Quote Originally Posted by Mighty Monty
yeah, i guess that's probably true, i'd like to know it's history. I've had my Ball Python a year or so.

I was curious, probably a good idea to start off with a baby, and i know where i can get some, and yeah, i guess i would like to see it grow up.

What do you mean an adult is a handful? My Hera is an adult, and is 18.5# (last time I weighed her) and close to, if not OVER 6' long. When she decides to strike, she's got a h*lluva strike range, she hits w/a LOT of force and occas. she has a VERY pi**y attitude.

There's been times where Hera has hugged Robin (or my arm) so hard that it takes the firm unwrapping to get her to let go. It's suggested for good habits, that any snake over 6' ALWAYS be a TWO PERSON job....never feed, clean, handle, etc. ALONE.

What's the difference between a baby and adult? Wrigley as a baby was pi**y and nippy. He got better as he got older and was handled more. He's now two, and still as wrigley as fast as a baby. Not QUITE as nippy, but I was handling him, and he whipped his head around and tagged me. I've been tagged by Hera once too. Being tagged by an adult boa is much diff. than a BP. Temperment? There's lap snakes, and biters, no matter what the species, but boas tend to have a more aggressive feeding response, and aren't as picky or timid as compared to balls. What it eats? Size appropriate prey....but keep in mind, you don't want your 15+ pound boa eating mice. It's like a sumo wrestler eating canapes. They're more of an hors d'oeuvres than a meal. By adult size, they're eating lg/jumbo rats or small rabbits.

Hera ate a .75# rabbit or will take jumbo rats. I've cut her back to larges, until I can get more jumbos, but she's still hunting.......Wrigley eats larges, Petey, Apollo and Pinky all eat mediums, but would eat and CAN eat a large and still be okay. I've downsized them too, b/c they tended to refuse occas. during shed. Now they eat every week.

Petey has never tried to hiss or bite, Pinky has an attitude, and Apollo tends to be timid.

Besides, adult boa poos are bigger too, and they need a larger tub/cage in order to be comfortable. Treating mites on Hera was a b***h b/c of her size, and they made her sooooooo irritable (even more than normal) that she was *%*%&&%&%&%. Cleaning cages for Hera when she'd spill or poo her water is much more work and time than vs. Freddie or Zeus, my adult ball pythons.

Just some thoughts for you to think on.

i appreciate the feedback from everyone that has said something, lots of perspectives put into view that i didn't even think of.