Arjana just doesn't look like a hatchling anymore.. :(

I guess she is officially a juvenile. She is getting "big". Doesn't even look like it in the pictures, but she is pretty long now.
Growing like a weed. Always ready for food, too. She used to be very shy and jumpy, always in her hides, but now she is laying right in the front of her tub in plain view, just in case I didn't see the head sticking out of the hide in the "feed me now" position.

She was the most "tense" Ball Python I've had, but the regular yet short handling sessions have paid off. So much more relaxed now. I think it works better to handle for short sessions and return them before they get frantic or ball up, rather then to flood them with long handling sessions. We always end on a good note, LOL.

Love this glow worm ;) Had to delete most pictures because they were blurry, she wouldn't stop moving. But here are a couple that turned out ok..

http://photos.imageevent.com/morgens.../large/3_3.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/morgens.../large/2_3.jpg

I think she is going into shed, as she was just a tad duller then normal.

I think all of your snakes are absolutely stunning but Arjana is my favorite! How old is she now?

Thank you :) She is a little over 7 month old and she weighed 422 gr before she ate her last meal.

She reminds me a bit of my 5-6 month old pastel vanilla :) I really should get a scale for her. I got her on the 21st of February so I haven't handled her at all yet.

What size prey do you give her? Adult mice?

When I got he she was at 172 gr and ate live rat pups. After she settled in at my house I offered a FT rat pup and she took it in less then a second, LOL. After a while she was on 2 rat pups per feeding, because I had so many pups.
Last feeding was her first rat weanling, and it didn't even leave a bump hardly ;)

Guess she is now on ft rat weanlings.

Stunning !!

She makes me want to find a nice pastel desert ghost!! She's the most beautiful one ever!

She looks amazing. :)

She's so bright! [emoji7]

Wow, a tad dull? You have to be kidding me, she is glowing!!! Desert ghost continues to impress! I can't wait to find one for myself. Very beautiful snake you have there!

so beautiful!

Looking fantastic! I really need to work on handling my Bean more so she stops reacting to my hand like a death threat ahaha.

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Originally Posted by Lizardlicks

Looking fantastic! I really need to work on handling my Bean more so she stops reacting to my hand like a death threat ahaha.

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Haha, yes, it really works. I think the trick is to keep it short and sweet. Handle gentle, but confident. Don't "tip toe". Always end on a good note. Arjana has been the most "tense", shy and defensive Ball Python I've had.With handling, I knew after about 8 to 10 minutes, she would start getting frantic, trying to get away. So I would handle for 5 minutes, while she would go from balled up to curious. Making sure to put her back before she could "panic".

When putting her back I always just hold my hand still above the tank and wait until she moves off all the way by herself and into her hide, before closing the tub. In the beginning she would slide off as fast as she could, almost falling of in her haste. Now she calmly moves off, taking her time. I still wait until she moves off by herself all the way, before removing my hand.

Fast forward, she will now hang out "in the open" in her tub. Watching me, not freaking out or balling up when I open the tub. She still tenses up for about 2 seconds when being picked up, but she doesn't ball up or try to hide her head anymore, and as soon as picked up she is fine. She stays relaxed in the hands now, instead of jumping at every movement, she will explore calmly. I still end it at about 10 to 12 minutes for now. I could push it to 20 minutes, but there is no need. She just needed more time and effort to get her trusting and relaxed. I have noticed when its closer to feeding time, like a day or two before (or simply said, she is hungry) she is more jumpy and wants to move non-stop. But no aggressiveness. Just more hyped up. Of course I NEVER handle the day of and after feeding.

Some people think with shy/tense/defensive Ball Pythons you have to take them out and handle them for 2 hours every day, or even longer/more often, to "force" them to be good with it. I don't think that works. All you do is get them to "shut down". I rather take my time and build some trust. We have so many years with them, whats a few month of patience compared to that ;)

She is gorgeous! I really love those dorsal fade spots in those saddles. :)

She looks good! My girl is in the same boat now. She weighed in at 465 the other night and it was probably the first time that I realized she didn't look like a hatchling anymore. Her head is getting bigger. It's nice to see them progress! She is still very gentle and docile. She has turned into a very nice pet and I couldn't be happier with her.

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Originally Posted by cletus

She looks good! My girl is in the same boat now. She weighed in at 465 the other night and it was probably the first time that I realized she didn't look like a hatchling anymore. Her head is getting bigger. It's nice to see them progress! She is still very gentle and docile. She has turned into a very nice pet and I couldn't be happier with her.

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Its a mix of being excited and proud to watch them grow up, and a little sad. They are so cute when they are tiny ;)

She is absolutely stunning!! :O

Terrible looking snake [emoji14] . That's honestly one of the best looking BPs I've ever seen. I'm sorry, but I think I missed it. What morph is she?

Absolutely beautiful!

What a amazing Pattern. All her colors are so Crisp and Pronounced..A Flawless Girl :) :gj:

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Originally Posted by Creepy Alien

Terrible looking snake [emoji14] . That's honestly one of the best looking BPs I've ever seen. I'm sorry, but I think I missed it. What morph is she?

Absolutely beautiful!

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She is a Pastel Desert Ghost :)


And thank you everybody for the wonderful comments on my little girl..

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Originally Posted by zina10

She is a Pastel Desert Ghost :)

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Many thanks for the reply. I know what I'll eventually be adding to my collection after seeing her :) .

Thanks very much for sharing!