article. She says it just chills on her neck.

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Eh....not the best advice in that article I would say IMO. Balls can stress easily (not all of them, it depends on the individual) but a stressed snake can lead to not eating for you and other problems probably not best for a beginner. I would not recommend taking your ball here, there, everywhere because not everyone in the public will take kindly to being around a snake. There's just too much fear and ignorance around and taking a snake out in the public in a non-educational presentation setting will do more harm than good for our hobby.

Hanging with your snake around your house though is totally okay but I recommend doing so in moderation for the stress factor. Just make sure it doesn't fall off, balls are quite clumsy. I, too, would recommend looking into another species. Boas came to mind but they will need much more room once adults (IMO larger than your 60 gallon) depending on the boa species.

That is not common for a ball python to be that ok with being toted around. Most ball pythons, in my opinion are not going to be ok with being handled constantly. If you are really dead set on getting a ball python, go ahead, but I'm just fore-warning you that these things can give you problems down the road. Why take the chance? Just do some research and find a breed that is more tolerant of those things and fits your ideas better? I have a corn snake, she's my baby. I have her because I wanted a snake that I could hold all the time. She's tame as a puppy, and I can even touch her head and she doesn't mind. Much different than my head-shy BP. She would be out all day if I'd let her, and she would definitely enjoy having a large enclosure to roam around in.

I think it sounds like a smaller locality boa would be perfect for him! Depends on the floor dimensions of his 60 gallon, but a male Hogg Island or a Cay Caulker would be perfect in that.

I had corns and the past, and while I loved them, I found that even as adults alot of them are still pretty quick movers, whereas a nice boa would get some girth on him but still stay pretty short :)

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Originally Posted by Griffith

I think it sounds like a smaller locality boa would be perfect for him! Depends on the floor dimensions of his 60 gallon, but a male Hogg Island or a Cay Caulker would be perfect in that.

I had corns and the past, and while I loved them, I found that even as adults alot of them are still pretty quick movers, whereas a nice boa would get some girth on him but still stay pretty short :)

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I'm liking this idea, but I'm totally stuck on the BP idea, I've learned so much about them. I will have to take this into consideration, I have 2 weeks.

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

Eh....not the best advice in that article I would say IMO. Balls can stress easily (not all of them, it depends on the individual) but a stressed snake can lead to not eating for you and other problems probably not best for a beginner. I would not recommend taking your ball here, there, everywhere because not everyone in the public will take kindly to being around a snake. There's just too much fear and ignorance around and taking a snake out in the public in a non-educational presentation setting will do more harm than good for our hobby.

Hanging with your snake around your house though is totally okay but I recommend doing so in moderation for the stress factor. Just make sure it doesn't fall off, balls are quite clumsy. I, too, would recommend looking into another species. Boas came to mind but they will need much more room once adults (IMO larger than your 60 gallon) depending on the boa species.

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I totally agree with you. I'm not looking to take it into public. I'm just looking to sit down on the couch/computer and have it there. What do you consider "moderation", and for how long at a time MAX?
I will consider a Boa, but I have a 6ft limit for a snake, or I will have to get rid of it =(

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Originally Posted by NormanSnake

That is not common for a ball python to be that ok with being toted around. Most ball pythons, in my opinion are not going to be ok with being handled constantly. If you are really dead set on getting a ball python, go ahead, but I'm just fore-warning you that these things can give you problems down the road. Why take the chance? Just do some research and find a breed that is more tolerant of those things and fits your ideas better? I have a corn snake, she's my baby. I have her because I wanted a snake that I could hold all the time. She's tame as a puppy, and I can even touch her head and she doesn't mind. Much different than my head-shy BP. She would be out all day if I'd let her, and she would definitely enjoy having a large enclosure to roam around in.

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I really would consider a corn, but I heard they're not one to chill around your neck. I have dogs, so I can't have it escaping. I heard Ball Python's are much slower, and lazy.

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Originally Posted by Brent152

I'm liking this idea, but I'm totally stuck on the BP idea, I've learned so much about them. I will have to take this into consideration, I have 2 weeks.

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I think you need to look more into a Hogg Island Male. They can be had way under your budget, and you can pick out a real nice one.
Won't get too big...probably max out around 4' long, but girthy like a BP....slow-ish moving, and like to chill...

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Originally Posted by Griffith

I think you need to look more into a Hogg Island Male. They can be had way under your budget, and you can pick out a real nice one.
Won't get too big...probably max out around 4' long, but girthy like a BP....slow-ish moving, and like to chill...

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And they can START and live in a 60gal tank forever?

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Originally Posted by Brent152

I really would consider a corn, but I heard they're not one to chill around your neck. I have dogs, so I can't have it escaping. I heard Ball Python's are much slower, and lazy.

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I've had corns and bred them since 2003. There are some that are lazy but most are very active. They do not just hang out generally speaking and like to explore. They do, however, handle constant handling with ease and eat just about anything without fail. I have 2 that will just hang out on me but they are also the exception and are very, very lazy corns...

From what I've seen though, it really depends on the snake no matter the species. Ceti, my pastave girl, is shier and was that way when I got her. She'd ball up and take a bit to come out of her shell. I limit her handling because I don't want to risk stressing her. Aria, my albino girl, I take out, carry around, and she's one that goes to educational programs with me where she's out and handled by lots of people. Not once has she refused food or seemed stressed out but when I got her as a hatchling, she wasn't balling up or seemed to be worried. Just a difference in temperament. The key is knowing your animal and frankly, the only reason I trust my judgement in taking Aria out so much is I've handled snakes for years and have learned to read them. If you don't have experience with them, it's easy to miss signs that they are stressing. Refusing food is just one of many. A stressed snake is also more susceptible to respiratory infections and other issues like regurges which are much more serious in snakes than it is in a human.

Just remember that a bp that is taken out and shown around is the EXCEPTION and not the rule. If you still insist on getting one and want to have it out a lot, take your time in picking them out and see what their personality is like before buying. Also get to know the breeder so that you have a contact that's (hopefully) local and can help you out should your snake have issues. Forums are great but nothing beats an experienced breeder who can physically look at your snake to tell you how things are going.

I'm not saying these things to scare you off of bps but so that you understand what you're going into. I dealt with corns for years before getting into bp's and I'm glad I did. Some species are easier to take care of than others. Read through the husbandry forums and you'll read hundreds of threads where people without snake experience went out, got a bp, and then had issue after issue because they didn't know how to care for and read their animal. I'd rather you have a positive experience and get everything out of your new pet that you want than end up with problems or an animal that doesn't fit your situation.

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Originally Posted by Brent152

And they can START and live in a 60gal tank forever?

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If you clutter it up, use plenty of climbing branches, fake plants, and plenty of hides, it SHOULD be just fine. That being said, all snakes are different and the one you buy may want something smaller to start in. Also keep in mind, there aren't many snakes (beginner snakes anyways) that need or want a 60 gallon tank to start off in. What I recommend, if you don't want to get a different sized tank for a younger snake, is to find a nice smaller boa species (like a Hogg for example) but not a baby. You can get an adult or subadult male for around your price limit.

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Originally Posted by Dracoluna

I've had corns and bred them since 2003. There are some that are lazy but most are very active. They do not just hang out generally speaking and like to explore. They do, however, handle constant handling with ease and eat just about anything without fail. I have 2 that will just hang out on me but they are also the exception and are very, very lazy corns...

From what I've seen though, it really depends on the snake no matter the species. Ceti, my pastave girl, is shier and was that way when I got her. She'd ball up and take a bit to come out of her shell. I limit her handling because I don't want to risk stressing her. Aria, my albino girl, I take out, carry around, and she's one that goes to educational programs with me where she's out and handled by lots of people. Not once has she refused food or seemed stressed out but when I got her as a hatchling, she wasn't balling up or seemed to be worried. Just a difference in temperament. The key is knowing your animal and frankly, the only reason I trust my judgement in taking Aria out so much is I've handled snakes for years and have learned to read them. If you don't have experience with them, it's easy to miss signs that they are stressing. Refusing food is just one of many. A stressed snake is also more susceptible to respiratory infections and other issues like regurges which are much more serious in snakes than it is in a human.

Just remember that a bp that is taken out and shown around is the EXCEPTION and not the rule. If you still insist on getting one and want to have it out a lot, take your time in picking them out and see what their personality is like before buying. Also get to know the breeder so that you have a contact that's (hopefully) local and can help you out should your snake have issues. Forums are great but nothing beats an experienced breeder who can physically look at your snake to tell you how things are going.

I'm not saying these things to scare you off of bps but so that you understand what you're going into. I dealt with corns for years before getting into bp's and I'm glad I did. Some species are easier to take care of than others. Read through the husbandry forums and you'll read hundreds of threads where people without snake experience went out, got a bp, and then had issue after issue because they didn't know how to care for and read their animal. I'd rather you have a positive experience and get everything out of your new pet that you want than end up with problems or an animal that doesn't fit your situation.

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I wish I had the gift of reading how a snake is feeling. I am going to have to rely on that, when buying a BP. However, if things go wrong, I have a really smart dad. I'm not too worried, I'm just trying to become more knowledgeable in the subject.

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Originally Posted by Griffith

If you clutter it up, use plenty of climbing branches, fake plants, and plenty of hides, it SHOULD be just fine. That being said, all snakes are different and the one you buy may want something smaller to start in. Also keep in mind, there aren't many snakes (beginner snakes anyways) that need or want a 60 gallon tank to start off in. What I recommend, if you don't want to get a different sized tank for a younger snake, is to find a nice smaller boa species (like a Hogg for example) but not a baby. You can get an adult or subadult male for around your price limit.

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I'll run the topic over with my parents. I will private message you sometime, if that is okay?

That's fine with me...I had a Hogg back before I was in the Army and he was awesome...if anything point out to them that a male Hogg will be smaller than a female BP :) (Adult size)

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Originally Posted by Brent152

I totally agree with you. I'm not looking to take it into public. I'm just looking to sit down on the couch/computer and have it there. What do you consider "moderation", and for how long at a time MAX?
I will consider a Boa, but I have a 6ft limit for a snake, or I will have to get rid of it =(

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A few times a week is moderate to me, but it depends on who you ask. Personally I only bring mine out if their tubs/vivs need to be cleaned and for photo shoots and at most that's 10 minutes per snake if even that.

I'd look into dwarf boa males, but note that snakes have individual personalities. A few of my boas have no issue hanging out but a few are pretty squirrely and don't like to sit still.

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Originally Posted by Griffith

I think you need to look more into a Hogg Island Male. They can be had way under your budget, and you can pick out a real nice one.
Won't get too big...probably max out around 4' long, but girthy like a BP....slow-ish moving, and like to chill...

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Hog Island boas are spelled with only one "g" :)

My Hog girl is actually pretty active out of the tub and doesn't quite like to be held as much as my other boas but it depends on the snake. More handling should calm down *most* snakes.

Lol! Thanks Daybreaker....it's one of those things where I know it's wrong, but when I first got mine I had seen it spelled that way, so I always type out "Hogg" :)

And to the OP. I am definitely not trying to scare you away from a BP and talk you into a HoG :) Island, I'm just going off of what you are saying and trying to think of what would be best for you and your future snake...

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Originally Posted by Brent152

I wish I had the gift of reading how a snake is feeling. I am going to have to rely on that, when buying a BP. However, if things go wrong, I have a really smart dad. I'm not too worried, I'm just trying to become more knowledgeable in the subject.

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You'll learn it once you get one. I didn't know it either until I dealt with my corns for awhile and had people around me showing me what to look for. It's great that you're trying to learn before getting the animal. As long as you're constantly open to learning, you'll be a great owner. :)
In case no one has warned you yet though, snakes are addictive. You can't own just one. ;)

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Originally Posted by Dracoluna

You'll learn it once you get one. I didn't know it either until I dealt with my corns for awhile and had people around me showing me what to look for. It's great that you're trying to learn before getting the animal. As long as you're constantly open to learning, you'll be a great owner. :)
In case no one has warned you yet though, snakes are addictive. You can't own just one. ;)

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As in, I'm addicted to them, or they're addicted to me, or both? :p Just curious, I'm pretty sure you meant I'd be addicted.