Why Did You Get Your First Ball Python?

[frankykeno]

With so many new people posting lately with questions about their first ball python's needs but also with long term owners/breeders regularily posting, it just begs to be asked....

1) What made you want that get that very first Ball Python?

2) What was your first exposure to this fascinating creature and how long did you wait before actually getting one?

3) If you had to go back and redo that first experience, what's your best advice to avoid some of the pitfalls or challenges you faced?

4) What's your take on the impact of the internet on this hobby/business?


Well there that'll give you all something to ponder over coffee LOL.


~~Jo~~

[First_time_herp]

1. I wanted my first bp because they seemed easy to keep, looked freakin' awesome, and were calm and docile for the most part. Perfect for the kind of snake I needed.
2. My first real exposure to a bp was when I saw one at a place called Raven Hill Discovery Center. After that I held one a few times in a pet store.
3. If I had to redo the expiernce I would be sure to not want to buy one just because it's there. I mean I wanted the ones I saw at the petstore even though they weren't to healthy simply becuase I was in love with the idea of getting one. Be patient and look carefully for the right snake.
4. The impact of the internet was HUGE for me. I mean this very site provided me with everything I needed to know and all the advice I needed.

[doobysnack]

1.when i got my second snake witch was a ball python i seen it and thought it looked awsome and had amazing color of other snakes i had seen

2.i actually waited about a ten minutes lol.
3.well this is a memory that stick in my head cause my dad(R.I.P. 4-30-05) was with me and he helped me through it and he helped me take care of it. the only thign i could say is make sure the snake is really tame cause nothign confuses me liek a snap at my hand lol.
4.i say the internet helps alot with knowledge and sellign responibly on this.

[daniel1983]

1) I had always wanted to keep snakes. Ball pythons were the best in my opinion, so thats what I went with. oh ya....and i moved out of my parents house

2) I had limited exposure to them before I bought one. I had been around burms before and thought they were awesome, but I could not handle that size. I started doing some research on other options and came across the ball python. I remember a friend having one when I was younger (and him complaining about it not eating) and how I wanted one, but that is about it.

3) Don't buy from pet stores, get your snakes from a breeder. Get a female first, so then when you decide to start breeding (and you will ) you will have a head start.

4) The unlimited number of morph potential and the internet are the two top reasons that the ball python business has taken off the way it has.

[tigerlily]

1. I remember holding a corn snake at the zoo once when I was like 12 and it fascinated me. It took me 18 years to finally take the plunge and now I'm thoroughly addicted!

2. About 2 years ago I decided I wanted to get a snake. It took me that long to make sure it wasn't an impulse thing and do the research on which kind of snake I wanted. I absolutely fell in love with bps. Even normals are absolutely beautiful. My only exposure was from several pet stores.

3. Once I decided on bps I thought I had done enough research but a lot of the information I got (from online and petstores) was very inaccurate. I wish I would have joined this site long before I actually purchased her. I also wish I would have purchased online from a reputable breeder. (not that I've had any problems with her, I just would've rather given my money to someone who actually cared about their animals) I thought the one I was purchasing at the pet store was cb not ch.

4. The internet has been a wonderful but confusing source of information. Which sites are more reliable than other and such. I took an average of all the information available and came close to having a good habitat for my new bp. I have found this site to be invaluable and very patient especially when I was first starting out and completely neurotic Of course not much has changed and you guys are still very paitent

[TekWarren]

1. Its in my blood, my dad and his brothers have always about plants and animals. I grew up in the country and had lots of wildlife exposure but my my mom and step-dad rarely let keep animals other than fish in the house.

2. I'm not exactly sure when my first exposure to BP's was...I remember when I was very young my dad had a roomate with snakes, I think that is the first time I touched a BP. I didn't actually have my own first BP untill I was like 19, I was of course living on my own as my parents wouldn't allow it as mentioned above.

3. I would suggest for new individuals interested to NOT purchase from a pet store (there are some exceptions and I would not rule out looking in such places). I wish I had know more about reptile shows when I first started, the prices are fair, your buying from the breeder most likely, and the knowledge and advice you get is priceless. The only real challenges I faced at one point was living in a house with a couple other friends in which they did stupid things a time or two when I was gone for weekends. I guess I would try and educate others more so they understand and respect these animals. (no snake was injured but could have been).

4. The internet...well its like a reptile show/sale every day. You can buy from numerous breeders on the net or at least find out about them. You can also learn as much as you want from other keepers and breeders willing to share.

[frankykeno]

Dooby I'm sorry I wasn't aware you'd recently lost your dad. My deepest condolences to you and your family. I'm so very glad that you have that lovely memory (and I'm sure more) of your father and a living reminder of him in your snake.

Guess I should answer my own questions LOL...

1) Baby was a gift from my husband for Mother's Day for me and I have to say though I thought Baby was pretty I was misinformed about balls being "boring snakes that just stay curled up in a ball 24/7".

2) My first exposure to ball pythons was years and years ago when a lady brought her personal collection of corn snakes, ball pythons and other various creatures to a local children's museum. I must admit at the time I was more interested in the colors of the corns but the more subtle beauty of the ball pythons always stuck with me (didn't know about morphs back then at all). That would have been about 10 plus years back.

3) Well since our first experience is still so new (we've had Baby about 2 months now) the only thing I would say is I'd probably buy direct from a breeder (which we are doing with our first morph purchase from 8Ball) rather than from the pet store. Baby is perfect but I do think we more or less "lucked out" there. Sure we've worked hard to do right by the snake but we were working against the odds a bit with an unknown baby snake from unknown sources.

4) I think the internet is both bad and good (like most things). Good in that the information is so readily accessible though one must take everything with a grain of salt and a lot of common sense tossed in. Wonderful in that someone like me and Mike in northern Michigan have easy access to top notch breeders around the country. Not so great in that idiots and scam artists now have a lovely wide pool of folks to take advantage of and then disappear into the mists of internet never-never-land. Example...saw an ad online recently for a ball python that was "mostly tick free"....good lord how can a snake be "mostly tick free"....is that like being "slightly pregnant".....either you is or you isn't LOL...and a snake that has ticks has ticks....no "mostly" about it.


~~Jo~~

[frankykeno]

Oh shot just noticed I started this thread in General Herp and not Ball Pythons - General like I meant to.

I'm such a dweeb when it comes to stuff like this LOL.

~~Jo~~

[Merchant]

1, i had always wanted a snake and have been fasinated with them for years but was unable to have one. when my situation changed i made my choise and purchased one becuase they were listed as a great starter snake. i love ginger and shes behaveing and doing very well.

2. my first exposure to snakes was a trip to the bronx zoo's snake house when i was oh 15 or so. fishing in the local lake when a blck racer desided to use my net. and other varius trips to zoos and petstores. it took me 21 years to get my first snake. I want more....

3. if i could redo any one thing it would be being talked into buying the snake at the local petco before i had time to get her cage setup. and all the kinks worked out. it took a few weeks to get the temps right, was using the round one's. in a glass top tank i could never get the humidity right. so get your snakes home setup inadvance and monitor it dayily before you get you new lifetime freind. remember they can live 20=30 years.

4. the impact of the internet has and will continue to be huge. from the instant access to so mch data and advice. to supplys and equipment, even animals at great prices.

[Ginevive]

Ooh, a fun fill-in-type post!

1) What made you want that get that very first Ball Python?
It was a complete accident. I was into keeping amphibians (frogs and a few salamanders.) I went to our local petco and there was this cool chick there with tattoos. My man is into tats too and we three talked about tats and the conversation turned when she saw we were looking at reptiles. She said "how would you like a p*ssy little snake?" Turns out, they had a nippy BP in the back that had been returned twice for being nippy, and they just wanted to get rid of it.
I went home, researched a bunch and in a few days we went back and brought The B*tch home. She stayed true to her name and was always nippy. She ended up escaping her tank and freezing in onr basement sadly. It was the only time I have seen my boyfriend of 4 years, actually cry.
This was all in '03. I had gotten Goblin my adult male BP, that september. Got Ashes from another petco for a measly $20 that year too... and got Bela the next May from Alex Hue (shes a cbb '03.) Adopted the other 2 last March frrom an idiot keeper.
OK, now that the novella is over, lets move on...

2) What was your first exposure to this fascinating creature and how long did you wait before actually getting one?
The first time I ever saw a BP was back in gradeschool; they had a travelling reptile exhibit come to our class, and we could touch and see the reptiles. That had to be over 10 years before I got mine!

3) If you had to go back and redo that first experience, what's your best advice to avoid some of the pitfalls or challenges you faced?
Start with a tamer specimen. I was so amazed at the difference between my first BP and laid-back Goblin!

4) What's your take on the impact of the internet on this hobby/business?
I think it's great. You can get stuff frrom people all around the country (or even the world) instead of being restricted to the crappy neighborhood pet store. Or if you have a cool local store, they can more easily order you the stuff you want!!