Safety around other animals

[cookielooki]

I've been meaning to get a ball python for a long time, but I'm still in highschool and living with my mother. We own a medium sized, well mannered dog and a conure (a small type of parrot). My mom refuses to allow me to get a snake in case it would eat her bird, but she's willing to allow it if there's no chance of that happening.

The snake and the bird would live in entirely seperate rooms (the room holding the ball python has its door closed when not in use), and the bird cage is on top of a tall, flat surfaced dresser. From my knowledge ball pythons are terrestrial snakes and don't tend to climb tall objects, but I would love if an experienced snake owner could give me their opinion.

Is there any danger here? I know that snakes are great escape artists, but would a ball python be a threat in this situation?

[Kippykins]

I've been meaning to get a ball python for a long time, but I'm still in highschool and living with my mother. We own a medium sized, well mannered dog and a conure (a small type of parrot). My mom refuses to allow me to get a snake in case it would eat her bird, but she's willing to allow it if there's no chance of that happening.

The snake and the bird would live in entirely seperate rooms (the room holding the ball python has its door closed when not in use), and the bird cage is on top of a tall, flat surfaced dresser. From my knowledge ball pythons are terrestrial snakes and don't tend to climb tall objects, but I would love if an experienced snake owner could give me their opinion.

Is there any danger here? I know that snakes are great escape artists, but would a ball python be a threat in this situation?

I might get a cage lock for your mother's peace of mind, but an escaped ball will pretty much always be found behind or under something and not on top of something (especially something as tall as a dresser) from what I've read from numerous sources. I have pet rats, so I had the same concern initially.

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[LiadanCroft]

Ball pythons are well known to eat mainly rodents, a captive bred ball python will be picky about whether its eating a rat or a mouse, or whether its thawed or alive, some even rumor they can be picky about the color but I dont think that one has any real basis. My point is, I dont think it would want to eat a bird.

Get a good locking pvc enclosure for your BP and a lock for the bird cage for peace of mind as Kippykins said and handle one while the other isin its enclosure, but the chances of it happening are already slim.

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[redshepherd]

A ball is not a threat to conures, especially an escaped one. Conures are actually quite large! If you cover your conure in rat scent and stick it in your ball python's enclosure, when your ball is full grown over 1500g and starving, it might be a problem- but even then, it probably isn't. LOL

1. A ball python won't see a conure as food. Especially since most balls get fixated on a specific prey item (rats/mice), and refuse other food items, even under ideal conditions. An escaped ball is cold, scared, and stressed to top it off. You'll find them hiding under or behind a shelf or caught in a vent.

2. Don't let your ball python escape! Have a secure enclosure.

[bcr229]

Male ball pythons in the wild will sometimes eat small birds when they are young, hungry, and growing, but they can't afford to be picky like their captive-bred counterparts.

OTOH there are plenty of other snakes, such as boas, that will happily take birds any chance they get so for your mother's peace of mind I wouldn't get one of them.

[cookielooki]

Thank you all for your replies! Thanks to your advice my mom has given me her blessing to get a ball python. I've been wanting to own a snake since I was four years old, so thank you all so much for your help!

[Kippykins]

Thank you all for your replies! Thanks to your advice my mom has given me her blessing to get a ball python. I've been wanting to own a snake since I was four years old, so thank you all so much for your help!

Yayyyy, congrats! You'll have to post pictures of your little noodle friend when you get it! Is there any certain morph/color you're hoping for?

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[Gc99]

Im so happy for you!! I was in the same situation you are, im still in high school and got my baby back in december after annoying my dad for months lol be sure to post pictures of your baby once you get her/him

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[redshepherd]

YAY! Make sure you read up on the caresheet (and other stickies in the husbandry section) and get everything spot on. And don't listen to pet stores, because they almost always have no idea what they're talking about! LOL

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...s%29-Caresheet