Quote Originally Posted by Ssnakey87 View Post
Hello everyone,

I have been browsing this website a lot researching, and I'm having difficulty deciding which snake to get as my first. I have been thoroughly researching ball pythons and corns and I am leaning more towards the BP. However I have two concerns which cause pause in getting a BP as I keep reading these two statements about balls all the time:
1.) balls are picky, finicky eaters
2.) balls are very temperature and humidity sensitive

The temperature aspect is not such a big concern as I have a leopard gecko that needs a temperature gradient and I already use temperature probes. However the eating aspect is very discouraging. Is this usually the rule and not exception? If you had to put going off feed on a percentage scale what would it be? And if going off feed is so common should I not worry initially if I get a ball? Are balls really unforgiving in minor husbandry mistakes compared to corns?

I want a calm, mostly non-nippy (especially as a baby), can hang with on the couch type of snake. I would also prefer a juvenile as opposed to a baby that is well-started. I also want to feed f/t, more economical than buying live and I'm not to keen on feeding live if I can avoid it.
I wouldn't say they are either picky, finicky eaters, or difficult to keep. The key is having the right set up, and doing so isn't that difficult. I had a ball python when I was a child, and he thrived. He never skipped a meal, and it was not difficult to keep the right temperature and humidity. I have 4 ball pythons now, and so far so good. I got their set ups prepared before their arrival so I could tweak it as necessary to get temperatures and humidity stabilized, and since then I have had no issues. I am keeping them in plastic bins, and raising or lowering humidity is a simple matter of opening or closing off holes in the side of the bin. Temperature is achieved through UTH and a space heater to heat the room to appropriate ambient temperatures. So far the 2 established snakes (acquired the 2nd two this weekend) are eating great. They take f/t no problem. Only skipped meal was when one snake was shedding. He wanted to eat, but wouldn't finish until his shed was over. Once complete, he took his meal like normal, no questions asked. I am by no means an expert, and there are picky, more difficult snakes out there, but I wouldn't call it a rule.