First-Time Snake Owner, Considering A Ball Python

[Bmocken]

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.

Yep I feed him in his enclosure. It makes no sense to take him out of it to feed him. For BP's it's a myth that feeding them in their enclosure will cause them to bite you.