Should i buy a ball python?

Hello BP.net members

Thank you for taking the time to read my thread.

About 6 months ago me, my son and daughter were out getting some materials for her betta fish and decided to take a look in the reptile section for fun. we were very fortunate to see a few pie-bald pythons the store had on display and we were even allowed to hold them as long as we wished! My daughter whom is 4 years old loves snakes and showed absolutely no fear when asked if she wanted to hold snake, I myself have always loved snakes as i worked in a tattoo shop for years which had one as kind of a mascot, i watched my daughter holding this snake and noticed she gave this animal great respect and was very good at handling it. so what happened next? of course she wanted me to buy her the 2,000 dollar snake! i told her to ask me later when i had the money as a ploy to see if she actually wanted one or was just caught up in the moment. 6 months later im getting really sick of her bugging me all the time to buy her a snake.....but there are a few issues im having with my lifestyle and schedule i need to address before buying a snake for me and my children that im hoping you guys could give me some advice or just straight up put a stop to my plans before i buy a snake i cant give the attention it needs. let me explain my situation

i am a single father of two children with shared custody, my work schedule is 4 days on 4 days off in which i spend all 4 days with my kids. the first 2 days of work i leave the house at 4:30 am and do not arrive back at home until 10:00 pm that night in between the 2nd and 3rd day i have a 24 hour split, leaving for my night shifts at 4:30 pm arriving home at 10:00 am. i am home every night at 10pm or everyday at 10am. my four days off are spend taking my soon and next year son and daugther to school and lazing around the house working on my bike and doing work around the house as im abit of a loner and a home body. so my question is, with this lifestyle and work schedule would a ball python be right for me?

a few other things i have to mention is that i am an avid drummer and my children have been showing an interest in the drums as well, would this in any way stress out my snake? if im going to buy the family a snake i really want it to be the happiest snake in the world! im not afraid of them but i am worried even though i was the only one in the tattoo shop that would handle the python and feed it that i may be overlooking some very important things here, please....enlighten me with your opinions

So, once you have your tank set up, your temperatures and humidity all where they need to be, here is the attention your snake requires:

1. Feed it.
2. Change it's water every 1-3 days.

List complete.

Snakes don't require actual attention. They have no emotional needs. Handling a snake is pretty much entirely for human benefit. If you got a BP, and never handled it once in its long life, the snake would be perfectly content. It's one of the reasons I looked at a snake. My job occasionally requires me to disappear from my home for 3-4 days, so most mammals were right out.

As to drums, I can't REALLY say, but I'd recommend just performing in a separate room from him?

I noticed that you have a beta fish. If you have time for a beta you most certainly have time for a ball python. Like said above, the initial set up takes time as with any pet, but these guys are super easy! I think it would work pretty well with your lifestyle. Im also pretty busy myself, and my boy gets more than enough attention;) oh and don't worry-not all ball pythons are 2000$! For the noise of drums, I would just suggest drumming at least on the opposite side of the room from the snake. Snakes don't hear like we do, they feel vibrations. So as long as you aren't drumming right beside the snake, you should be good. When I vacuum my snake doesn't notice.


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Welcome to the site and congrats on your interest in a ball python. :gj: As said above care is pretty easy and simple once you get set up initially. Here is a good starting point and reference for what your ball python will need to be "The happiest snake" :D

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...ius)-Caresheet

There are a magnitude of things that you will learn along your journey but any problem you run into, there is a lot of very experienced owners and previous owners in this community that will be able to help with any questions.

As to answer your original question, yes I believe that your lifestyle and work schedule is right up ball python alley! :gj:

The most important tip I will can give you, is to explore this site and do some reading for a month or two before you get your snake so that you can have everything in order and ready for him/her. Good Luck and make sure we get pictures once you make the plunge!! :gj:

$2000 for a piebald?! Someone hasn't updated their price list for several years. You can get one for well less than half that.

The first this is you have asked about ball pythons on a venue dedicated to them. You are not likely to get apposing view points.

Snakes in general are low maintenance spot checks daily, fresh water periodically (debated here, personally every two days mine get fresh water) and then feedings weekly or so, and every month or two a big cleaning. Snakes are not social animals so not having time to bring them out and spend time with them is not neglect. It is more for the keeper than the animal.

The sound is a odd issue snakes have an ear but not like we understand they have no tympanum. They 'feel' sound with the jaw. This is actually very sensitive to small amounts of vibration. So yes some provision for the drums maybe needed not so much from air borne sound (pressure waves) but from transferred vibrations of the enclosure. Some kind of mounting system that isolates the vibration of the stand to enclosure might be a sensible addition. It is also likely the snake will adapt to the sound and have no issues. Herd to predict.

In an attempt to be fair lets speak of some of the downsides.

IMO a 4 year old cannot be left unsupervised with the snake this is mostly for the health of the animal not child. A snake placed on the floor will often race to the least accessible darkest hardest to reach corner. They need supervision at all times, The 4 years olds I know don't have long attention spans.

Salmonella there is a chance for all reptiles to be carriers, and that is increased in that a snake may crawl through deficit and carry salmonella on the scales mouth to scale contact could be bad. Personally I am not crazy cautious about it, just general cleanliness is all I ever do. It is a bad idea to pet any animal and eat a sandwich dogs also can carry salmonella. It should be mentioned as this may weigh in on a decision.

The enclosure and heating system. Ball pythons are native of africa, they need environmental conditions to be african. This means technical tinkering when the enclosure is set up. Heaters, thermostats, and bowls and such all need to be in balance. This is likely to be an animal set up to be viewed so figure that you are going to need 400-1000$ to get all the parts for this. Yes it can be done for less, but a display enclosure properly set up 400$ is not a lot.

Stigma, there is a stereo type that goes along with keeping snakes. It is often wrong and not correct at all, but it still exists. When people discover you have a pet snake there is a response and sometimes that response is negative and can change the relationship between the people involved. You mentioned you have joint custody, it is something you should be cautious of that the other parent may use the snake against you.

Life span, a ball python isn't a dog. It is common for them to reach 20 years old and the maximum life span is undetermined at this point. The oldest recorded was over 40 years BUT that only means that animal was in captivity for 40+ years. It was an adult when it arrived. It is possible your daughter could be close to 50 when the snake dies. This is something you should not take lightly.

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Originally Posted by DennisM

$2000 for a piebald?! Someone hasn't updated their price list for several years. You can get one for well less than half that.

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No kidding, I bought a breeding size male last fall for $400 and he's about 50 to 60% white too.

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Originally Posted by C2tcardin

No kidding, I bought a breeding size male last fall for $400 and he's about 50 to 60% white too.

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Well, the OP did say he was at a store, there's a good bit of markup from a retail shop versus buying from a local breeder.

To answer the OP's question - yes, a snake does sound right for you given your schedule. Cats, dogs, small rodents, etc. require daily or even several times daily care that you can't provide, where a snake does not.

Whether a ball python is the right snake is a different question. If your kids are going to want to interact with it a lot, that can stress some critters out enough that they stop eating. You may be better off with something like a king, corn, or milk snake initially, as they are much cheaper, easier to maintain, have a more consistent food response, and are more of a "display" snake and tolerant of handling than ball pythons are.

Whether a ball python is the right snake is a different question. If your kids are going to want to interact with it a lot, that can stress some critters out enough that they stop eating. You may be better off with something like a king, corn, or milk snake initially, as they are much cheaper, easier to maintain, have a more consistent food response, and are more of a "display" snake and tolerant of handling than ball pythons are.

Another one to look in to would be Woma pythons. While not as popular they are great display snakes and handle really well. Some of the top people in the reptile world "not breeders" say they are the best pet because of there activity and easy handling.

Always buy from a responsible breeder

Be careful... once you get one.. you may feel the impulse to get more snakes.. :D such sweet little characters.. Welcome to the forum.. a LOAD of very experienced people here.. with miles of info! Post pictures when you do get one!

That piebald price is nuts! Here's some advice that hasn't really been touched on yet: do some research into what morphs you may want, then shop around for a reliable breeder. Buying directly from the breeder will usually save you money, you know where the snake is coming from, its genetics and background, and you have an extra source of care information for trouble shooting should you need it. Good luck, and keep us posted when/if you pick one up!

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Originally Posted by Black Hills Reptiles

Another one to look in to would be Woma pythons. While not as popular they are great display snakes and handle really well. Some of the top people in the reptile world "not breeders" say they are the best pet because of there activity and easy handling.

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Dumeril's boas are another good option. They grow up to a nice but not unmanageable size, and have a reputation for being pretty chill.

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Originally Posted by Black Hills Reptiles

Always buy from a responsible breeder

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YES!!!

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Whether a ball python is the right snake is a different question. If your kids are going to want to interact with it a lot, that can stress some critters out enough that they stop eating. You may be better off with something like a king, corn, or milk snake initially, as they are much cheaper, easier to maintain, have a more consistent food response, and are more of a "display" snake and tolerant of handling than ball pythons are.

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I'm not sure I agree with this completely... While ball pythons are more shy than a corn or a king, you can get one for 30$, they are extremely simple to maintain, and with the right care they should have an excellent feeding response. One of the most fun things about reptiles is making a beautiful display cage. My ball python likes to believe he's a tree python, so he's out and about quite a bit. A beautiful display animal IMO. I really disagree that they aren't as tolerant for handling. They are slow moving, manageable size, and very docile personality unlike say a king who are constantly on the move. I think it mostly depends on exactly which ball python you buy. Make sure you take the time to handle the snake before you buy it to make sure it's the right one for you. I held two very different snakes before choosing my boy. The first was a female, who instantly went straight for my hood and was extremely head shy. The next was a male(the one I own now) and he balled up at first, but soon he was exploring my shirt crevices and was extremely chill. He also likes cheek rubs :) I hope this helps.


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Originally Posted by LivingwithBalls

I'm not sure I agree with this completely... While ball pythons are more shy than a corn or a king, you can get one for 30$, they are extremely simple to maintain, and with the right care they should have an excellent feeding response. One of the most fun things about reptiles is making a beautiful display cage. My ball python likes to believe he's a tree python, so he's out and about quite a bit. A beautiful display animal IMO. I really disagree that they aren't as tolerant for handling. They are slow moving, manageable size, and very docile personality unlike say a king who are constantly on the move. I think it mostly depends on exactly which ball python you buy. Make sure you take the time to handle the snake before you buy it to make sure it's the right one for you. I held two very different snakes before choosing my boy. The first was a female, who instantly went straight for my hood and was extremely head shy. The next was a male(the one I own now) and he balled up at first, but soon he was exploring my shirt crevices and was extremely chill. He also likes cheek rubs :) I hope this helps.


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And I will have to disagree with this base on the fact that YOUR perception is based on less than 6 months of ownership of a single Ball Python and the fact that you seems to apply human emotions when it come to your snake.

Ball pythons can make great pets so long people have the right expectations.

They make poor display animals (spend 80% of their time hiding) and they are very easily prone to stress (FACT), which means over handling or not being on the top of husbandry requirements can make a HUGE difference between an enjoyable ownership and a difficult one.

There is no such a thing as choosing the right Ball Python aside from an health standpoint, you can handle one for hours at a store and come back home to a complete different animal, or it can change very fast if husbandry is not met, choosing a Ball Python is not like choosing a puppy.

Now to the OP you have to remember that 4 years old is very young and ultimately this will really be YOUR snake, so make sure that YOU are ok with this long term commitment, the good news is that snakes are very low maintenance especially if you only own one.

Since this is something that sparks your daughter's interest, and will probably be an animal that she will want to hold quite often (at least in the beginning) I would also recommend something that is more forgiven husbandry wise and more tolerant of frequent handling, many colubrids fits the bill however due to their speed and size as hatchlings I would recommend a sub adult or adult one.

Something else I would highly recommend is a sand boa they stay small, and are a lot easier to handle than a colubrid, really a great starter snake for a younger child.

And in the future if she is still as passionate a transition to a Ball Python may be the right transition depending again on the expectations.

Here are some pointers when choosing the right animal

Size, docility, level of care, EXPECTATIONS, price, longevity.

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Black Hills Reptiles


Another one to look in to would be Woma pythons. While not as popular they are great display snakes and handle really well.

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About the womas I agree with Black Hills

And everything else I agree with Deborah.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

And I will have to disagree with this base on the fact that YOUR perception is based on less than 6 months of ownership of a single Ball Python and the fact that you seems to apply human emotions when it come to your snake.

Ball pythons can make great pets so long people have the right expectations.

They make poor display animals (spend 80% of their time hiding) and they are very easily prone to stress (FACT), which means over handling or not being on the top of husbandry requirements can make a HUGE difference between an enjoyable ownership and a difficult one.

There is no such a thing as choosing the right Ball Python aside from an health standpoint, you can handle one for hours at a store and come back home to a complete different animal, or it can change very fast if husbandry is not met, choosing a Ball Python is not like choosing a puppy.

Now to the OP you have to remember that 4 years old is very young and ultimately this will really be YOUR snake, so make sure that YOU are ok with this long term commitment, the good news is that snakes are very low maintenance especially if you only own one.

Since this is something that sparks your daughter's interest, and will probably be an animal that she will want to hold quite often (at least in the beginning) I would also recommend something that is more forgiven husbandry wise and more tolerant of frequent handling, many colubrids fits the bill however due to their speed and size as hatchlings I would recommend a sub adult or adult one.

And in the future if she is still as passionate a transition to a Ball Python may be the right transition depending again on the expectations.

Here are some pointers when choosing the right animal

Size, docility, level of care, EXPECTATIONS, price, longevity.

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Sure I don't have as much experience if any, but my opinion is still valid. Not sure why you say I apply human emotions to snakes? If you could please explain that statement it would be greatly appreciated.

You are right in saying that they hide most of the time. I was talking more about the cage setup and all is a good addition to any room. But when they do come out of hiding, it's quite fascinating and they truly are amazingly beautiful creatures. And hey, it can be a game for the kid to find the snake! I am a strong believer in that as long as the snake is not stressed, you can hold them however much you like. There is a lot of debate on this topic though, so I will just leave it at that.

No ball python is alike in personality. If you own more then 1 ball, you should know that.



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I probably wouldn't recommend a BP as a first snake. The husbandry needs to be spot on or they get stressed, they hide all the time, and they're prone to fasting. If the OP has their heart set on a BP, it can absolutely be done and they make wonderful pets, but these are just some things to think about.

I always recommend something like a corn, garter, or kingsnake as a first reptile. The husbandry requirements are pretty minimal compared to a tropical species, they get big enough to easily handle without worrying about hurting them or anything, and (I think someone already mentioned this) they tend to have more solid feeding responses. That and a 10-15 year life expectancy may be more appealing than 40 years for someone who doesn't really know if snakes are their thing or not.

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Originally Posted by LivingwithBalls

Sure I don't have as much experience if any, but my opinion is still valid. Not sure why you say I apply human emotions to snakes? If you could please explain that statement it would be greatly appreciated.

You are right in saying that they hide most of the time. I was talking more about the cage setup and all is a good addition to any room. But when they do come out of hiding, it's quite fascinating and they truly are amazingly beautiful creatures. And hey, it can be a game for the kid to find the snake! I am a strong believer in that as long as the snake is not stressed, you can hold them however much you like. There is a lot of debate on this topic though, so I will just leave it at that.

No ball python is alike in personality. If you own more then 1 ball, you should know that.



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When you mentioned that you BP love to have his cheeks rubbed that is human emotion, the truth is your BP does not love it, and really does not care, he only tolerates being handled.

I think that is great to have an opinion but I also know that if I was in the OP's shoes I would consider the opinion of peoples that have enough experience to actually have experienced the pro and cons and you are not there yet. Trust me I love those animals, however I also know the cons of those animals.

Bottom line if a customer or potential customer casked me the same question than the OP did (to sum it up is a BP an ideal snake for a 4 year old?) I would not recommend a BP as a first snake, yet BP are what I do and that is because this is what I do that I know there are better snakes out there to fit the bill.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

When you mentioned that you BP love to have his chick rubbed that is human emotion, the truth is your BP does not love it, and really does not care, he only tolerates being handled.

I think that is great to have an opinion but I also know that if I was in the OP's shoes I would consider the opinion of peoples that have enough experience to actually have experienced the pro and cons and you are not there yet. Trust me I love those animals, however I also know the cons of those animals.

Bottom line if a customer or potential customer casked me the same question than the OP did (to sum it up is a BP an ideal snake for a 4 year old?) I would not recommend a BP as a first snake, yet BP are what I do and that is because this is what I do that I know there are better snakes out there to fit the bill.

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Well, despite whether he "likes" it or not, he leans into my hand when I rub his cheeks. It's very cute.

Are you saying I shouldn't share or comment on posts? I'm a little confused. This is a forum after all, which are meant for sharing and commenting on other people's posts. I know that ball pythons do have cons, one of them being that they are extremely sensitive to error as you mentioned.

Do you breed ball pythons, or keep them as pets?


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I totally agree with livingwithBalls. If you can manage a Betta fish, you can manage a BP. I have a collection of tropical fish along with my 6 BPs. The BPs are much less maintenance when compotes go fish, that need much more frequent water changes. If kept properly, they should be eating well. Although I've treated and worked with snakes at my animal hospital, this is my first time owning them. My only regret is not getting them sooner. ;-)


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There are a lot of people, not naming names, that come onto this forum with limited experience and probably limited life experience as well. They give their opinions and advice on tons of posts based on that limited knowledge. I would say ABSOLUTELY these people should not be giving advice in an area that they don't have extensive experience. You see this on all forums across the internet. I just wish these people would read and learn for a bit first. There are so many posts here that even newbs can join in on, but I wish they would stay away from giving advice on RI's or stuck sheds or how to raise humidity...etc. There are some very knowledgable people on here that have the right help and advice to offer and it sucks that it gets watered down with crappy advice most of the time.

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Originally Posted by BrianDallek

There are a lot of people, not naming names, that come onto this forum with limited experience and probably limited life experience as well. They give their opinions and advice on tons of posts based on that limited knowledge. I would say ABSOLUTELY these people should not be giving advice in an area that they don't have extensive experience. You see this on all forums across the internet. I just wish these people would read and learn for a bit first. There are so many posts here that even newbs can join in on, but I wish they would stay away from giving advice on RI's or stuck sheds or how to raise humidity...etc. There are some very knowledgable people on here that have the right help and advice to offer and it sucks that it gets watered down with crappy advice most of the time.

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So then what can us newbs do exactly?


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Originally Posted by LivingwithBalls

So then what can us newbs do exactly?


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Learn!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by nightrainfalls

Learn!!!!!!!!!!!

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Well alright:p when it comes to reptiles, I guess you really can't learn enough.


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Originally Posted by JhaRhod

Hello BP.net members

Thank you for taking the time to read my thread.

About 6 months ago me, my son and daughter were out getting some materials for her betta fish and decided to take a look in the reptile section for fun. we were very fortunate to see a few pie-bald pythons the store had on display and we were even allowed to hold them as long as we wished! My daughter whom is 4 years old loves snakes and showed absolutely no fear when asked if she wanted to hold snake, I myself have always loved snakes as i worked in a tattoo shop for years which had one as kind of a mascot, i watched my daughter holding this snake and noticed she gave this animal great respect and was very good at handling it. so what happened next? of course she wanted me to buy her the 2,000 dollar snake! i told her to ask me later when i had the money as a ploy to see if she actually wanted one or was just caught up in the moment. 6 months later im getting really sick of her bugging me all the time to buy her a snake.....but there are a few issues im having with my lifestyle and schedule i need to address before buying a snake for me and my children that im hoping you guys could give me some advice or just straight up put a stop to my plans before i buy a snake i cant give the attention it needs. let me explain my situation

i am a single father of two children with shared custody, my work schedule is 4 days on 4 days off in which i spend all 4 days with my kids. the first 2 days of work i leave the house at 4:30 am and do not arrive back at home until 10:00 pm that night in between the 2nd and 3rd day i have a 24 hour split, leaving for my night shifts at 4:30 pm arriving home at 10:00 am. i am home every night at 10pm or everyday at 10am. my four days off are spend taking my soon and next year son and daugther to school and lazing around the house working on my bike and doing work around the house as im abit of a loner and a home body. so my question is, with this lifestyle and work schedule would a ball python be right for me?

a few other things i have to mention is that i am an avid drummer and my children have been showing an interest in the drums as well, would this in any way stress out my snake? if im going to buy the family a snake i really want it to be the happiest snake in the world! im not afraid of them but i am worried even though i was the only one in the tattoo shop that would handle the python and feed it that i may be overlooking some very important things here, please....enlighten me with your opinions

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I'm going to go against the grain here and recommend that you NOT get a snake. Unless the snake is for you....or unless you have a deep abiding interest in keeping one.

I've sold a lot of snakes to a lot of people and I learned early on to talk people who were interested in purchasing snakes as pets for their kids out of purchasing one. We get calls all the time from my wife's friends who ask us if we want to take in a ball python or a corn snake that they bought for their kids. The interest wanes, the parents aren't interested and the snake goes on Craig's List to the next buyer.

For most kids (not all) the novelty of owning one wears off fairly quickly. Their friends stop being impressed with the "different" new pet and with most species, the level of interaction is a step above owning a pet rock. Ball pythons for example, can be easily stressed by repeated handling sessions. The woma python, which was brought up by another poster, needs more room as an adult and can be nippy. While they are less stressed by handling as adults, as babies they are prone to defensive strikes. With young kids, being bit once is all it takes to put them off interacting with the animal again.

It then falls on the parent to care for the animal - hence my warning that YOU should be the one desiring snake ownership...not the kids.

My very biased opinion is that as a parent you develop any interest in the natural world through trips to zoos, aquariums, reptile gardens, science academies and even some of the better specialty exotic pet stores. Encourage any burgeoning interest with books - starting from basic to more advance as the kids age.

If the interest you child shows with the tattoo parlor mascot flourishes and intensifies as she ages, then consider a basic entry level species such as a corn snake. There are other good entry level animals that are less common, but the idea should be to purchase and animal that cannot be easily killed or stressed by either husbandry lapses or handling.

what a great thread

i just want to start by thanking all of you for your honest answers an opinions, newbs and vets!

as far as i go, i myself have wanted one for years and years but just never could take the plunge. every chance i get to view or handle a snake i take it, my childrens mother knows me very well and understands that i have a very deep interest for these animals and feel free to separate my interest for them with the responsibilities of owning one as thats why i came on this site. after showing her pictures of our daughter with the snake she has shown no hostility towards the idea of me owning one. our daughter is and always will be a very brave out of the box girl.

her attention span: Im not sure how address this but she is a child.....she has a short attention span, to be honest the betta fish was a trial for her as for 6 months she has been bugging me for a snake! as distracted as a child may be 6 months is pretty impressive to be bothering dad for an a individual animal, im assuming. she spends alot of time in front of her fish bowl talking to her fish and asking me if we need to clean or feed the fish, she shows great interest in caring for the animal and helps when its time.

corn snake, king snake or BP: I agree in every way possible that the BP MAY or MAY NOT be the right snake but again, she keeps going to the same snake everytime we visit the pet store. its a ball python! i show her the smaller snakes but she doesnt like them and by doesnt like them i simply mean she says "cool" and goes back to looking at the pythons. the snake we had in the tattoo shop was a ball python and i would walk around with this gem on my neck and let it hang out on my lap while i drew for customers, i may be the problem in this case as i have been known to treat the snake like a lap dog once a week. to be honest, corn snakes present no interest for me.....i dont know if its the size of a python or the design but small snakes have never done anything for me...please elaborate on this. i think its the same issue with my daughter, the snake isnt big enough to admire fully? none the less she has been showing great interest for the ball python.

i hope you guys have more to say to me on this topic and i know you may not realize it but you may have just made my daughter the happiest little girl ever by majority, it looks like we may be getting a new family member

I am not a big fan of corn snakes ether but they get longer than ball pythons. Ball pythons are more of a fat snake. I guess the debate for you is do you want a snake that is going to hide most of the time or one that will be out and about in its enclosure most of the time? That's the big question.

Remember always buy from a responsible breeder!!!

I have the feeling, you want that snake. Or specially you want a pied BP.
If you read, learn and listen the advice of the experienced keepers, doesn't matter if it's a ball python or a corn snake, he'll thrive.
Yes, it have differences between the tolerance of the species, but you must be sure to do everything right, and you don't "test" their limits with stress and bad husbandry.
If you give good education for your daughter, she'll don't get him like a toy pet.
If You want him, and You feel the responsibility, read everything what you can to make sure you can give him what he need, and get every supplies necessary before the snake. If you're done with that, search a reputable breeder for a hot pied and buy it. Better if the snake already older than one year, and ask the breeder if he eats without problem.
*Never buy a snake (or any reptile)from a pet shop!

you are correct that I want a python! im not particular to any type of python, the piebald was the one was daughter held and asked for and be sure that i didnt explain to her 200 times in 10 seconds that this was a snake and snakes can if provoked or uncomfortable bite, she understood and handled it very well. I dont think im ready for a $2000 dollar snake and yes with as little experience i have with the animals even i knew the mark up was through the roof. I dont have too much in common with my daughter as she is a girl and i am not, the tea parties and dress up gigs are starting to take their toll on me.....i think this is something we will both enjoy and hopefully caring for it and learning its personality will be a great bonding tool for both of us. cant thank you guys enough for all the input you have given me and i look forward to posting and hopefully one day giving newbies advice on this forum.

and if i knew how to post pictures without a URL directly from my desktop i would show you a picture i have of her the moment the snake was in her hand, tell me how please.

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Originally Posted by JhaRhod

and if i knew how to post pictures without a URL directly from my desktop i would show you a picture i have of her the moment the snake was in her hand, tell me how please.

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You have to host the image on a different site like imgur or photobucket.

I've had a ball python as a pet for thirteen years and last year got two more. It is interesting how very different the temperaments are between the three. If possible I do recommend meeting your new pet first. My most "extroverted/handleable" snake is actually a ball python I picked up at an expo. I chose him because of how chill he acted. He wasn't trying frantically to escape the cup he was in also when I picked him up he was alert and smelling the air but didn't ball up or otherwise seem scared. I also have a western hognose and an african house snake but they don't seem to be as relaxed during handling as my "friendly" ball python.

If there is a reptile expo in your area that might be a fun thing for you and your daughter to go to. Also you might want to consider a reptile rescue. Lots of needy pets out there if you're not opposed to getting an adult.

I have had atleast a snake in my life for a few years now.. BP's only a few months.. but i have 7 of them now.. and all are thriving and eating like hogs ;) I reason i got a snake is because 1) I've always loved snakes since i was a little girl and 2) my daughter (at the age of 4) decided she wanted one.. and me knowing FULL well that i would be the one owning the snake and caring for it.. she does love to handle them.. extreme adult supervision required obviously.. i had an issue with my humidity at first but it didn't take much research to figure that one out.. and i had it figured out in a day.. i do agree that going to an expo would be your best bet.. actually handling the snake and getting the color you want.. as i'm finding out.. i want all different colors.. :)

In the python genus there are many species that are from all different climates. If your looking at pythons I would check out some videos on the woma pythons on YouTube. The best video I have found is from hlh reptiles. Also go to an expo and check some out, in person. The only bad thing about expos is that some times there is not a lot of variety. Also another species to check out would be anything in morelia except green tree pythons most of them have good temperaments. I am a big fan of Australian snakes. It could be because of watching Steve Irwin when I was little. Most of them have good temperaments but every snake is different.

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Originally Posted by Black Hills Reptiles

In the python genus there are many species that are from all different climates. If your looking at pythons I would check out some videos on the woma pythons on YouTube. The best video I have found is from hlh reptiles. Also go to an expo and check some out, in person. The only bad thing about expos is that some times there is not a lot of variety. Also another species to check out would be anything in morelia except green tree pythons most of them have good temperaments. I am a big fan of Australian snakes. It could be because of watching Steve Irwin when I was little. Most of them have good temperaments but every snake is different.

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WOW! those green tree pythons are gorgeous. is there a huge price difference between your regular pet store python and the green tree? and do they always perch themselves on branches the way i am seeing in most google images?

I would also like to ask what kind of temperament differences there are between the different types, we went to the store today as i wanted to see if they had any variety there but the only snake they had was a regular ball python, am i saying this correctly? is the common pet store ball python just a "regular" ball python or is the pattern what separates them by name?

If I'm not mistaken GTPs are known for being aggressive and definitely not a snake for beginners or children. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong (I don't have any personal experience with them) but I think they're a more advanced species.

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Originally Posted by salt

You have to host the image on a different site like imgur or photobucket.

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uhhhhh....i have no idea how to do that, sorry guys.

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Originally Posted by DVirginiana

If I'm not mistaken GTPs are known for being aggressive and definitely not a snake for beginners or children. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong (I don't have any personal experience with them) but I think they're a more advanced species.

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GTPs do have this rep, but I have found this to be completely inaccurate. Admittedly my sample size of 3 is small. All are and always have been calm as a BP. Nonetheless, they are most definitely not a snake for beginners. Their tolerance for incorrect husbandry is much less than that of a BP or other beginner species.

Everyone I've talked to about gtp says they are miserable animals.


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Originally Posted by LivingwithBalls

Everyone I've talked to about gtp says they are miserable animals.

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They can be, it depends on the individual critter. Either way not a beginner snake at all. Heck I have retics and was offered a twitchy GTP recently, ahhhhhhhhh no thank you.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

They can be, it depends on the individual critter. Either way not a beginner snake at all. Heck I have retics and was offered a twitchy GTP recently, ahhhhhhhhh no thank you.

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Haha yup! I guess that goes with all animals. I mean, you can get a bird that would be so sweet and cuddly, or you can get one that will pluck your eyes out. It all depends!


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Originally Posted by bcr229

They can be, it depends on the individual critter. Either way not a beginner snake at all. Heck I have retics and was offered a twitchy GTP recently, ahhhhhhhhh no thank you.

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Well we can have the GTP temperament debate another day on another forum, for now we can all agree this is not a snake for beginners and a poor choice for the OP ;)

I will note that, No green tree for this guy.

Most of the ones I mentioned have good temperaments most of the time. Yes GTPs do perch like that most of the time. Like I said what one you get is all depends on what you want it to do. If you are ok with a tank that may look empty a ball python my be the right choice because they like to hide. If you want something that's up and moving a lot that you can just watch in its tank than (correct me if I am wrong please) woma python, carpet/diamond pythons are a good choice. If you like snakes with a lot of girth that don't get to long but get heavy that may move around a bit but not as much than blood pythons or black bloods usually make for good pets. It depends on who you get them from. Some can be really crabby and some won't. If you saw the GTP and had your mind made up I wouldn't start with that I would start with carpet or diamonds because there semi arboral. And after a year or two you could look in to GTPs or emerald tree boas. Like said before husbandry on them is hard to get perfect and if it's not they will die.

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Originally Posted by Black Hills Reptiles

Most of the ones I mentioned have good temperaments most of the time. Yes GTPs do perch like that most of the time. Like I said what one you get is all depends on what you want it to do. If you are ok with a tank that may look empty a ball python my be the right choice because they like to hide. If you want something that's up and moving a lot that you can just watch in its tank than (correct me if I am wrong please) woma python, carpet/diamond pythons are a good choice. If you like snakes with a lot of girth that don't get to long but get heavy that may move around a bit but not as much than blood pythons or black bloods usually make for good pets. It depends on who you get them from. Some can be really crabby and some won't. If you saw the GTP and had your mind made up I wouldn't start with that I would start with carpet or diamonds because there semi arboral. And after a year or two you could look in to GTPs or emerald tree boas. Like said before husbandry on them is hard to get perfect and if it's not they will die.

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I might be wrong on this, but aren't bloods known for being a bit nasty?


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From what I understand they were but everyone that I have seen is puppy dog tame. I also want to throw in short tail boas Sumatran is a black blood. Some buddy's own Borneo short tails and there puppy dog tame. Please correct me if I am wrong on the black blood thing. It all depends on the snake you get