Yes hello. 14 year old here. I live in Alabama, U.S. I've done tons of research in the ball python.. Spending every day for the past few weeks browsing and verifying information. I've never owned a reptile, but I'be wanted a snake ever since I was a smol 6 year old. I've just never had the money/been in the right living conditions to care for such an animal. I'm planning on buying a baby cinnamon ball python online. I'm going up to the Home Depot my mother works at to buy a tub for the snake. I'll order a heat pad or a heat cable from zoomed on Amazon - as well as a digital humidity/temp reader or two. Finding a suitable water bowl will be easy. I'm using money I've saved up on all of this stuff. I plan on using paper towels and newspaper as substrate, but I'm willing to experiment with aspen and the like.
Now then, that established, time for le questions.
I plan on buying from snakesatsunset.com, as I've seen a few reputable you tubers buy from there and I've heard good things. Is this a good place to buy an uberyoung cinny? Also, I was planning on getting a male at first.. Because of the shape of the tail. But with the fact they can get inverted hemipenes.. And female get bigger/have a larger head.. The females at said website cost a bit more than the males. Which sex do you recommend I get first? I think I plan on breeding a few clutches here or there, just to take full advantage of the experience. I liek dem big sneks mhhhhHMMM.
I know ball pythons are shy and stuff.. And that most agree you should use a hide. However, it was put in my head by a youtuber(that has many happy animals and claims to work at some sort of snek friendly pet store) that the snakes, after all, don't require a hide and shouldn't have one. Something about the hide becoming some sort of safety blanket they rely on, and they'll become more defensive and stuff. She said experts agree.. But didn't cute any sources. However she has some first hand experience proving this true. Is it though? The safety blanket(not that she used the term 'safety blanket') deal makes sense.. But they're instinctual creatures. Apparently breeders don't use hides either. In a good rack system, I know they generally don't. Maybe it depends on the individual snek..? Eh. That's why I'm asking.
i don't think there are any hero vets nearby. Is it alright if I buy from that website, but don't take them in for a checkup? How many holes should I put in the tub for ventilation? How expensive are the various forms of food one can buy?
i have more questions, I just can't think of them off the top of my head.. Would someone kindly answer?