First-Time Snake Owner, Considering A Ball Python

[spellbound04]

So far I'm still undecided.

BPs IMO look cooler than Calis (especially if you're comparing the normal ones without special morphs), but I love the black kingsnakes.

BPs are also easier to handle, or maybe that's because I've only ever handled wild (And therefore stressed by human contact) kings.

BPs also get a lot bigger as far as weight goes, but they're not as energetic as kings (Again, may just be because I've never handled a CB King, and wild ones are just hyper), so they're probably still a little bit easier to handle, despite the added girth.

Kingsnakes are easier to set a tank up for, since humidity in my state is a non-issue for them. It wouldn't be overly difficult to get a BP tank going either though, so this isn't really a massive consideration.

I've heard kings are better eaters, but I've never tried to feed a snake, so I wouldn't know.

They're both very long-lived, so no matter which one I get, it's going to be a commitment well into my 40's at least. I've considered this several times (especially the fact that I'll not be living in this house for all of those 20+ years, so It'll have to move with me), and I'm willing to take care of it for that long.



You feed them in their cage? I was told to put them in a different one, because substrate can cause impaction and they could associate opening their cage with feeding time. I thought that was weird though, because if you feed it, then handle it, you could make it regurgitate the food back up.

Each snake prefers it a different way, mine (since it's a baby) struggled to get his food in his tank. He would get his mouse in the substrate and then when it got dirty refuse to eat it! You may have to experiment the first couple weeks to see what is the most effective method.