Mom wont let me keep the python..

[cinderbird]

Alright, so I've thought of a few more questions.

How hard are they really to take care of?

- it depends. if you have a healthy, well adjusted animal it should be alright. they do have humidity, temperature and security requirements that MUST be met in order for them to thrive. they can be kept in glass tanks or plastic containers (think sweater box). there are two stickes in this forum for each i think and they have GREAT information.

How often do they have to eat, and where can I get food for him?

juvies and yearlings eat every 5-7 days, adults once every seven days. these animals can and do go off feed, generally because it is something husbandry related -- ie, the temps are off, humidy is off or they dont feel secure. balls can take live or frozen thawed (F/T), in the form of mice or rats. some snakes ONLY eat rats, some ONLY eat mice, some dont mind switching. if your snake only eats mice, by the time its fully grown it may be taking 2-3 mice at a time, that is the main reason i think most people switch to rats. a ball should never have to take anything larger than a small or medium rat. large and extra larges are not necessary for the species as they dont get that big and a food item that large could cause serious problems.

I was reading on another topic about a python escaping, does this happen often? Or does it depend more on the cage?

if you secure your tank/cage/box everything should be fine. this does not mean weighting the tank lid down with rocks. snakes are made of muscle. they're incredibly strong for their size. they need something they can not push off. i have a tank with a sliding, locking lid MADE for reptiles. fish tanks with screen lids are not something i'd recommend unless you figure out a way to MAKE SURE they stay locked in their boxes until -you- decide to let them come out, not the other way around.

My mom also seems to think that owning a snake could be dangerous. Is this true?

owning any animal can be "dangerous" i have owned dogs, cats, rodents and now a snake. i get more "omg, what if it bites you" comments about the snake than about any other animal i've ever had. combined. they have mouthes, they have teeth, there is ALWAYS the possibility they may bite. but balls tend to be very relaxed and docile and reluctant to bite. that was one of the reasons i chose to get one. their teeth are small and wont leave much more than a pinprick. if you're bitten? don't jerk away, the animal will figure it out. put it away (the snake) and wash the bite. you'll be fine. as for other dangers... its simple things. don't kiss snakes or other reptiles, don't put large snakes around your neck, etc.

I know I must sound like a total noob, but I'm just trying to gather as much info as I can to present a better argument.. Thanks for your guys help. xD

you're certinly not a noob. i think its awsome that you're gathering all this info for your mom.

snakes are great pets for the right people.
good luck!

[Wh00h0069]

I own 30 ball pythons, and can tell you that they are easy to take care of. They do not smell. You just have to clean their cage when necessary, and feed once a week. They are great pets. You just have to make sure that you are ready of the responsibility. They depend on you for everything. You have to make sure that you can meet their requirements; for example, heat, humidity, fresh water, and food. If you are ready for that, then they will be happy. Hope this helps.

[Spaniard]

How long can a snake go without eating, and not suffer significant damage?

Every snake is different and the only way to know for sure is to monitor weights with a digital scale to keep track of the weight loss during the fast. I had my male fast for 8 months last year with very little lost weight in the process.

[Hardwikk]

Alright, so I've thought of a few more questions.

1. How hard are they really to take care of?

2. How often do they have to eat, and where can I get food for him?

3. I was reading on another topic about a python escaping, does this happen often? Or does it depend more on the cage?

4. My mom also seems to think that owning a snake could be dangerous. Is this true?

I know I must sound like a total noob, but I'm just trying to gather as much info as I can to present a better argument.. Thanks for your guys help. xD

1. Not that hard. Ball pythons are considered beginner snakes.

2. I don't own a BP, but I think you should feed it once a week.

3. No. It depends how well secured the cage is. Keep the cage well secure and you should have no problems with it.

4. Not at all. Ball Pythons are usually really tame and hardly bite. Your mother probably thinks that the snake is venomous if she thinks they could be dangerous. Tell her (politely, of course) that no Python is venomous and that no one has ever been killed or mortally injured by a Ball Python.

You don't sound like a noob, you sound like someone who needs info about keeping a snake.

[ellie.the.strange]

Thanks for all of your guy's information, it's been really helpful!

[mtxsub7]

ball pythons are great man, really worth it

[macca59]

I Keep All My Snakes In One Room Check And Spot Clean Each Day When I Give Them Fresh Water

[Dracosdad]

I urge you to take all the advice about to the effect that "it's easy" with a grain of salt.

Read the internet tips and caresheets (VPI, NERD, Kaplan, ProExotics, Ken Felsman, Bob Clarke and so on), do the leg work and find out all you can. Buy a book or two. This very thread illustrates the problems of "someone on the internet said...."

If you want to persuade someone to let you have one, cut and paste quotes from reputable (or at least reputable-sounding) sources about ease of care, docility and suitability for kids -- and then forget about ease of care. Minimally decent responsiblity for any animal requires learing and exotic pets require learning more and acting and often spending money based on what you know. If your snake looks pretty sick, the only really good answer to an inquiry here is "see a vet." If your parents let you have it, will they also pay a vet bill or force you to? And just where is your nearest vet who's good with snakes? Is there another owner or a reptile rescue if things don't go well?

1. How hard are they really to take care of?

Like arithmetic or driving, it's usually undemanding when you know what you're doing. But if you learn the have of it you'll have huge problems.

[Pythonman]

When i was 10, a little over 10 years ago I ordered a bp online from some pet store, went out and bought a money order and sent it to Florida. Told my mother the night before it came so she'd take me to go get supplies for the new pet in the morning. She was terriffied, screamed at me, and eventually refused delivery of the snake, poor littlw guy had 2 back to back trips, he lived though! When I was 17, one of my friends was giving away his bp before college, so i took him with me to URI(Rhode Island), came back after one semester, by choice not because of grades or anything, and now my house is FILLED with bp's(30 bps and growing!). So my suggestion to your mom would be to encourage your newfound hobby or you'll end up like one of us! At least it's not crack! lol!

Not that it should be the primary hobbyist's main reason, but you can also show your mom some of the positive articles on the bp market. It's shaky yes, but if you find some outlets for your snakes, there is still money to be made and fun to be had. Good luck!

[Pythonman]

Oh and if you've ever owned any pet in your life, you're going to say that BP's have NO smell, just pick up poo once or twice a week after he poo's his meal out, not that constant unreliable poo you're used to with your other pets, you can actually make poo-plans! Going out of town for a weekend....feed him on friday and he wont poo til Sunday! Just in time for you to pick it up... Snake poo...Makes other poo's cry!