Consider A BP

[ANIMALGUY]

I am considering getting a python. I have a few questions to ask and they are the following.

Will bps Bite, if so does it hurt.
Is there any alternative to feeding mice and rats.
What is and ideal beginner set up.

thank you for your time. an i look for to learning more about these snakes.

[dr del]

Hi,

Any snake can bite but BP's are normally fairly docile animals.

The bites really wouldn't hurt much at all - especially if compared to something like a cat or even a mouse.

BP's really need whole rodent prey - there used to be a product made to look like sausages but not many snakes I ever tried with them would even think about eating them. They can be fed chicks but I would be hesitant about making that their sole diet.

You can feed either frozen thawed or live depending on your own or the snakes preferences ( he has the last word ).

But if you do not want to feed rodents at all then your choice of snakes is fairly limited - there are no vegetarian snakes for example and trying to feed partial prey ( like a strip of steak for example ) will lead to a snake with major nurtitional deficiencies.

Have a look at our caresheet for some great info.


dr del

[dragonboy4578]

Some bp's will bit. I was bit twice today, but it really doesn't hurt. It is more of a surprise.

There are no good alternatives to feeding mice or rats. The best that you can hope for is switching to frozen thawed foods....

As for the ideal set up it depends on your wants. Many people, including myself, like to use tubs. They hold heat and humidity better than aquariums. the next thing that you will need is a heat source. I use heat tape, but depending on where you live you may need additional heating. Please whatever you do is buy a good thermostat to regulate you temp. a good temp gun is very handy to have. It allows you to check the temps much easier. Also look for a digital thermometer/hydrometer. Two hides are needed, one on the hot side one on the cool side of the enclosure. I usually line my tubs with newspaper, but you will have to chose what to use for yourself...

Do tons of research and you will be much better prepared, and have a much better experience with bp's

Morgan

[cecilbturtle]

I am considering getting a python. I have a few questions to ask and they are the following.

Will bps Bite, if so does it hurt.
Is there any alternative to feeding mice and rats.
What is and ideal beginner set up.

thank you for your time. an i look for to learning more about these snakes.

well you are already way ahead of the game. coming here before you got your first ball python shows you will really care for your animal. so for that i applaud you.

as for temperament of ball pythons, at least in my experience, is like any other pet. you get some that are calm and some that are nervous. if you have the chance i would ask to hold the snake before you buy it. it will make you a lot more comfortable knowing what to expect.

this forum is great by the way. ask as many questions as you need to. the people here love thier animals. you will only get honest answers that will help you and your snake to stay happy and healthy. oh, and share your experiences with us too!

good luck!

[purplemuffin]

Neither my boyfriend or I have ever been bit, and we have had our ball python for three years. His father has, but he was so scared around it, he would flinch and panic. Then he tried to grab her at her face. That was a strike waiting to happen.

The more calm you are, the less likely you are to get bit. The snake is frightened, but if you are calm, he will calm down..

Imagine you are locked up and there is a big big tiger there with you. You don't know if it's going to attack you or not, but now you can see the tiger is very nervous and agitated, flinching back, making sudden movements.. WOAH Now, that is scary, and you might get defensive if that thing came close to you acting like that. That's how the snake feels!
Imagine the tiger is calm and just relaxing there with you. You'll still be nervous, but I doubt you'd do anything to attack the clearly calm animal. And eventually you might grow accustomed to it's presence.

Now it's not a perfect analogy, but it makes sense to me. Try to be calm and you won't make your snake nervous.

Snakes generally won't bite unless they have a good reason, of course sometimes their reasons can be mysterious to us if we don't pay attention! Watch out for the head, they are usually head shy, don't grab too tightly and suddenly, to the snake it feels almost like being bitten by an animal, don't mess with them too much while they are grumpy and shedding, and don't go hold them if you've been playing with mice, you'll smell like food! It's all basically common sense.

I've never even been hissed at, or struck at. Nathan was hissed at when we first got her, but she had tics that we had to deal with, so it was a stressful situation. Since then she's been a doll!

[Johan]

The others above have given great advice, all I have to add is read lots of information and if you have any direct questions feel free to ask. Many of the general husbandry information if found on the care sheets above.

BPs are very rewarding pets. They are very cute, and I really enjoy my girl. A little bit of research can make taking care of a snake very easy . To get used to snakes, i reccomend getting close to a few before you make your purchase. It important to remember that a healthy ball can live 30+ years so be sure you can care for him or her for a good long time

Have fun, and if you decide a ball is for you I look forward to seeing you around