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


I just want to say how pleased I am to see how you guys are going about the choice of bringing a new animal into the house. It's a refreshing change from those who impluse buy and then afterwards wonder why their animal is sick or won't eat.

To answer your question....with BP's, either sex is fine. The males tend to stay smaller....usually around 3'-4' in length and modestly girthy....while the females tend to grow larger, usually around 4'-5' in length and a bit heavier bodied than males. There are, of course, exceptions to those generalities.

Either sex can have the typical ball python temperment, which is usually very laid back and docile...and when stressed or frightened, a tendency to ball up or hide, rather than get aggressive. That said...any snake can have an aggressive moment, and some individual ball pythons can have aggressive tendencies. ("Aggressive" being definied as a willingness to strike in defense rather than hide....I don't believe snakes are ever "mean.")

I know I'm probably talking too much. Basically, when choosing between one sex or other other for a pet, you just want to consider if size makes any difference to you. I chose a female because I wanted a bigger, heavier snake.