welcome to the forum!!!
1) i started with a hatchling. i will admit it was a bit of a struggle to keep him eating regularly, but my ignorance played a big role in this as i was BRAND NEW to reptiles, let alone a ball python. as long as you know what you're doing, a hatchling is no more of a challenge to care for than an adult. i have 6 ball pythons now which i've all gotten as either babies or juvies, and i haven't had any issues caring for them. my first ball python will be 4 this year and hangs around 900g. he's doing well.
2. i've only gotten 1 snake from an expo, and all the rest were shipped to me from reputable breeders. what's important is to do your research on whomever you plan to buy from. there's good breeders and bad breeders, but this hobby is pretty good at weeding out the baddies. you can search the
Fauna BOI for reviews on breeders and see who to look to and who to avoid. that website is
invaluable to this hobby.
there's also breeders right here on this site selling snakes! one of my recent snakes was purchased from @Deborah, who is a phenomenal asset to this community and an awesome breeder.
3. i promise this advice is going to save you time, money, and headaches: AVOID GLASS ENCLOSURES/AQUARIUMS unless you live somewhere temperate and humid like florida. yes they're pretty, but glass enclosures suuuuuck at maintaining heat and humidity, and require some modification and constant tinkering to keep things level. i've been in the hobby for almost 4 years, and only 2 years ago did i finally ditch glass. i don't miss it!
if you buy a hatchling, your best option – for husbandry and your wallet – is to buy a 12qt (or 6qt) storage tub (with a locking lid!!!) from any home improvement store, and keep your lil one in there until they're ready to move into something bigger. i know it's not the most aesthetically-pleasing option, but young ball pythons do
exceptionally well in these lil tubs. you can splurge on that pretty enclosure when the snake is bigger.
when that time comes, look into PVC enclosures.
AP Cages is the forum favorite, but there are other options out there. just look out for PVC enclosures: they're fantastic at keeping temps and humidity and are nice to look at!
if you plan on getting more snakes, i'd look into a rack system. again, not a big pretty enclosure, but the snakes do so well in them and it makes keeping multiple snakes a breeeeze. also cheaper than a bunch of PVC enclosures!
i hope this helped some! don't be afraid to ask about anything; we're here to help!
Originally Posted by tttaylorrr
welcome to the forum!!!
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