What do you like about BPs? How did you get into owning them?

[CoolioTiffany]

I see almost everyone owns a type of BP on this forum. I even heard of BPs here that I haven't even heard of before. So, how did you get into owning these fantastic snakes? What do you like about these snakes? I will read every single story no matter how long or how short, I find it VERY interesting hearing things about snakes. So do tell

If you mind reading my story, here it is:
I don't exactly remember how I heard of these snakes, but I remember my sister bought an adult male at a reptile store about 3 years ago, I think. This snake wasn't too nice though. I don't blame the snake.. my sister didn't really have it in a suitable cage. She had a 20 gallon, with this 3-4 foot BP in it. So you'd imagine how small the enclosure was. This snake never ate the entire time my sister had him, and this snake almost bit her too. It wasn't like how my female BP is; nice, sweet, you can pretty much do anything with her. So in the end, she ended up donating the snake back.

Ever since then, I sort of admired BPs. I was on the computer one day looking up snakes, then I notice this normal BP. I immediately fell in love with the species. I didn't know of any other species at the time. So I kept convincing my mom to get this snake, but ever since my sister's snake was mean my mom didn't like BPs at all. To tease her a little, I sometimes put the snake on or by my face. I kept telling my mom, "Let's go to Petsmart they have Ball pythons there and I want you to see how nice they are." And also, that same BP I kept holding there (before I purchased) was the same BP I purchased and have now. She's my little girl. So one day my mom finally agreed to get her, and I was just SO excited. I've had her for a year now and I gotta say.. she's grown huge! She used to fit in the palm of my hand.. now, she can't even curl up to be close to fitting in the palm of my hand. Sorry my story was too long.. but you know, I would love to read your long stories ANY DAY. Even if they are longer than mine!

[drucebennedict]

I was first captivated by snakes a few years ago when a friend of mine brought his corn into our class for a presentation. I was in awe and knew that someday, hopefully, I'd own a snake of my own.
I learned about ball pythons from a friend on an online game. She'd always post pictures of her four and I adored their appearances. I figured keeping any reptile would be drudgery, tedious and difficult and not very rewarding. However, one day, I was bored and I read countless bp caresheets and realized that I could house one of my own. From there, I gradually bought supplies. My entire family was against the idea because, in the past, I hadn't been a very responsible pet owner. They were rightfully upset when noticing how much money I'd spent on housing for my bp. Eventually, with coaxing and a huge presentation, my mom granted me permission. Two days later, I called up a local breeder..and the rest is history.
My story's rather boring, isn't it? =P Eh. I'm not much of a story teller.

[CoolioTiffany]

Not boring at all. I like all snake stories

[sg1trogdor]

Well I will make this sweet and short because I have to go to sleep lol. Well about 5 years ago I was at a friends who has an adult Red Tail Boa. and well after handling her on many occasions he talked me into getting a snake. I didn't want a RTB at the time so I researched for something a bit smaller but stayed away from the thinner colubrids which just didn't do it for me (at the time) eventually coming across Balls. Well after a little over a year I finally made the dive and got my first bp. She was just a normal but is still my favorite. and now just 3 1/2 -4 years later I have 30+ snakes of all different kinds. I hope this makes sense. I'm tired and feel like crap so I am off to sleep.

[luna13]

well my whole life i have been fascinated with reptiles but in 7th grade i convinced my dad to let me get one and it was a central american boa, than slowly i added to my collection until i hit the BPs and after that i have just had a collection of them

[luna13]

Well I will make this sweet and short because I have to go to sleep lol. Well about 5 years ago I was at a friends who has an adult Red Tail Boa. and well after handling her on many occasions he talked me into getting a snake. I didn't want a RTB at the time so I researched for something a bit smaller but stayed away from the thinner colubrids which just didn't do it for me (at the time) eventually coming across Balls. Well after a little over a year I finally made the dive and got my first bp. She was just a normal but is still my favorite. and now just 3 1/2 -4 years later I have 30+ snakes of all different kinds. I hope this makes sense. I'm tired and feel like crap so I am off to sleep.

goodnight

[Gkwon]

Well. Im currently 19 and just got my first ball this year. Ever since I was a little kid I loved snakes. I saw my first BP at a friends house a long time ago. I was really fascinated by its camo looking pattern. Even until this day I love the pattern on BP's. Well my parents were never going to let me get a BP at a young age and I probably was too young to have that responsibility. I stopped my interest in snakes throughout most of my teenage years and when I turned 18 I started to look into them again. Bought my first baby BP about a couple months ago. A month later I bought a baby Colombian red tail. Both a very friendly. I havent gotten tagged by my baby ball yet yet. It hasnt even attempted to which Im very pleased about. My RTB tagged me once while I was holding her but it was my mistake of handling mice before.

[stefanivanski]

Well hmmm since I was 10 I was just amazed by reptiles. The way waterdragons dove in to water, or how a baslisk could run across water, or the way a snake would grab and hold its pray and then hold it, until it would eat it hole. At ten my facination started. So after 2 years I begged and pleeded for my mom to by me a snake. Well that was a big no she hates them and always will. So I swtched and decided on a lizard (Icould not even have ones that looked like snakes, Like the blue tonged skink). so when I was 12 I got my first bearded dragon. After 2 years being 14 I some how managed to talk my parents into more lol, a 3' water dragon, and a 6' iguana.

Finally when I turned 19 I left for college in the enviromental sector. My facination for reptiles still never went away. by then though I only had my beardie left bc I was leaving home. Still wanting a snake I started to do my research. Then I found out one of my buds at school, had just goten a BP. (lucky for him and me lol his dad is a reptile vet and is more then happy to help us both out). So after going to his house I had finally gotten the species I wanted. At that time I only new about normals, well at least untill I found markus and jayns web site. It lituraly blew my mind what I could get in the way of colours, I had no idea. so After studying a bit more and talking to my GF. we decided to get one. We started with an amazing pastel, O wate a wekk later some how I had 2 bee's, umm a week after that I had an albino and a 100% het, me craping my pants I come home to find my gf had gotten a pewter, then wouldnt you no it I showed up home with 2 mojavas. And thats where Im at today I love all my animals to death I think there amazing. Though that mojava female well I think she is PMSing 24/7 cause ill she does is hiss and snap at me like there is no tomorrow, but hey what can I say I probebly love her the most cause she is a hell of a woman, and I can say she is at times way to much for me to handle lol.

[eclipsesmommy]

my whole life a family friend has had normal ball pythons. im a tomboy and always have been so i always was the one watching the snake kill rats and putting them around my neck and scaring the other kids i always wanted my own and have been waiting 6 or 7 years for my parents to give me permission. i was thinking i wanted a rosy boa because it would be easy and cheap to get one and maintain a good habitat for it (definitely not as picky as balls!) but when i saw an unwanted normal on craigslist with a 30 gallon tank and all the accessories for only 80 bucks i jumped on it quick and had the snake the next day. im glad i did because he hasnt been fed enough and is small and skinny for his age and very jumpy, probably due to rough handling by young kids. im currently doing my best to nurse him back to a great condition.
what i like about ball pythons physically is their head and scales. if you look at other snakes their faces and heads are sort of... ugly. sorry i had to say that but thats just my opinion. many dont look very friendly and almost scary at times. others look like worms which isnt as bad but cannot compare to the beautiful defined head of the ball python. nice and small, doesnt look like it will bite your finger off. kind, not creepy, eyes. and i dont know if anyone else has notices but they look as if theyre smiling thats me, this is my ball hehe. theyre truly good looking snakes. another thing is the scales. theyre smooth and soft and dont look rough and rigid. morphs are so cool and i definately want one, but even a normal is hard to not appreciate.
as for personality, theyre very chill which fits me perfect. i also like how it could be a hobby that could take your love for the animal to a different level (unlike dog breeding which is usually for money,or at least w/ the breeders ive encountered). finally i like how theres so many specifics to taking good care of balls and people like the ones on this website who communicate and give eachother advice on how to make their snake more healthy and comfortable. its pretty freeking cool! i cant wait to get more balls!!! im crazy about them --->

[Kysenia]

Lets put it this way, any snake that can take my wife from you will be living in an apartment if you have one of those sent to this house.......to oh they are so cute i just want to pet its head........to taking countless pictures of them........to actually picking some of the ones up she likes the most and is familiar with..........to naming one prettygirl..................to coming down and asking if so and so can come outside and play.........to talking like she is a snake and saying......"but daddy look at me ima a pretty girl and need some more dwinky dwinks.......to allowing 25 of them in the house must be a stellar animal.......and that snake would be the ball python lol.

My wife is not nuts, she actually has a masters degree in psychology and bp's have got her acting the way she does......that must mean the bp power is strong in them........................