I bought my first ball python almost two months ago and I've noticed he's been growing, which makes me very happy I bought him from a pet store that had other ball pythons as well... they didn't know the exact age of them, but from their size they all looked about a couple months old. I just went to the same pet store today to buy more food; due to my snake's growth, I decided to go from fuzzies to hoppers since it seemed a lot more appropriate for his current size.

I also stopped to look at the other ball pythons that were there (the same ones that were with my boy when I got him), but I noticed that all of them are slimmer than mine (even the females). I couldn't judge the length since they were moving around, but my snake was definitely thicker. I haven't been overfeeding my snake (the first two weeks I had him he wouldn't eat, and after that I've been keeping it at one fuzzie per week, like they said they did for theirs). I also buy all his food from them, so really the only change in his diet is that I've switched from live to frozen (hence why he didn't eat at first). For about 2-3 feedings I dipped the rats in tuna juice to entice him with the scent, but now he'll eat without the tuna.

So I'm just wondering why my ball python is noticeably bigger than his brothers and sisters back at the pet store? Is it because of the tuna scenting I've used a few times? Or is it just his genetics making him a naturally faster growing snake? I'm hoping it's a sign he'll become big for a male ball python, but I want to make sure it's not something else going on.

He's otherwise very healthy looking... had a great shed in one piece (unlike the pet store unfortunately... theirs were coming off in pieces and had some stuck around the head) and eats readily now when offered. He hides all the time and moves around actively when I hold him with his tongue flicking around.