A Couple Questions About Buying A Ball Python.

[bwardo2010]

Let me start off by saying that I am new to the snake world and this forum. I have had many different types of pets growing up and now want to get a ball python. I have been reading all sorts of basic ball python care and still have a couple of questions. When is the best time to buy a ball python? I want a female normal to start off with because if I decide to breed later down the road it is cheaper to buy the male morph than it is the female. The next Scott Smiths Expo is January 5th and I wanted to go to it, will they have a large selection of normals? I would like to get a young snake because I want to raise it from the beginning. Will they have a selection of younger snakes? Also, are the rodent dealers at an expo cheaper than online dealers/petco? How much can I expect to pay for a decent amount of rodents? Preferably, F/T and rats because I have read that they are better for the snake.
Thanks!
Brenton

[rabernet]

At this time of year, most of the normals are gone, and those that are left at shows aren't always the best you can get. It may actually be easier for you to pick up a nice pastel female that won't break your wallet.

Also, if you start with a nice morph girl, then you are already on your way to combos when you get your male.

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[bwardo2010]

whats a pastel run around this time of year?

[BHReptiles]

Pastel females at shows are usually $100-$150. I second getting a pastel. However, if that's not in your budget, you'll probably be able to find a young female normal at the show for about $25-$30.

As for the rodents, they are MUCH cheaper to get at shows. I usually bulk order mine and have it shipped to my house, but then you have to pay shipping which some people don't like to do. Whether or not you purchase frozen feeders online or at a show won't really matter. They are MUCH cheaper at shows. At pet stores like Petco/Petsmart, the only size rats they sell are smalls and up so you won't be able to find anything smaller. Not to mention, the feeders are 5x more expensive. For example, a medium rat are like $7 at Petsmart and only $1.50 each if I buy them through a rodent breeder and have them shipped to me.

Since you'll be getting a female in January, the female will probably be able to eat rat fuzzies. I would get at least a bag of rat fuzzies (usually 25 or so), a bag of rat pups (25 or so), and then a bad of rat weanlings. If shows aren't very frequent, you want to order in bulk so you don't have to worry about tracking down feeders unless you want to order them.

Something else to consider: most ball pythons from breeders are fed live (because the breeders breed their own food). You might want to look in your area for pet stores/breeders who will sell live feeders in case your ball python doesn't switch right away. I have one ball python who won't eat frozen at all and before she decided she would eat rats, all she would eat were mice.

I personally don't like to bulk order any rodents until I know my snake will eat them. Because of the female I was talking about above, I ordered a bunch of rodents that I can't use anymore and now they are wasting space in my freezer. I'm saving them for a clutch of babies I will hopefully have this summer. So, it's really up to you if you want to bulk order at the show or see what your new female will eat and then choose to have rodents shipped to your house.

I hope that helps. I tried to give you some pros/cons.

[bwardo2010]

Are most of the snakes at this time of the year going to be bigger? What would a pastel be around then? Yes, that definitely helps!

[bwardo2010]

I mean what a male pastel be then? lol might help if I proof read

[bwardo2010]

I may shop around and wait till I find the right one though... I really like ghosts and mojaves..

[LotusCorvus]

Males will be cheaper than females, but if you go in with enough money for a female then you can shop around for a really nice male. The Scott Smith Expo always has people selling live feeders and frozen (get there early if you want frozen though, sometimes they sell out). I got my first normal girl at that expo, although the breeder I got her from isn't always there. There are plenty of good vendors there though. Even if you don't buy anything from them that day you can always ask them about their snakes, what they're expecting to have next season, and so on. If you end up developing a positive relationship with a specific breeder it can be totally worth the wait to know you're getting quality from a person you like (and one thing I love about wheaton is that its a small enough show that you'll always get a chance to talk with the breeders).