Future owner with questions

[Lolo76]

Hello,

I am looking to get my first BP in a few months and had some questions. I have learned the basics (humidity, warm/cool side, identical hides, etc), but there are a few things I don't know. Now, I was thinking about getting my snake from the show here in havre de grace, md.. but I'm a little worried about either being ripped off, or not knowing the breeder. Is there any way to know which breeders will attend certain shows?

There should be a website set up for the show, and they typically list the breeders expected to attend. From there, I would go on this website to research them: http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...splay.php?f=13
The other members here alerted me to that site, and it's been a fabulous resource! I've only attended one show so far, where I saw some decent (but not amazing) deals... picked up a hatchling male pastel for $125, who is both gorgeous and SUPER sweet. But it's possible I just got lucky, so definitely do your research first.

I was also wondering if there seems to be a temperment difference between males and females. Right now, since I'm still living with my mother, she first didn't want me to have a bp at all, then agreed on a male because they don't get as large. And on here, I have seen some MASSIVE females. However, do they get that big naturally? Or is it because of frequent feeding? I just really wish I'd be able to keep my options open with gender and be able to tell my mom that females don't really get that much bigger.

Females are typically bigger at full size, but I can't say if that's genetic or environmental. They have to be around 1500g or more to breed, whereas males can breed much smaller (and younger)... so that could have something to do with it, although I believe it's also somewhat natural.

FYI, I have 2 females (one 1770g adult, one 350g yearling) and my baby male... can only speak from experience with these snakes, but I've found the boy to be calmer and more "affectionate." I've had the younger female since she was a baby, and she still hisses at me sometimes - never strikes or bites, but you can tell she has mixed feelings about handling. Toby, on the other hand, can't seem to get enough cuddle time! They all have unique personalities, though, so there are no guarantees based on gender.

I have also seen many opinions on tank size. After what I've read, I'm thinking about going with a 20gal. Is that really large enough for a full grown BP? I was also wondering if 1 UTH would be enough? One person here told me 2 would be better for the warm and cool side since my house is a little cooler for my chinchillas, but being a 20 gal, would it really be necessary?

Generally a 10-15gal is recommended for hatchlings/yearlings, and a 20gal is sufficient for the rest of their life... some will go as big as 40, but it's not really necessary for a BP. Keep in mind, they often reside in termite mounds in the wild, so large open spaces can be intimidating. Go for a long/narrow tank, rather than a tall one, and fill it with stuff (branches, fake plants, etc) if there's empty space. As for the UTH, I think one is fine since they need one side to be warmer. If the ambient temp is still too cold, which is a problem I have with the glass tanks, you can add an overhead light - I use a ceramic. Good luck and have fun!! You know they are addictive, right??