Hissing/Purchasing Questions

[HelloSonya]

(Quick introduction as this is my first post.) Hello, I'm Sonya. I recently looked after a beautiful pueblan milksnake for a friend for a few months and was sad to see it go. Now, I have to have a snake of my own. I had heard about ball pythons as excellent pets and looked into them... I've pretty much exhausted the entire internet researching these guys and I'm certain a BP is the snake for me!

- Anyways, there is one thing I never came across on the internet but was wondering about: A friend who owns a BP says that sometimes it hisses at him! Is this normal? Should I expect this behavior from my BP? Obviously it means the BP is upset, but does hissing show signs of extreme stress?

- The next question I have is about purchasing a BP. I'd love some tips from actual BP owners (rather than online caresheets) as far as health, but also about what patterns are desirable.

Thanks in advance.

[elevatethis]

They've all got their own individual personalities...I've got a few that are very laid back and others that, even after a year of routine cleaning, feeding, etc, still fear for their life when I try to pick them up.

With regular handling and good husbandry, chances are it will calm down. There's always the exception though.

Overall they are awesome snakes. Ball pythons are worse than crack.

[recycling goddess]

patterning is a personal choice. i loooove a long stripe down the neck and some cool patterns along the back.

others prefer more black than pattern

etc etc etc

my suggestion, when you look at pics... don't just browse... instead kind of draw the pattern with your eyes and see if it's pleasing to you.

and welcome!!!

[frankykeno]

Welcome to BPNet Sonya. It's wonderful that you are doing such extensive research now before you make your first BP purchase. Do yourself a favor and consider going with a reputable breeder online rather than the pet store down the street. Your chances of ending up with a lovely, well started and healthy young BP are much better that way. Just ask and lots of members can give you recommendations on great breeders that will work with you to help define what sort of BP you'd like and make sure you end up happy with your choice. We've purchased from Adam at www.8ballpythons.com and would always recommend him. Very nice guy, has a real passion for the snakes and is there before, during and long after the sale.

As far as hissing, all snakes can hiss. Just like all snakes can bite. Will they hiss and bite all the time...not likely...but you have to expect it just because that's part of being a snake. Sometimes a hiss isn't anything more than a bit of grumbling at being disturbed while napping, sometimes it's a flat out warning to back off because the snake isn't in the mood to put up with you. Sometimes it's fear driven because they are baby snakes and you are just a big old predator in their very basic brains.

In the end as you interact with your own specific snake, you'll start to learn it's cues...what certain hisses mean....what a certain body posture is telling you about the snake's attitude at that moment...that sort of stuff. Just when you think you have the snake figured out, it'll do something unexpected. Just part of the joy and fascination of having these wonderful creatures in our lives I figure.

[arcane]

BPs are wonderful pets. And I'm glad to see you looking into your snake instead of buying impulsively.

Sometiems snakes hiss. It really depends on the snake. My corn rattles his tail and hisses when you open his tank, but loves to be picked up and held (it's more a surprise thing I think). Others don't handle their snakes often so they aren't used to being held so they hiss. Some snakes are just hissers. My BP has been a sook from the frist moment that I got him.

When you do bring home your little guy, be sure to give him time to aclimatize to his tank. Which means no holding, touching, bothering for about a week. Then slowly start to handle them. I know it's hard as all you want to do is hold and touch and everything, but they are freaked out, and need time to settle down. Some people who have snakes that are very freaked out place something inside the tank that smells like them so the snakes get used to their smell (ie a face cloth that you carried around with you for several hours). With regualr handling most snakes should clam down.

As for patterning, it's all about what is pleasing to you. While I think some morphs are beautiful, I am not comfortable with the genetic inbreeding needed to attain them, so I plan on sticking with normal. And they themselves come with many different looks. It really all depends on you. Go with what you like, not what the general BP community at large likes, as it is your pet.

[HelloSonya]

Thanks for the replies, always helpful!

The problem that I have with buying online is that I don't have much money to spend on the snake itself. I'd probably budget myself to $150 for a young, normal BP. Maybe I'm way off, but from all the pet shops I've visited that seems more than reasonable.

I already have a fully equipped tank set up, so I don't need to worry about those expenses. Are Petco snakes ($89.99 here in Seattle) really frowned upon that much, even with a trip to the vet after purchase? I also have another contact that has a juvenile BP for sale in a locally owned petshop at about $75.00. (I will make sure to ask about captive breeding and about its health!)

I want a great, healthy, young BP for less than $150. Any solutions?

[frankykeno]

Just a note Tanya, remember there is a world of difference between indiscriminate inbreeding and line breeding for a desired trait. Any reputable breeder knows what's up that way and stands by the quality of the snakes he or she sells...be they normal or morphs.

[frankykeno]

Even with shipping you can easily fit a nice BP from a breeder into that budget dear. For a nice pet a lovely normal male BP might suit you just fine and those are very reasonably priced from breeders. At least that way you will have a proper history on your snake, confirmation of it's gender, it's hatch date, it's feeding history, etc. provided by the breeder. From a pet store you will get none of that as well as unfortunately far too many pet stores sell baby BP's as captive born and feeding well when they are neither. The only thing to watch online is that you pick a breeder recommended to you, as in anything, there are scam artists online and those that will take advantage.

[JLC]

I want a great, healthy, young BP for less than $150. Any solutions?

With a budget of $150, you should be able to find a young BP from any number of reputable breeders. I know it seems scary to contemplate having a snake shipped to you (I felt the exact same way when looking to buy my first snake)...but it works very, very well if you're buying from someone who knows what they are doing.

$90 may seem like a good deal for a pet store snake (actually, that's quite expensive for what you'd get!) but they also come with a high risk of having health problems and eating issues...even if the look "fine." I'm not saying ALL pet store snakes will have issues, but the risks are significant.

Whereas, buying a normal from a trusted breeder, you're much much more likely to get a well established, healthy little eating machine. And $150 is plenty for that.

[HelloSonya]

I am going to contact Adam now.

Any references to more breeders in the northwest? Or to some well-respected breeders in general?