A few questions from a newbie!

[jpierdominici]

Hey All,
I just found this forum the other day and I've already found so much wonderful information. Everyone here seems so friendly. After much research on what type of snake to get, our family (hubby, I, and our 6 year old son) has decided to get a ball python. I'm looking for opinions here on whether it's better to get a baby or an adult? Also, is the gender important if it's only going to be a pet? Thanks in advance!

Jennifer

[cassandra]

A well established baby/juvenile snake is good so that one you know that his husbandry will be correct in your care and the snake can get accustomed to you. Without knowing in detail how an adult was brought up, you don't know he'll be skittish, aggresive, etc. And babies are just so darn cute! Also, you get the joy of watching your pet grow up. =)

One important question to ask is if the snake has been captive bred and born (CBB), captive hatched - meaning the egg was layed in the wild, but the snake was born in captivity (CH) or wild caught (WC). CBB is the best. Most folks here will say that buying from a breeder is the best way to go as the snake will have the best chance at being healthy.

As far as the gender for a pet, not really. Females generally get a bit bigger but I don't think it's enough of a size difference to sway the decision. Females are good if you think you'll ever get the itch to breed and a healthy adult female will definitely be easier to rehome or sell later on if you decide ball pythons aren't for you or for other reasons you must part with the snake.

But really, for a pet, getting a healthy and well-established (i.e., it's eating well) animal is the most crucial. Gender and age should be secondary. =)

Welcome aboard!

Oh and be sure to read our caresheet!

[4Khan]

Hello Jennifer!


I bet there is a 50-50 ratio of male to female owners here.
Many people can go a long time thinking they own one sex only to find out later they own the opposite (like myself). Does it matter to those who are not going to breed them...probably not.
Things the think about are...
Female grow larger than males
Females sell for more then males.
and well thats about all I know. lol

Initially my bf wanted a female since she would get to be larger in length. we ended up with a male. I bought a large normale female to satisfy the need for a more ladies in our household. (ok thats not the only reason). I bought a female since we already had a male and she was a good price and a good size. It kind like shopping for melons...you dont want a tiny melon with brusies and discoloration who looks as if it didnt get enough water and sun. You want the healthy melon! Look for the snake ( I dont recomend places like Petco...Ive had the worst luck with that place) who is alert, good girth, clear eyes, no foamy bubbles from the mouth, no wheezing when breathing and who has clean scales that dont have mites. Ask many many questions about the snake to the person your going to buy your snake from. If they are a good dealer they will be honest with you and respect your eagerness as a informed costumer. You might surprise them with your knowledge on ball pythons!

I have a young male and a yearling female. She is more condident and relaxed then our male and is used to being handeled. Would I buy a male over a female..probably not...unless i was a breeder or I truly loved the morph.

ball pythons make great beginner snakes (but that doesnt allow you to make mistakes...haha just kidding)and im glad your choosing one as a pet for you!

[tigerlily]

Welcome!

I would also advise getting the setup first and have the running before the purchase of the snake. Temps take awhile to stabilize, and the cost of the setup will be a big investment. Usually more than the snake itself. If you have any specific questions please feel free to ask. BPs are awesome!!

[JLC]

Hi and welcome to BP.net!! : I'm very glad you found your way here!


Cassandra really summed everything up very well. If you choose to buy a ball python at one of the big pet-store chains (or even most mom&pop stores) they are likely wild-caught or captive-hatched animals that may have more problems to deal with than a captive-bred baby from a reputable breeder.

It's awesome that you're learning and researching before buying!! I highly recommend getting the enclosure set up first and making sure you've figured out how to maintain proper temps and humidity....then when you finally get your new buddy, they'll have a perfect home all ready to go into.

[JLC]

Doh! LOL Christie beat me to the punch about the cage set-up.....but it can't hurt to hear it twice!

[cassandra]

Judy and Christie are right on about getting your cage setup first. =)

There are two camps here at bp.net: "Glass or plastic?!" to quote from the movie "The Rock", hehe. For those with lots of snakes and/or for the ease of husbandry and the lower cost of the enclosure, many people choose plastic tubs, mainly Rubbermaid or Sterilite (the less expensive off-brand), available from Wal-Mart, KMart, wherever.

Then there is the seemingly smaller crowd of glass vivarium folks, myself included. Glass vivs can be tougher to maintain proper heat and humidity, so you need to be on top of things with their setup and maintenance. But for many, myself included, it is a joy to work on the enclosure to ensure a heathy environment while providing something beautiful for me to enjoy in my home.

Feel free to have a look at the guide my fiance Rick, Captain Overkill!, wrote on how we set up our glass vivs (link in my sig).

[jpierdominici]

Thanks everyone! You all have been great! I think we will go with a baby/young ball then. We will have the setup up and running to make sure everything is perfect before we get the snake. We are planning on buying one in July (my son's birthday) but hubby is going to start working on getting the setup ready now to make sure we have plenty of time to get things right! I'll post pics when everything is done! Thanks again!

Jennifer

[jglass38]

Welcome Jennifer! Its wonderful that you are doing your research and getting the setup ahead of time instead of subjecting your new baby to poor husbandry! We love people like you around here! Good luck!

[frankykeno]

Welcome to the forum Jennifer (and family). May I add my congratulations that you are doing the research and setting up your enclosure before you purchase your first Ball Python. All these steps are going to make the whole experience that much better for you, your family and for the snake.

My best advice would be to purchase a nice captive born, well started male from a good breeder (over getting one from a pet store). They make lovely pets. Some snakes from pet stores turn out okay (some of mine came from pet stores) but having since bought from a breeder I can say that experience was far superior and the snake was so much easier to get settled in. If you need recommendations for breeders you can check our Inquiries section or the banner ads on the site or just ask around. You can also check out breeders on this website (it's a pay site to post but you can read there for free, just have to join).

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...splay.php?f=13

Welcome to BPNet and please feel free to fire away with the questions LOL.