How long do they really live?

[lord jackel]

Ok...I have read all the care sheets and common knowledge says Balls can live 25+ years in captivity. But as you read comments on the internet and such you see people commenting on their Ball's dying well short of this. Now I am sure some of this has to do with accidents and such but it started me thinking what are people seeing as the actual life span of a captive raised Ball (as a species - not single animal) ? This may be a question few can answer as we haven't had them long enough...but I would like to hear from some people with any facts.

Can a ball that lives in a box (tank or tub) with no real excercise - that eats a constant meal at a constant time frame live as long as one that has more ups/downs in their diet (means less fat and more muscle), more environmental exposure (meaning more resistance to disease and such) and more need to excercise (to find food)?

Just curious if I should be planning to put my snakes into my will and also if certain changes in care could lengthen their lifespan.

[lillyorchid]

A ball can live 20+ years. I really think it depends on that snake, it's background/history, and it's owners husbandry efforts. I know Pete's original Pied is at least 20 years old, maybe a bit older since Pete guess he was about 10 when he got him. That snakes really looks like a wise old man.

On the other hand some snakes die young for no reason at all. They are fine and bam one day you just find one dead. Some are older then others, some extremely young. I do believe it really does play in to the bloodlines and how the snake is kept. Just my 2cents.

[lord jackel]

A ball can live 20+ years. I really think it depends on that snake, it's background/history, and it's owners husbandry efforts. I know Pete's original Pied is at least 20 years old, maybe a bit older since Pete guess he was about 10 when he got him. That snakes really looks like a wise old man.

On the other hand some snakes die young for no reason at all. They are fine and bam one day you just find one dead. Some are older then others, some extremely young. I do believe it really does play in to the bloodlines and how the snake is kept. Just my 2cents.

That's interesting and I agree with your points...but it makes me wonder. The original pied...was is captive born or an import? What about his other snakes? It goes back to my curiosity if an import would be more robust then a CB. It is like the bubble boy...live your entire life away from disease and natural stresses and you aren't equipped to deal with diseases, hence a shortened life.

The other thing your posts brings up is by all the imbreeding and selective breeding are we creating genetically deficient animals.

This might be a good thesis for my Ph D. LOL

[MelissaFlipski]

Funny! I was going to post a similar thread today, asking "How old is your oldest BP?" I wanted to get a survey going to see what kind of lifespans people were seeing, too.

[lillyorchid]

Mr. Old Man Pied as I like to call him was a WC import from Africa. Pete also has a bunch of WC females who are all up in their teens now. Probably some of the biggest girls I've seen. I do believe that CH babies may have a "few more years" on them since they aren't all inbred, over bred, and have years of different morphs in them.

I think over breeding, inbreeding, and all those genetic combo's do play a roll on how long a snake will live also.

[WingedWolfPsion]

Also, keep in mind a lot of 'may live up to' numbers have the longest known lifespan cited. The oldest known housecat lived to be 36. Most housecats live to be around 18. It's quite a discrepancy.

What might be revealing is if folks who have old snakes actually have an autopsy done when they die, and determine the actual cause of death. Few people actually die of 'old age'--it's generally heart disease, or stroke, etc.
What captive snakes tend to die of when they are old might uncover something we could change, which could possibly help them live longer.

[lord jackel]

Also, keep in mind a lot of 'may live up to' numbers have the longest known lifespan cited. The oldest known housecat lived to be 36. Most housecats live to be around 18. It's quite a discrepancy..

This is what started me thinking too. The longest lifespan vs. the "norm".

Perhaps Adam, Kara, Tim and some of the others with large collections will chime in here about their experience. Especially as it relates to the WC vs. CB lifespans.

[Brock Wagner]

I have heard that they live for as long as 30 plus years. I think Tracy at VPI told me that she had one live for as long 26 years. Hope this helps.


Brock

[lord jackel]

I have heard that they live for as long as 30 plus years. I think Tracy at VPI told me that she had one live for as long 26 years. Hope this helps.

Do you know if they were WC or CB animals? Also, in your collection how old are yours...any early deaths (ie. under 20 years) that wasn't a known accident?

Thanks

[Brock Wagner]

I think that she told me her snake was a wild caught or maybe even a captive hatch I don't know. My oldest female that I can verify from the guy that I got her from is 10 years old. But I could have some normal breeder girls that are older and I just don't know it. When I was buying normal girls they were hard to find so I would get one here and there. I wish I knew how old Pear was. I am not sure if they will die early from old age or not. I hope not. Heck some of them in my collection might outlive me!


Brock