never owned a snake before, really wanting to get a royal python... answers please

ok a little history on me first, i have never owned a snake before but have always been attracted to them since i was a kid (in my 30's now) i have been doing a ton of research here and watching a load of videos on the tube. i grew up in a pet deprieved home so i was always scared of all types of pets but still found snakes cool and have only help a hugh burmese python (with the owner holding the head side of course lol) i was scared of dogs of all sizes as well and i ended up getting over my fears and took in a full grown pitbull when i got older and i became addicted to them and started breeding them, i dont have any dogs anymore and i finally wanna step into the snake pit sorda speak, i wanna get a royal python as a pet only not looking to breed, i never liked anything small ( i dont like holding new born babies, didnt like holding new born pups ect) so my question is can i buy an adult royal python as a new keeper to snakes? and also how do i keep the humity to where it needs to be using a screen top fish tank? and can i feed only dead/ freezon mice or rats? i'd hate to have to handle a live rat or mice as they creep me out lol but i'm not gonna let that stop me from getting a snake as i really have my mind set on getting it, and once my minds set thats it lol... thanks alot in advance to and answers or tips given

Alright, yes a ball python seems to fit your standards. They are, after all, considered good for beginners. Humidity wise with screen tops I like to had some ripe of moss ( sphagnum or peat) and a large water bowl and mist as needed so yes you can keep proper humidity in a screen top. As far as going strait to an adult... If you buy from a person that is a small scale breeder or someone who handles and cares for their snake correctly go for it. If you buy from a online breeder or store the snake was likely a breeder and lacked common handling. As far as feeding frozen, most convert easily but if you are to worried see what the previous owner was feeding.

so in other words if you get an adult... Make sure it is tolerable to being held, it is healthy, and that it is feeding on frozen or can easily be converted.
otherwise
go for something younger (not necessarily a hatchling) that you can bring up how you wish.

good luck ;)

thanks for such a quick reply, so would something about six months old be an decent size for me to handle or are they still pretty small at six months? i want a female and i like to get get as big as it can i hear six feel is common for females?

You can certainly find an adult and if you search your local Craigslist you may even be able to find one free or dirt cheap with its cage included. Kids loose interest or leave for college and since a BP can live 30+ years the snake is often left with the parents who decide to rehome it.

As for the humidity and a screen top. Most of us cover a large portion with something to trap both heat and humidity. I used cardboard and created a cutout with windows for allow the heat and light from my CHE and heat lamp to pass through. I then covered the cardboard with foil. Others have used glass, plexi, foil tape, etc.

The biggest help to using a glass tank to give the snake the humidity it needs is to place moss inside the hides. I keep the moss damp during a shed and allow it to dry out during non shed times. This has given me perfect sheds in my glass tank.

Yes frozen rats or mice can be fed throughout its life.

A six month old BP is what I would consider pretty small. A 6ft female would be really big. Most BPs are 4-5 ft.

thanks for the info kmg... but what is moss? lol also is it a good idea to put a big branch or a rock in the tank for them to rub the shed off?

Moss http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Terrar...exo+terra+moss

I like naturalistic tanks so I have rocks, plants, driftwood, vines, and moss in my cages. If you like the look of it you could certainly put it in there but they can shed by rubbing against themselves too. My BP always sheds in its hide rubbing on itself. I have other snakes that rub and pull the shed off on the tank items. Each snake can be different from the next and if its available they may use it but it is not necessary for the shed process.

I'm going to be a voice of dissent here - for a first snake, if you want to keep it in a tank, go with a king, corn, or milk snake. They are much more suited to tank living, more suited to being a display snake, and are more forgiving of new-owner mistakes. My first was a male high white California king. I still have him and he's one of my favorites just to pull out and let people handle, nothing fazes him, nothing throws him off food, he'll take both f/t or live prey as needed (he's part of my clean-up crew if a juvenile BP doesn't eat).

He's not quite three years old, about four feet, and much lighter-bodied than my ball pythons so he's very easy to handle.

Once you're comfortable with your first snake, get an adult ball python and a proper setup for it where you can maintain correct temps and humidity without fighting the laws of physics (hint: this is not a tank).

Here's a picture of my first, taken a few weeks after he arrived.

http://i477.photobucket.com/albums/r...s/IMG_8714.jpg

I've got to agree with bcr229.
Even though I think a BP isn't necessarily a 'bad' beginner snake for adults who know what they're doing (wouldn't really recommend them for teens or children unless a parent is doing most of the care) I think more temperate animals are better for beginners. As far as handling and bright display snakes go, garters are great. They're also one of the more active snakes, so you see your pet more often without having to dig them out of a hide.
Mainly, temperate animals are so much less complicated to keep than tropical/subtropical and are generally more forgiving if you don't get their temps exactly correct. Also I feel like BPs are often disappointing for people who expect to see their snake out and about.
That being said, if you have your heart set on a BP and know what you're doing, there's no reason you shouldn't get one :)

I got my normal ball python 13 years ago as my first snake. If you want calm handleable snake they are a great option. Since you didn't mention that you wanted a display snake I'm guessing it won't bother you that they spend most of their time in the cage hiding. They do require a more specialized cage compared to some of the other common pet snakes but if your heart is set on a heavy bodied constrictor and you're willing to do the research a ball python can be a great pet.

Check out the thread on setting up a glass tank. Also keeping a couple humid hides in there for him/her is a good idea.

thanks for everybodys opinion but yes I am really set on a ball python, and i'm not a little kid here lol, I want a bigger snake because as I said in my original post I don't like to handle small things, I'm a big guy and I feel like I hurt smaller things without knowing it lol, I rather a boa but being its my first snake after all the researching I have done I decided on a royal, so I just thought I come here and get some great tips and advice from people who know how to care for them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snakeye

thanks for everybodys opinion but yes I am really set on a ball python, and i'm not a little kid here lol, I want a bigger snake because as I said in my original post I don't like to handle small things, I'm a big guy and I feel like I hurt smaller things without knowing it lol, I rather a boa but being its my first snake after all the researching I have done I decided on a royal, so I just thought I come here and get some great tips and advice from people who know how to care for them.

---

I totally understand shying away from anything small. I'm a little girl (size wise, anyway), and any lizard smaller than a beardie doesn't interest me at all, and I can't imagine owning a snake whose adult size is smaller than 2 feet. That being said, you'll be looking at a premium for an actual adult BP's, and most of your options are going to be normals. Nothing wrong with a normal, of course, but if you're interested in variety I'd go for a snake around a year old. Here are some pictures of mine to compare size (mentioning that all snakes grow at different rates);

This is a baby ball, a few months old at best (George is a 2014, the breeder wasn't specific on what month she hatched out). At about 100g, she's very small, probably what it sounds like you're trying to avoid. This is about the size most pet stores will sell BPs at, maybe a bit bigger or smaller;
http://i.imgur.com/QMDCmsA.jpg?1

This is what a BP looks at when they're around a year old. Gio was around 600g when this picture was taken, though my other two yearlings were acquired at about 500, so I would say a yearling is about 5 times the size of a hatchling. I'm very delicate with george, but Gio and the other girls are sturdy.
http://i.imgur.com/MQqQHsO.jpg?1

Lastly we have the adult size. Miranda is a good sized adult BP, just a bit shy of 2000g at the time of this picture. Her size might fluctuate a bit as she goes to lay eggs and whatnot, but on average this is about the size you would expect an adult ball python to reach.
http://i.imgur.com/bnLfzUP.jpg?1

For comparrison sake, george would weigh about a quarter pound and you could easily touch your fingers together around her thickest part (with overlap), a yearling is about a pound (my fingers can't quite touch around the thickest part. Small girl problems), and an adult comes in at a whopping 4(ish) pounds, and thicker around at the thickest than the averages mans wrist. If you want a glass tank, a 40 gallon tank from the petstore should work fine (reptile is best, fish tanks are too tall and thin). Otherwise just paying close attention to the caresheets and advice here is really helpful.

Why not see if there is a reptile rescue in your area? If you can find one there is a good chance they will have an adult or sub adult seeing as how ball pythons are pretty popular pets. They should also be able to tell you its eating preferences and such since you'd like to get one already adjusted to f/t.

thanks daigga pics were a big help :) the second, third pic is more like what I'm looking for, I was actually at petsmart today pricing out everything I would need, they had a nice tank with doors that swing out in the front, also had a screen top though, I was looking at a pastel they had there it was about the size of your first pic, I talked to a few people that worked there and none of them can answer ant question I threw at them, and didn't even know the sex of the ball. but I think I'm gonna pick up the tank there and have everything setup and make sure temps are all good before I bring one home, but I'd rather find a local breeder to get one from.

thanks salt, i'll have to look into that

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snakeye

thanks daigga pics were a big help :) the second, third pic is more like what I'm looking for, I was actually at petsmart today pricing out everything I would need, they had a nice tank with doors that swing out in the front, also had a screen top though, I was looking at a pastel they had there it was about the size of your first pic, I talked to a few people that worked there and none of them can answer ant question I threw at them, and didn't even know the sex of the ball. but I think I'm gonna pick up the tank there and have everything setup and make sure temps are all good before I bring one home, but I'd rather find a local breeder to get one from.

thanks salt, i'll have to look into that

---

One other thing worth mentioning is that any snake, not just royals, are masters of escape. The swing front tanks are very attractive as display tanks, but if you snake can budge it at all you'll probably end up on the hunt (a hefty adult is capable of some impressive things). I really recommend the locking top design zilla makes, since there's very little chance of anything escaping from it. (link to the product on their website here, but petco/petsmart should carry them as well, which is way cheaper than buying from the link)

You were looking at an Exo Terra tank most likely. Its what I have now for my bp and to be honest I wouldn't recommend it for ball pythons unless you dont mind tweaking things up a bit. Glass tanks in general are not recommended because of all those ventilation holes and the giant mesh top, they are absolute HELL for keeping humidity in unless you live in a pretty humid country. For tanks to keep humidity you will have to cover the top mesh with either one of these, fitted plexiglass, plastic wrap or aluminium foil, this is because mesh sucks, it lets out the humidity and heat.

For bp's people would recommend sterile tubs. Just drill in a few holes to control humidity.

Also if you're going for an Under Tank heater (Which is what most people would recommend as it aids in their digestion), its a must that you also get a thermostat to control how hot it gets because they do get over 110f and will burn your snake if they burrow, which they will. And they wont even notice it because they have no pain receptors, theyll let themselves cook.

Another advice when settings things up if you still want to go with a tank. Get Sphagnum moss to put around the tank, damp it down a bit and it'l help with humidity, and also get a substrate like eco earth (coconut) or cypress mulch as they hold humidity a lot better than aspen bedding.

One last advice, dont go for analog hygrometers/thermometers. Go to walmart and get a digital one that measures both, I think its called Acurite or something. Better yet get a temp gun to measure temps, easier more convinient and very accurate.

good luck. Yes Bp's are kinda high maintenance in humidity and temperature lol. And picky eaters sometimes!

My 13 year old ball python has never escaped from his exo terra tank, but maybe he just isn't ambitious enough. He's pretty happy just chillin in his hide with his head sticking out waiting for the sky rodents to fall. But as Borgpython said covering the screen top is pretty much a must.

I had a Exo swing door tank for a short time holding my 6ft BRB. He is super active and loves to explore and burrow. He was never able to escape the tank and he grew up in the tank with his previous owner.

I do prefer the sliding top style. I still use two of them. I have one for my hoggy and one for my ball. The ball needed a bit of work but I cant say that I think it is difficult to keep it right.

yes i know i need to cover the top up, and all that, what do you guys think about the front sliding doors? i just think it would be easier to take the snake out and clean the tank and what not from the front rather than from the top. the tanks i looked at all the locks for the screen.

i was at a petland today they had a one year old normal female that was recently brought back by the owner because the owners parents didnt want the kid to have it, i was told from the worker, she also said it was eating two live mice a week with no problems... only thing i didnt like was the snake was in an empty tank with nothing but newspaper, i didnt notice no hides or water in the tank.. i held it for a while and wated to take it home :D

Wouldn't front opening doors be easier if you have lamps on top? I think it would be less of a hassle to have front opening doors than removing the lamps, the screen, and whatever you use to cover the top. If you don't use overhead lamps though, probably doesn't matter.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gameonpython

Wouldn't front opening doors be easier if you have lamps on top? I think it would be less of a hassle to have front opening doors than removing the lamps, the screen, and whatever you use to cover the top. If you don't use overhead lamps though, probably doesn't matter.

---

Probably if you put the lamps on the screen.

IMHO the heaters would ideally be hung from above using a lamp stand. That way the lamps never have to move and stay in place keeping the tank warm even while the top is off. This also cancels out the bumping and banging of the bulbs that will extend their life. It also is safer because you are not placing super hot light bulbs and fixtures on other objects around the tank.

I use these and they are about $19-25 at both big box pet stores. http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptil...med+lamp+stand

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gameonpython

Wouldn't front opening doors be easier if you have lamps on top? I think it would be less of a hassle to have front opening doors than removing the lamps, the screen, and whatever you use to cover the top. If you don't use overhead lamps though, probably doesn't matter.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

---

thats what i said, i think it would be easier from the front rather then the top.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snakeye

thats what i said, i think it would be easier from the front rather then the top.

---

Oops, don't mean to repeat!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KMG

Probably if you put the lamps on the screen.

IMHO the heaters would ideally be hung from above using a lamp stand. That way the lamps never have to move and stay in place keeping the tank warm even while the top is off. This also cancels out the bumping and banging of the bulbs that will extend their life. It also is safer because you are not placing super hot light bulbs and fixtures on other objects around the tank.

I use these and they are about $19-25 at both big box pet stores. http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptil...med+lamp+stand

---

yeah i was thinking of the same thing pretty much, i'm a mechanic and some of the light sources i use is one that has a clamp on the light fixture so i was gonna use one of those, but the one in your link seems much better.

If the tank your looking at has the sliding front doors, you shouldn't have any escape issues. I think they were referring to the ones with swing doors, though my green tree pythons don't have an issue in them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by snakeye

yes i know i need to cover the top up, and all that, what do you guys think about the front sliding doors? i just think it would be easier to take the snake out and clean the tank and what not from the front rather than from the top. the tanks i looked at all the locks for the screen.

i was at a petland today they had a one year old normal female that was recently brought back by the owner because the owners parents didnt want the kid to have it, i was told from the worker, she also said it was eating two live mice a week with no problems... only thing i didnt like was the snake was in an empty tank with nothing but newspaper, i didn't notice no hides or water in the tank.. i held it for a while and wated to take it home :D

---

I'm a new owner too, and have a very nice enclosure with front sliding doors. It sits up on top of a desk so it is convenient to reach in, take out decor and substrate, clean etc.

I change the decor around a little every month or so and here's a typical setup

http://i60.tinypic.com/wuozrn.jpg

And I just realized a few days ago that for photos it's better to slide the left door to the right and the right door to the left, so the black 'lock' is not in the middle of the picture.
NOTE: remember to always slide them back into correct positions after taking pictures.

On top of the steel screen is something called Reflectix, it's like tinfoil bubble wrap and has many uses. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Reflectix...6025/100012574

http://i57.tinypic.com/15q3fxv.jpg

As for being 'a big guy' and handling, there will be a learning curve as you and your snake get to know each other. When handling, 1. keep your hands away from his head at first, only pick up and hold the back 2/3 of the snake, and 2. move your hands as slowly as possible. I had to work at this because at first I was nervous and jittery, which made the snake want to get away (or curl up tight). When your hands are calm and still, the BP will loosen up and start to move around.

I got a BP as my first snake 4 months ago. He was 2 months old. Hes been great. Never misses a meal. Worst cage I could pic as far as humidity. Screen top but I found saran wrap holds humidity way better than foil if taped (on outside of lid of course) to lid securely. He had his first shed a week ago and it was perfect. i jacked up humidity when he started looking dull then I put moss in his hide when he went blue. I love him but wish I had researched a bit more. I wish I had picked a boa. Better display snake and from what I hear very curious lovable puppy dog snake. My BP loves exploring when out and seems to like being held now that he's comfortable with me but hides 99% of time. Plus I want something bigger now. Oh well just an excuse to get another one!!!http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...c9a27a4040.jpg

Was it swing or slide? Really doesn't matter I guess, they both have mesh tops lol. Just be prepared to battle with humidity! get moss and spray bottle recommended. Also try and create a humid hide if you cant keep ambient humidity up.
Here's an exo terra swing one (Large-Wide), with my cinnabee sticking her head out lol.
http://ball-pythons.net/gallery/file...zerender_2.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by The Golem

I'm a new owner too, and have a very nice enclosure with front sliding doors. It sits up on top of a desk so it is convenient to reach in, take out decor and substrate, clean etc.

I change the decor around a little every month or so and here's a typical setup

http://i60.tinypic.com/wuozrn.jpg

And I just realized a few days ago that for photos it's better to slide the left door to the right and the right door to the left, so the black 'lock' is not in the middle of the picture.
NOTE: remember to always slide them back into correct positions after taking pictures.

On top of the steel screen is something called Reflectix, it's like tinfoil bubble wrap and has many uses. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Reflectix...6025/100012574

http://i57.tinypic.com/15q3fxv.jpg

As for being 'a big guy' and handling, there will be a learning curve as you and your snake get to know each other. When handling, 1. keep your hands away from his head at first, only pick up and hold the back 2/3 of the snake, and 2. move your hands as slowly as possible. I had to work at this because at first I was nervous and jittery, which made the snake want to get away (or curl up tight). When your hands are calm and still, the BP will loosen up and start to move around.

---

yeah that's pretty much what I was looking at, nice setup.

[QUOTE=coley;2311591]I got a BP as my first snake 4 months ago. He was 2 months old. Hes been great. Never misses a meal. Worst cage I could pic as far as humidity. Screen top but I found saran wrap holds humidity way better than foil if taped (on outside of lid of course) to lid securely. He had his first shed a week ago and it was perfect. i jacked up humidity when he started looking dull then I put moss in his hide when he went blue. I love him but wish I had researched a bit more. I wish I had picked a boa. Better display snake and from what I hear very curious lovable puppy dog snake. My BP loves exploring when out and seems to like being held now that he's comfortable with me but hides 99% of time. Plus I want something bigger now. Oh well just an excuse to get another one!!!

thanks for the tips, I'm not worried about the screen top...I read up on it enough and don't think i'll have any problems with the humidity, I'm sure after the python i'll end up with a boa myself lol