Not sure if I should get a ball python

[Snakewanter]

Hi, I have been doing alot of research and first was debating if i should get a pet snake, i love snakes by the way and after comparing a cornsnake and a ball python I found a ball python would probably be the best for me but there are a few things i am worried about. First do ball pythons really bite alot and if so how bad does it hurt like on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being a pinch and 10 your arm being cut off, And is a 20 gallon long ok for the first year or so? Thanks for the info!

[Cendalla]

Hello and welcome. Each snake can be different but I've found that babies are more likely to strike out. They mellow as they get older. My little guy nailed me when I wasn't paying attention and I didn't even feel it. I had two pin pricks of blood. It rated a -2.

I like corns too but to me I like that balls are mellower. A 20 gal long is great. Just make sure that you get the husbandry right and you'll do fine. Good luck with whatever you do and ask any questions you have

[mainbutter]

First of all, my experience with BPs has been bite-free. It's pretty easy to look at a dozen individuals and find the one that is the least scared (biggest cause of biting), doesn't ball up, seems relaxed and a little inquisitive, and likely end up with an animal that will never bite you out of fear. Just don't rub rat smell all over your warm hands and surprise your snake by sticking a warm, fleshy mammal object that smells like food in front of its face.

Also, cage setup directly relates to security and happiness, which reduces the chance a snake will feel scared (and then bite in defense if human godzilla tries to grab it).

In general, I'd say most snake bites rate a 0.1 on your 0-10 pain scale. You may jump at how fast it happens (really, the surprise is the worst part), you may look down and see some blood because they DO have very sharp teeth), but really as far as pain goes, I'd rather be bitten by a 10lb snake than a hamster.

I kept my first ball python in a 20G long, it's a great size. Most people who use glass cages (myself included) have humidity issues, but there are plenty of workarounds to ensure that your snake is healthy, sheds well, and all the other things that are dependent on having a bit of humidity.

Corn snakes are another great choice, and I love them, but I heartily encourage you to go after the species you are most enthralled with rather than the one that might seem the "easiest". More snakes suffer from boredom-induced neglect than from a dedicated, excited keeper who might need a little advice to be pushed in the right direction of care.

That said, ball pythons are great choices. They're easy to care for as long as you pay attention and read up, the great majority won't bite during handling, the few that do bite will very likely calm down with time, and they are affordable and available everywhere with plenty of resources on care.

[Kymberli]

Baby ball pythons are known to strike more often, most likely out of instinct seeing you as a predatory threat. If a BP tags you it usually just feels like pricks from hypodermic needles. Cat and dog bites hurt worse, unless for some reason the snake latches on and doesn't want to let go, which I haven't seen happen very often. Also, if the BP hasn't been handled much at all it is more likely to strike out of fear. My male "rescue" came to me already four years old but hadn't been handled in at least two years, not exaggerating. He tagged me the first night I brought him home and would strike any time I opened his tub. Since getting him, he's completely calmed down and never strikes at me. So it also depends on the temperament of the individual snake and how comfortable it is being handled.

20 gallon long might be a bit big for a hatchling size Ball Python, but I'm not exactly sure because I use tubs and all of my Ball Pythons came to me either fully grown or almost fully grown.

[Snakewanter]

First I just wanted to say thanks for all the help it means alot, and okay thats nice to here after hearing about an incident my friend had with his when it bit his finger and started constricting his hand and started trying to eat his finger... It had me a little bit concerned but now I am reassured, I will be going to petco tommorrow not to get the snake of course but I want to look and maybe get the tank and suppies and get it set up. Oh one other thing, does anyone know if Petco gets their ball pythons from breeders or from the wild? Thanks again

[Kymberli]

I strongly recommend buying your first snake from a breeder. Petco/PetSmart, to my knowledge, gets their BPs from breeders but they don't take good care of them at the store, for the most part. You're more likely to get a sick snake from Petco or PetSmart than from a breeder, though it's still possible from a breeder. Also, if you're not dead-set on buying a tank, I would strongly recommend looking into a tub setup rather than tank. Much cheaper, much easier to clean, and much, much easier to maintain proper heat and humidity. I had a tank for my first one, suffered many humidity and heat dilemmas, switched to Sterilite tubs and never looked back. I don't know how I could possibly stand using a tank again, lol. So take that into consideration before you break your wallet buying a tank and supplies from Petco/PetSmart. I would recommend ordering your supplies from Reptile Basics online. The man who runs that business will answer ANY question you could possibly have on your new snake, and they have a great selection of supplies that are higher quality and cheaper priced than most pet stores.

Just a thought, I wish I had started with tubs and supplies ordered online!

[yeroc1982]

its nothing, my wife and i got bit today, was kinda funny! here is a pic of my arm.

[ogdentrece]

Regarding your friends incident, yes it is possible but it is shouldnt hurt much and I doubt itll be strong enough to squeeze hard enough for long enough to cause any harm at all. And this can definitely be avoided by being careful and not making any 'Stupid Feeding Errors', as we call them around here. I've made a few of my own, but honestly, it's no biggy. If its not from feeding errors, it's because its scared and/or really annoyed. My first ball was half a year when I got him, he struck during cage maintenance quite a fair bit. When it happens, whatever the cause, I usually end up worrying about the snake more than I do about myself because I always jump and pull back my arm from the sudden movement and speed. Which could injure him if he did manage to get a hold of whatever he was trying to bite, especially if I flung him off in the process. However with consistant proper handling and more confidence (very important when handling your ball, especially when first picking it up), and probably the snake's maturing, they mellow really quickly and get used to having you around. Now that angsty ball would much rather run away or ball up when stressed rather than bite. He'll warn me before he strikes too, hissing, puffing, being pissed.

With your first ball python however, I most recommend trying as much as you can to get a calmer one, I took rather long to get back confidence after each strike the first few times. And fear definitely induces more bites. I even wore thick gloves for a while just in case.

[mues155]

Welcome to the forum!
Ive only been bite or struck at by baby BPs.
And they were defensive bites, felt like someone stabbing you quickly with a few toothpicks, it broke the skin but barely. Id rate it at a 1-2
You gotta remember when you open a tank your huge hand is coming at them from above. To a snake that lives on the ground they automatically think predator. To make less risk of getting struck at its a good idea to move slowly and to scoop the animal from under the belly, rather then grasping it from the back side. It really depends on the snake and how you approach it most of the time.
Ive never been bite or struck at by an adult BP however and I dont want to.

I had cornsnakes before I ever got a BP and I gotta say both are great pets.
BPs can be very picky eaters and I would suggest getting him converting to frozen thawed prey as quickly as you can. Its not COOL to feed a snake live, a rodent can seriously injure a snake by biting.
As far as big box pet stores go, I wouldnt NOT reccomend them. I used to work for a few months at a petsmart and its not good.
If you DO decide to buy your snake there however, make sure you tell them to show you the last time in the log book that the snake ate. Its very important to know that the snake has eaten recently because the snakes that come in from the breeders (mind you these are HUGE facitilies that supply large pet stores) they feed live. When they get to petsmart they are automatically switched to frozen thawed, whether they eat or not. If the snake choses not to eat the f/t, they just dont eat. Because petsmart doesnt "believe" in using rodents as prey items. They would rather see the snake die then feed it a live pinky. (Yet they choose to have "feeder" goldfish)
Anyways going with a breeder is a much safer option of knowing what your getting in a snake. And they can ship the animal right to your door! And most breeders are willing to answer any questions you may have. I suggest looking on kingsnake.com or faunaclassifieds.com or this site even has a classifieds section.
You picked a good forum to join
I wish you luck with your snake research. Hope we've helped you.

[Snakewanter]

Thanks again for the help I have looked around to see If there are any breeders in my area but the closest one I found was 140 miles so I think I'm going to have to go with petco sadly. I'm suPer excited about going tonight oh and what do you guys use for substrate? Thanks again