my first snake. guess the age.

[kitkatbird]

so im new to snake ownership (if you dont count the garter snake i had brielfy caught) but I have loved them since I got to see a fully grown retic when I was 3 years old and its head was the size of my head at the time. Since then when I see a wild snake I say ooo snake and lunge for it ( venomous snakes are VERY rare in my area). My dad was traumatized with snakes as a child so he would never let me get one but now Im grown and married in my own place and someone who is moving this month knew I wanted an albino ball python and gave him to me for free! So I FINALLY own my first snake. He's eating great, shedding great but hasn't pooped yet ( hopefully soon). Unfortunately he was kept by young boys who had 4 other snakes and 4 lizards and wasn't given the best care so I wanna see if any one can guess his age.

[Skittles1101]

There's no way to know....growth can vary and be stunted by so many reasons...genetics, neglect, etc. Especially if you're stating it wasn't taken care of properly.

[decensored]

Welcome! And congrats on following a life dream .

Judging by body composition and length, and considering you say he wasn't taken care of well (I'm assuming this includes feeding), and by the fade of his pattern I would put him at about 3 or 4 - Although he is about the size of a one or two year old ball python.

But judging age by size is difficult and very hard to do so I don't expect to be right haha

[kitkatbird]

Ok so I have really small hands. I work at a pet store where we have normals and they are 6 months and he is smaller than them. I know its impossible to tell by size but I was still surprised when I asked since I am pretty sure he's been getting hopper mice every week since the previous owners had him.

[decensored]

Ok so I have really small hands. I work at a pet store where we have normals and they are 6 months and he is smaller than them. I know its impossible to tell by size but I was still surprised when I asked since I am pretty sure he's been getting hopper mice every week since the previous owners had him.

how old is he?

[kitkatbird]

Nice pic of him when I first brought him home 4 weeks ago

[kitkatbird]

about a year and a half. Can't fool the experts I guess, but from what I can tell from the hundreds of pictures I've looked at he is about the size of most 4 month old ones and he's growing like crazy now. He was just finishing a bad shed when I got him and just shed again.

[Skittles1101]

about a year and a half. Can't fool the experts I guess, but from what I can tell from the hundreds of pictures I've looked at he is about the size of most 4 month old ones and he's growing like crazy now. He was just finishing a bad shed when I got him and just shed again.

Poor baby...he's so tiny

[kc261]

The good news is that slow growth due to limited food intake doesn't seem to have nearly the long term negative affects on snakes as it does on humans. And he is still young. Now that you are feeding him properly, he'll probably be just fine.