New ball python over a year old and only 166 grams!

[zina10]

This is a good summation of what is going on. At the end of the day, it is up to the buyer to decide what they deem appropriate. Feeding babies, even on a smaller scale, can become voodoo. This goes for both over and underfeeding. Overfeeding is known to cause problems in other species. I personally don't have this problem with ball pythons. Mine stop eating when they have had enough. I have yet to have an overweight one but I'm sure it can happen.

I will say this and leave it be I hope...

Underfeeding can cause many issues. At some point the immune system becomes compromised and anything goes at that point. I know this for a fact. When you buy an undersized animal you are taking a risk. A risk that can cost you a lot of money. I for one will only buy and sell healthy animals that are appropriately proportioned for their age. That does not mean they have to be monsters like I produce, it means within a safe average. This goes for adults and babies.

I agree.

That said, I believe "in this instance" that THIS size/age is not the norm with the breeder.

And undersize does not necessarily mean purposely starved. Late in year hatchling, slow to get started, prefering a smaller rodent size or simply a smaller hatchling (many eggs) all factors in too.

I have seen small for age hatchlings that looked perfectly healthy and beautiful and grew up without a problem and fast once they got going.

I've seen small for age hatchlings that looked terrible. De-flated, spine very prominent and rough looking.

Either way, the breeder should make sure the buyer is satisfied and offer a better explanation.


Over feeding can cause harm even if not readily apparent (like with Boas that regurge). Animals that have had necropsies done have been found with fatty liver disease, even though they weren't "obese" looking per say. And I have seen some dimply, fat Ball Pythons, that have a depression along the spine, LOL. I think common sense dictates that neither over nor underfeeding is good for any species at all.

But I am fairly certain that the wild animals grow far FAR slower then the ones in our collections, and that this is fairly normal for them, since they are opportunistic feeders (sometimes finding a lot, sometimes no food)

The adults I've had for 7 years were grown SLOW. Some may say "maintenance fed". I did not starve them, but since I had no interest in breeding, I didn't grow them rapidly. Despite that all reached adult size, never sick, still growing. Slow and steady. In one case (Jag) growing HUGE !!!! All were able to breed without problem, too.

Not sure if that is anecdotal, but all have kept their colors VERY nicely into adulthood.