Getting the Ball Rolling

[moorea]

And yes there was pun intended with my title. I am also sure around these parts it was not very original.

Now to the point. I am currently researching the purchase of a ball python. I owned a Burmese Python during my college days for a few years, but I have very little experience. That was 20 years ago and it seems practices have changed. Not to mention I only had him for a few years as my X ran off with him when the relationship ended.

This is something I will be doing with my 16 year old daughter. It actually is something she wants as her own pet, but as a responsible parent I am going into this knowing when she goes off to college, probably this time next year at the rate she is going, it will likely become mine and my husbands for at least 4 years if not for the life of the snake. My husband is also interested.

I really want to do all the possible research and get this right the first time. A few years back we went to petco and got a lizard for my son. A few days later it wasn't looking so good and when we started doing some research on-line it turned out everything petco sold us and told us was wrong. And I mean everything from substrate, lighting, heating, humidity, supplements, and feeding, all wrong. We had to spend a bunch of money replacing every thing, purchasing a mister etc. and we were to late, he died shortly after his upgrades were complete. Who knows it is likely that the lizard they sold us was not healthy enough to live much longer then it had even if we had done everything right in the first place. Lesson learned, petco is only for dog food and supplies you have researched first.

We live literally in the "middle of nowhere" montana, so aside from petco there are no stores that sell snakes or local dealers/beeders and no shows any where near us. I have done my fair share of internet research, but have found it difficult to find reviews of reputable ball python breeders.

We are both interested in the pied ball pythons and my daughter is also considering an albino. I don't really like the albinos nearly as much as the different pied's, but have not ruled it out. I am thinking we will end up with the pied as we both like it and I am paying for this venture.

Just a little while ago I sent emails to eclipseexotics.com and jkobylkareptiles.com. From what little I was able to find about both, they seem to have good reputations. But any additional suggestions are more then welcomed. Or of course any ones experiences with either of them.

I also have some concerns about the current pets in our home. 2 small beagles, 2 labs and 2 cats. From past experience I don't believe I have to worry about a snake getting loose and eating any of the other pets as long as it is well fed and never left to be hungry. And I think even the small beagles (25 and 29 lbs) would be a little big to interest a ball python, please correct me if I am wrong. I am however for the safety of the snake as much as the safety of the other pets in the home concerned with a set up that will be escape proof. Not sure how freaked out a snake would be if 4 dogs and 2 cats decided to gang up on him, I would imagine overwhelmed at the least.

Also I read several posts that a baby should be in a 10 to 15 gallon and an adult in a 40 gallon enclosure. I assume the smaller enclosure for the baby is for security and it would not be good to just start out with the 40. How long will the baby be in the smaller enclosure? I have a 75 gallon glass aquarium and 150 gallon acrylic aquarium. It sounds however that even if I could find a lid for either, these would be to big.

Any help or advise is appreciated!