supposed to be a ball python

so i went to pick up a new snake for my collection the guy told me it was a normal ball python hahaha what do you think. its very aggressive but i think its because it wasn't took care of and it was very hungry http://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/...a/photo2-1.jpghttp://i1253.photobucket.com/albums/...a/photo1-1.jpg

Lol That is a Burmese Python.

lol yea someone that know less then me haha

Hey, if he's selling for the price of a normal BP, that's a hell of a deal!

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he just gave it to me cause he was moving. i checked it out very well no mites or no scaring or anything just a little on the skinny side cause not being fed properly other then that a great snake beside being jumpy right now

ooooh that's not good...I would follow up on this if I were you, if he's claiming it is a ball python, and someone with little experience buys it expecting it to be full grown (seeing as it's already quite large in comparison to a BP) it's going to be really really bad. This snake isn't even close to max growth potential. These snakes can grow up to 15 feet or more..I would definitely try to reach out to someone about this, for the sake of the snake and any potential buyer..a burm isn't as easy to care for as a ball! It's quite a step up!!

If I came home with that after saying I was getting a bp my mom would kill me and the snake lol

he is not a breeder just had it as a pet but he was moving and had to get rid of it

i thought my wife would kill me but she messes with it more then i do lol. i love having a wife that like snakes

its one of these snakes that get large enough that you seriously should consider putting it on a limited food scedule to keep it from growing too fast.

also, if its feisty, i suggest you get it tame as long as the size is still so manageable. in snakebytesTV they sometimes show sunshine, that super-tame albino burmese, and also satan, that behaviorally challenged ultra-agressive burmese.

i just found this really really old episode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlNgcYRudoU just to give you an idea of maximum size for these. for these, a typical food item can be heavier than a typical adult BP. in weight they reach maybe round about 15-20 times the weight of a BP.

its a really advanced snake just because of the size it can reach.

also its one of these that may never, absolutely NEVER, break out or get lost or let loose. also you need to ask some experts about the laws, not exactly sure but i dont think you can move it across state lines, it may also be banned in some areas.

im going to be feeding a rabbit every 2 to 3 weeks correct me if you think this to not enough or to much

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Originally Posted by Pythonfriend

its one of these snakes that get large enough that you seriously should consider putting it on a limited food scedule to keep it from growing too fast.

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Careful with your words. A lot of people who follow this advice end up starving their snakes and neglecting them out of hoping their snake doesn't grow big. What you should do is feed it normally at weekly or biweekly intervals. If you don't want a snake that gets huge, then go and get a ball python or boa constrictor, but if you have a Burm, don't expect anything short of giant.

OP, I hope you know about all the laws (federal and local) in regards to Burms.

im no expert, i mean, i know about ball pythons, not about the really big ones.

whats the current weight? judging from the pictures i would guesstimate you can use large or jumbo frozen thawed rats for quite a while. and if one rat is getting too small, you can feed one, wait 5-10 minutes, and follow up with a second. you can chain several rats together into one meal this way.

as long as thats still possible i would do it. just common sense really, it still looks small for a rabbit. also rabbits are much harder to get and much more expensive and if one rabbit is too much right now, you might get her to grow like a weed.

you really need to make a thread over in the "giant python" section. the formulas and rules of thumb that work for BPs dont work here, and i have no clue how to set up a feed scedule for a giant snake that leads to a happy and healthy snake that grows slowly. BPs just arent giant snakes and you never need more than rats, you need to get people with giant snake experience.

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Originally Posted by pythonminion

Careful with your words. A lot of people who follow this advice end up starving their snakes and neglecting them out of hoping their snake doesn't grow big. What you should do is feed it normally at weekly or biweekly intervals. If you don't want a snake that gets huge, then go and get a ball python or boa constrictor, but if you have a Burm, don't expect anything short of giant.

OP, I hope you know about all the laws (federal and local) in regards to Burms.

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yeah, true, such a scedule really needs to be set up properly by people with real giant snake experience.

i just know its being done successfully by keepers and breeders of retics and burms, breeders even discuss how to make the scedule so that the snake will produce heavy clutches without getting a heavy body too fast. on http://www.youtube.com/user/prehistoricpetstv they talked about it several times when it comes to retics.

EDIT: yes, weekly or biweekly, the question is: how large should the meal be, what weight proportions. maybe 1 big rat a week is fine for now, maybe it already needs 2 per feeding, maybe it will soon require 5, i have no clue. or when to make the switch to rabbits.

alright thanks for ur help ill make section about it

Up until the Lacey Act, my collection was set to revolve around large constrictors...Burms and Boas particularly. I had chosen those two species because I was extremely experienced in the latter due to them being the main species I cared for at the exotic pet store I spent almost 8 years working at. I chose Burms because they interested me and there were many breeders that came to our store who I learned a lot from when they all gathered in a group and started chatting every Wednesday or so. In addition to this, in the past year I have moved to working with Python reticulatus as well. So, with all that in the open, I have to say that one of the main things I was imparted to was that gradual growth came rather naturally with the species, of course that is very subjective...to a Retic owner, seeing a burm jump from around 1.5ft to 7ft in about 10 months time is not much compared to some retics that will flirt with the 10ft mark after month 12; however, a long term gtp keeper would see that and almost $hit a gold brick. The good thing about burms is their heavy feeding response will let you know if you're feeding too little, I also recommend you go ahead and begin hook training the little guy, it'll pay off in the long run. Meal frequency & size? I never got around to asking any of the breeders this, but I will tell you with retics larger meals in weekly frequency seem to produce faster growth, whereas frequent every 5-6 day offerings of moderately sized prey will produce the trade mark length-with-hints-of-muscle beginning to come in that characterizes many young retics as they grow. I always try to learn the animal as an individual and just use the accepted guidelines of husbandry as guidelines not hard facts so do not forget your instincts in the process. He looks like he could take a small rabbit, but some colossal rats should do the job too for awhile too. Good luck, I miss the big guy I had a few years ago.

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Originally Posted by Pythonfriend

i just know its being done successfully by keepers and breeders of retics and burms, breeders even discuss how to make the scedule so that the snake will produce heavy clutches without getting a heavy body too fast. on http://www.youtube.com/user/prehistoricpetstv they talked about it several times when it comes to retics.

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Anyone can stunt their snake's growth if they neglect them enough. You can try the same on a BP and it won't get longer than 3 ft. Retics in specific are programmed to grow if given the chance- they're a prime examples of opportunistic feeders. What they talk about is how to avoid power feeding them so you don't get 20+ foot snakes, but by no means should you feed miniscule amounts expecting to have a small snake. Nonetheless, the snakes they talk about are retics. Retics have a higher metabolism than Burms, which the OP has. When fed too much, Burms will grow extra big and obese, while Retics put more into general and faster growth. (It isn't impossible to make a fat retic though.)

Not rocket science with big snakes. Feed em a meal big enough to leave a bulge but don't stretch scales. For babies once a week, juvies can be pushed to 10 days, sub adults 2 weeks, really large or inactive snakes can be fed every 3 weeks. I wouldn't push much more past that.

The whole "managing a burm/retic/anaconda size" thing is nonsense. Feed them appropriately sized meals when you are supposed to. If you don't want a big snake, don't get one. Dot try to make a chihuahua out of a Great Dane.

Personally I'm not a fan of "power feeding" or "managing the size" methods out there.


I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

I have two burmese around 10ft each. We feed them a large rabbit biweekly or so, but it really depends on their behavior. You definitely shouldnt feed it a rabbit a week, IMO thats too much.
Then again, im talking about large rabbits, not bunnies. Theres not an exact science behind it to me, i just base it on observations and it has worked well so far.
I love burmese, but you have to know what youre getting into. Mine are MAYBE 2 and a half to 3 years old. That time will fly by as well. The snake will easily push 15ft, and might get into the early 20's.

Yikes.

I encourage LOTS of research, and talking to breeders or experienced handlers!!

My snakes are still little... I think the corn has hit the 2 ft mark, and the ball is getting close... but that's it. I couldn't imagine going to pick up a ball python, only to find out it's definitely not, and will get MUCH larger!

Best of luck to you!

Ya my big female anaconda is almost 12' and just over 30lbs, and she's on a rabbit every 2 weeks and she acts like she wants more haha. But she's also a pretty sedentary snake unless she's out and about, but it's breeding season and locking constantly so I haven't been handling her. It is really a case by case thing, and there is no golden rule to follow.

Just feed appropriate sized meals, and look close, they will let you know when they are hungry. Most of this hobby is observation of your animals, reading, and understanding what they need.


I like my Dubstep to go Wop Wop Wop Wop

Yeah that's totally a ball python! Lol I am so sarcastic :P No WAY is that a ball python!!!!

You don't want that turning out like satan (brian at BHB's Aggressive Burm) Here is a link of how hellish your life would be if it turned out like this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10_zJ8Evskk. Not meaning to scare your…he he he:P

i have been handling him every night and he is starting to really mellow out he hasnt struck at me in about a week. so im going to keep working with him and hopefully i will have him tame eventually

Am I the only one thinking it's wildly irresponsible to go pick up a ball python, see that it's a burm, and just pick it up anyway and bring it home? I'd get hung here if I went in detail with my opinion, which is a shame because decisions like this threaten responsible keepers rights.

PLEASE make sure this animal is properly caged and safely kept and cared for - that's going to require a lot of research and time. I'm glad you're working with the animal daily and please be careful as well about the advice you receive and who you receive it from. Also make sure that if you end up rehoming the snake, you give it to someone who has demonstrated the knowledge and ability to properly keep it.

I would get killed too. We're at our limit with pets I rescued a almost adult Bearded Dragon 2 weeks ago & the next day my daughter comes in with a 3 legged box turtle she found & it has teeth marks/holes in the top of the shell so we took this turtle to the vet & was told because it is injured & handicapped it needs to be in a safe environment. 2 new kids in 2 days. Gotta find out where these things are coming from :D Antonio

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Originally Posted by MrLang

Am I the only one thinking it's wildly irresponsible to go pick up a ball python, see that it's a burm, and just pick it up anyway and bring it home? I'd get hung here if I went in detail with my opinion, which is a shame because decisions like this threaten responsible keepers rights.

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It is if you recognize it as a Burmese and take it knowing that you aren't prepared to deal with it. Personally I would bring it home, but only because I have two empty 8'x30" enclosures at the moment that are already set up with heat and t-stats, so it would have an appropriate place to live. If after a few months of working with it I figured that it wasn't going to work out, I could find an experienced keeper for it.

IMO the seller is the wildly irresponsible party in this transaction for advertising a Burmese as a ball python.

I'm trying to figure out what keywords landed on this year and half old thread. Kudos for using the search function. :gj:

lmfao definitely a ball python. :gj: