new here.. help me clear some things up, and also find a snake!

[stylin97]

well 1st off this will be my 1st snake ill be owning.

ive been doing a bunch of reading before i even attempt to get one, and his entire tank will be setup 100% before i even think about buying one.

ok now, will someone please explain to me what "het" means when it comes to a snakes bread.

Im looking at getting an Albino ball python, and im set on getting one... but would like to find the cheapest source of one i can while still going thru a reputable seller/breeder. So then say what would be the difference in a reg albino and a het albino? I dont plan on breeding it at all

Ive checked all my local pet stores, and obviously none of them carried one... but one lady gave me the heads up on a reptile show coming up in a few weeks and said i might have good luck there.

So my question is what should i look for in an Albino and how much should i be looking to pay? From what ive seen online, and i could be wrong, normal male/female albinos are more expensive than het ones.. true?

And if i cant find a decently cheap one at my local show... what places online sell albinos for a good price and are reputable?

Thanks for helping out the new guy!

[AzureN1ght]

I can let you know that "het" means that it carries the gene for the visual morph, but looks like a normal ball python. So, if you never plan on breeding and want the visual albinism--you're better off buying an albino straight up.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but baby albinos run about $1200+, right?

There are lots of reputable breeders, and I'll let someone else point you to a few

EDIT: Welcome to BP.net And good idea getting everything ready before you buy! Especially if you're going to invest in an expensive morph like an albino!

[fishmommy]

are you by any chance in New England?

I would recommend contacting the breeders directly before the show to see what they have available. I wouldn't count on just showing up and getting something relatively rare by chance

[fishmommy]

oops...my browser crashed before I had a chance to say:


welcome to the board and to the snake hobby! I am just getting started out also and this board has been great!

I love going to the reptile shows...you should definitely go and see everything even if you make other arrangements to obtain your albino

[Nate]

If you don't plan on breeding then you would have to buy a visible albino. As previously stated, Het simply means it contains the genes to produce an albino. It's a simple recessive gene. You will also come across numbers such as 66% het and 50% het, or 100% het (which is het..not really a need for 100%)

These numbers simply mean that there's that chance it is het. When you breed a het to a het, the offspring will be 25% visible morph, half of the clutch is het for that morph, and the other 25% of the clutch is a normal. Since you cannot tell the difference between het and normal, then you have a 66% chance of picking out the one that is het.

This web site will really help you out:

http://ballpythons.ca/what_get/recessive.html

[tmlowe5704]

As already stated, look up the vendors for the show and request that one be brought to the show for you to check out. They will more than likely run around $1000-$1300. Also, almost all breeders should be able to ship. Out of 16 snakes, I have only bought one locally and the other 15 came via shipping service. Don't limit yourself to the cheapest or the closest breeder either. If you are spending that much money on a snake, do not skimp out and go with a breeder with a bad rep to save $100.

[Momma T]

Welcome... You have come to the right place... thats for sure!!! Just keep posting and replying and you will come accross the right snake and the right breeder!!!