I've wanted a ball python for a long time...

[clawlan]

So, I've always loved the ball python and finally I will be moving into my own place (graduating college) and cant get one. Anyone have experience with them?

[KingOfTheDeep]

i've been keeping and breeding them for 6 years, they are really awesome snakes, very tame and love to be held. do you plan on getting a baby/juvi or adult?

make sure you have a very tight lid on the tank it's going in, even put some type of weight on top..they are great escape artists.
you wont be dissaponted with one, they are very rewarding if kept healthy. and they grow fast!

these are some SUPER old shots of some of mine as babys..maybe 4 years ago

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/MVC-012F.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/MVC-019F.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/MVC-025F.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/MVC-030F.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/Rua.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/Rajah.jpg
(this one went missing for 2 years, tuned up in the basement 2 floors dowm , lol)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/keira.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/MVC-060F.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/MVC-045F.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/rua1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/9522987lg.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/9522908lg.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/DSCN0403.jpg

one of my larger ones a few years back..dollar is there to show size
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v106/tokay_dude1/c.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/tokay/MVC-038F.jpg

[clawlan]

wow, you sound like a great resource. I have done a good amount of research on them over the years so I feel that I am pretty prepared. I would like to purchase very young so that they can become acclimated to me. I would like to be able to handle them frequently and make sure they are comfortable with that.

Do you have any pictures of your enclosures? I'm trying to get ideas on how to set one up. What supplies do you use? I know I am going to need heating, (pads, light), water, substrate, etc etc. I;m more wondering the specific materials you use and what your setups look like. I have a hard enough time aquascaping; I like to build off the ideas of others.

[KingOfTheDeep]

Do you have any pictures of your enclosures? I'm trying to get ideas on how to set one up. What supplies do you use? I know I am going to need heating, (pads, light), water, substrate, etc etc. I;m more wondering the specific materials you use and what your setups look like. I have a hard enough time aquascaping; I like to build off the ideas of others.

no pics right now, but i will try to get some, i mainly use 20gal longs for babys/juvi's, and 40gal breeder tanks for adults, substrate can be newspaper, or aspen bedding..i use newspaper just because its easier to clean, but aspen looks better, and they seem to like it.

i use a heat lamp(dome type) on one side, and a heating pad made for reptiles on the other, with the middle of the tank being the coolest part so they can get out of the heat. heating pads are a must since they use the heat to help digest food items, i use dog bowls for water dishes, even for the small ones, they sometimes like to sit in the water while shedding, i also use those half log cave things as seen in pic number 4, they like to fit tightly into them to feel secure, i mist them with a water bottle every morning and night to keep up the humidity.


babies are good to start out with, within a month, if held alot..they will become much more content with being taken out of their enclosures, mine usually just sit in my hand, or go right up to my neck, lol.

another important thing, i dont know if you've read this anywhere..but their heads are very sensitive, which is why they roll up into a ball when frightened..to protect their head..they HATE when its touched, especially when they are small, they usually just pull their heads back and freak out, but i've had a few that nipped at me..just thought i should mention that :)

[clawlan]

haha, so try not to touch the head, stick with the body.

[KingOfTheDeep]

haha, so try not to touch the head, stick with the body.

lol yes!

[clawlan]

well if you have any other tips and tricks, id love to hear them. I'm sure I'll be PM'ing you in the future if i have questions or concerns.

[TipStylez]

Yes, they are a cool snake. I dont have one...but wish to buy one.

All i have right now is a 50/50 Kingsnake.

And a lil tip i was told, dont keep your water dish in your tank for more then 2days max. The stuff that grows in the water, is the #1 cause to respiratory infection in snakes.

And dont go all out and buy a HUGE tank for your snake if its still small.
They get scared easily when their tank too room that they wont feel so secure and wont roam around as much.

[KingOfTheDeep]

Yes, they are a cool snake. I dont have one...but wish to buy one.

All i have right now is a 50/50 Kingsnake.

And a lil tip i was told, dont keep your water dish in your tank for more then 2days max. The stuff that grows in the water, is the #1 cause to respiratory infection in snakes.

And dont go all out and buy a HUGE tank for your snake if its still small.
They get scared easily when their tank too room that they wont feel so secure and wont roam around as much.


i use bottled water just for that reason, sometimes i forget about it with the fish and all, never had a problem :)

[Madcrawdad]

back in college I knew a couple of guys with one.....the thing got out all the time. one time it got into their couch and wrapped around some of the metal springs/coils... they ended up cutting the couch apart to get him out

[KingOfTheDeep]

back in college I knew a couple of guys with one.....the thing got out all the time. one time it got into their couch and wrapped around some of the metal springs/coils... they ended up cutting the couch apart to get him out

they are escape artists, tahts why i mentioned having a tight lid and a weight, lol

[Jessu]

I would like to own a snake. Do you have to feed it live food? I own a rat as a pet, after seeing how sweet and loving they are I could never feed one alive. Could you just blow dry a hamburger and wave it in front of it?

[clawlan]

from the research that i have done, you want to feed them pre killed mice/rats.

[KingOfTheDeep]

i order pre-killed frozen rats from and online store.. a little pricey..but they last

[Blueiz]

Could you just blow dry a hamburger and wave it in front of it?


:OT:

LOL..too funny....

[Squawkbert]

I had a ball python (Python regius, I think) for years too. They are generally very mellow. I ahve yet to see one develop the attitude problem that is so common among larger boidae family members (who frequently get grumpy once they break the 6' barrier, probably due to reduced handling). They seem to like being held (or at least, they tolerate it well) and they like to explore, so let them look around, but don't take your eyes off them for a second. They can "disappear" long before you can't see them anymore (like getting the front third of their body into a sofa as mentioned above). I have heard that some wouldn't eat anything but chicks while others have no problem w/ mice. Many won't do prekilled, so you may have to let it kill its own or you can kill the mouse and toss it in, still twitching.

Personally, I preferred live mice. If the snake didn't take it within 5-10 minutes, I would move the mouse to a small cage w/ bedding, water & lab chows and try again in a week. Sometimes mine would eat 3-4 mice in a month, sometimes it wouldn't eat for 3 months (hence my preference for live mice). Ball Pythons only range from 3-5' as adults, so you never really have to switch to rats. This is a good thing, especially for live feeders as rats are a lot more likely to injure a snake than mice are.

In short, get one that has been eating mice, maybe even watch it eat by appt. They are common in stores, but if you live where there is a herp. club, you may be able to get something more colorful, or at least different from the common morph found in pet stores. Club specimens are also usually locally bred, which is good if you are concerned about collection and importation practices (as you probably should be).

I would like to second the motion for frequent water changes.
I kept mine in a 20L with a big chunk of driftwood, a warming stone and I cut a few scraps of astroturf to fit the bottom. I could just switch one out, hose it off and let it dry somewhere. I would also provide a small shoebox w/ a hole in it from time to time as a hiding place. I eventually moved it and my CA King (L. getulus, striped morph) into a larger, custom built cage.
Newspaper can/will disintegrate, spread odors all over glass, leave ink all over stuff over time... I do not recommend it.

[KingOfTheDeep]

I had a ball python (Python regius, I think) for years too. They are generally very mellow. I ahve yet to see one develop the attitude problem that is so common among larger boidae family members (who frequently get grumpy once they break the 6' barrier, probably due to reduced handling). They seem to like being held (or at least, they tolerate it well) and they like to explore, so let them look around, but don't take your eyes off them for a second. They can "disappear" long before you can't see them anymore (like getting the front third of their body into a sofa as mentioned above). I have heard that some wouldn't eat anything but chicks while others have no problem w/ mice. Many won't do prekilled, so you may have to let it kill its own or you can kill the mouse and toss it in, still twitching.

Personally, I preferred live mice. If the snake didn't take it within 5-10 minutes, I would move the mouse to a small cage w/ bedding, water & lab chows and try again in a week. Sometimes mine would eat 3-4 mice in a month, sometimes it wouldn't eat for 3 months (hence my preference for live mice). Ball Pythons only range from 3-5' as adults, so you never really have to switch to rats. This is a good thing, especially for live feeders as rats are a lot more likely to injure a snake than mice are.
In short, get one that has been eating mice, maybe even watch it eat by appt. They are common in stores, but if you live where there is a herp. club, you may be able to get something more colorful, or at least different from the common morph found in pet stores. Club specimens are also usually locally bred, which is good if you are concerned about collection and importation practices (as you probably should be).

I would like to second the motion for frequent water changes.
I kept mine in a 20L with a big chunk of driftwood, a warming stone and I cut a few scraps of astroturf to fit the bottom. I could just switch one out, hose it off and let it dry somewhere. I would also provide a small shoebox w/ a hole in it from time to time as a hiding place. I eventually moved it and my CA King (L. getulus, striped morph) into a larger, custom built cage.
Newspaper can/will disintegrate, spread odors all over glass, leave ink all over stuff over time... I do not recommend it.

if your going to feed a 5 foot python mice..it would take..maybe 5-8 depending on the size of the mice.

i have never fed mine any mice, even the babies get hopper rats..rats seem to be more nutritious for them. i gave a freind of mine a baby from a litter last year, i kept one also..he fed his mice..i fed mine rats, mine grew 3 times faster than his..and is a fattie now..i dont know why im staing this...lol..just another observation i guess

but yeah, i cant see how mice would do for a 5 footer, a single large rat will keep it hunger-free for a least a week and a half maybe two

[equus_peduus]

I want to discourage live feeding. It's cruel to the mice, it's dangerous to the snake. Live animals can carry parisites that can be transferred to the snake, as well as the risk of the rodent chewing on the snake (and I've seen the results of that, very not pretty). Some ball pythons, I'm told, are picky about converting to prekilled, but if you start it young, I wouldn't expect there'd be any problems. The snake doesn't need the interaction of killing its own prey, and they do just fine if they never see a live mouse or rat in their life. (people talk about "that's how it is in the wild," but we're not *in* the wild). Frozen thawed is probably the best way to go (when I had a snake, I ordered with about five or six other people who had animals that ate whole prey, so shipping came out to be a reasonable amount, and the prices were like a third or less of PetCo :P). And there's no need to have to keep the mice around either. Yes, balls can sometimes refuse to eat for several weeks at a time, but I'd rather lose the "money" on some frozen animals than have to re-subject a mouse to the snake on a regular basis and potentially injure my snake. But that's my take.

I liked newspaper as a substrate - easy to keep clean, especially as ideally you're cleaning the tank every couple days (I usually ended up about every 3-7 days, depending on school and whatnot). Though it's not as aesthetically pleasing as some of the other options but it's very easy to keep the tank clean and sanitary.

Eventually, larger tank is better. Captive snakes are often obese due to overfeeding and underexcercised, and if you're not going to let the snake out on a daily basis to exercise, you'll need a good sized tank. They may not have problems like the development of diabetes, and they may not get knee problems from obesity, but they can certainly have problems from large fat pads pressing on their internal organs, and if not regularly exercised, and develop spinal issues from lack of movement...

[KingOfTheDeep]

the biggest concern IMO for an overweight snake is Fatty Liver Disease..almost always fatal..

[clawlan]

i order pre-killed frozen rats from and online store.. a little pricey..but they last

where??

[5xevy]

I can't believe how HUGE their mouths are!




(this one went missing for 2 years, tuned up in the basement 2 floors dowm , lol)

Alive?

[KingOfTheDeep]

yep, alive and 2 1/2 feet longer, i had to sell her recently though, due to space

[KingOfTheDeep]

where??

the shipping is whats gets ya, lol
micedirect.com (http://micedirect.com/)

[clawlan]

just discovered this site: http://www.bigappleherp.com/site/index.html

Looks like they have good prices too for reptile related things and food.

I'm looking at there 28 gallon reptarium package. Its made from "commercial grade nylon" instead of glass. I'm afraid the python would rip through it though they say its made for snakes up to 8 feet. I just sent their customer service an email asking them.

[Squawkbert]

Re: my P. regius - I'm pretty sure mine was wild caught adn he wouldn't ever touch anything that wasn't breathing. He was on the small side, even as an adult so, when he was really hungry, he got 2-4 adult mice over the course of a couple of days. I worked in a lot of labs and/or pet stores while I had that snake, so getting more mice, baby rats or hamsters was rarely a problem.

In terms of nutrition, if you want calories per unit of rodent weight, feed hamsters. That brown fat they carry around is like whale milk.

re: parasites - not a commoon problem as most live-fed snakes are eating from well cared for breeding stock. I agree that feeding live is not ideal (it is not as safe, especially w/ the more intelligent rodents). If I was working where I had freebies or other animals to feed fresh killed rodents to, I'd feed mine "just killed, still twitching" rodents. I tended not to do that if there was a chance of having it go to waste though.

[KingOfTheDeep]

just discovered this site: http://www.bigappleherp.com/site/index.html

Looks like they have good prices too for reptile related things and food.

I'm looking at there 28 gallon reptarium package. Its made from "commercial grade nylon" instead of glass. I'm afraid the python would rip through it though they say its made for snakes up to 8 feet. I just sent their customer service an email asking them.

i wouldn't go with anything thats as ventilated as that..they really need humidity to aid them with shedding and help keep them hydrated

[clawlan]

yea, the more research i do, those seem more those seem geared towards lizazrds. I'll stick with a 30g glass aquarium.

I have been getting a lot of great info on reptile shows and other things from the local herpetological society website.

[KingOfTheDeep]

herp shows are great for purchasing snakes, tons of breeders..and small pythons are usually cheap, at the expo here..they go from 15-25