Considering a ball python

I'm the sort of person who does a lot of extensive reading and research before purchasing a new animal. I've been interested in snakes for a few years but never considered getting one. For the past year though I've been looking at pictures and watching videos and I think sometime in the future I might seriously add a ball python to my "gang". I'm awfully fond of the GHI Mojave morph.

So what I'm asking is for educational sources. Links to websites with good & accurate information, books that are also reliable, ect. Also any personal input/experience, such as what supplies would be needed or how you keep your pythons.

I don't like to rely on pet store employees for obvious reasons, and websites/books can contain contradictory information. For example I've already seen one website tell me I needed a UV bulb and then another said I didn't.

That's why I like to talk to people who've been doing this for a while personally.

Thanks in advance to anyone who offers some guidance!

Remember those are even more pet rocks than T's I got 2 and i almost never see them out of their hide, except around 11pm for 15 minutes tops... It were my first snakes and for that, i think, i still have them, but as for fun or making room for something more interesting, i could (should?) sell them tbh. There are 2 big groups of keepers, the ones that believe in a nice enclosure with hides and all you can add to make it look natural, and the ones that keep them in tubs/racks. I'm a strong believer of the first group, but it is proven that they 'do well' in those plastic shoeboxes... Meaning they eat and shed. Mine do that too, and you could say that them being in heir hide almost 24/7 is the same as being in a tub, but for that 15minutes at late evening that they want to roam their enclosure, they CAN
I keep them at around 35°C for hot spot and with T5 TL)lightning, both on a timer, so everything is off from around 9pm till 9am in the winter and 22pm to 8am in the summertime. I have no UV for them, it's not really needed, but there are people testing and using UV on snakes. It won't hurt them and probably can do something good, as they do lay in the sun in the wild from time to time, but most will say that's only for the heat.

Anything else? Just ask

PS : As for books, i got 'The Complete Ball Python' from Kevin McCurley, which most ball python keepers have i think.

I very highly recommend the forums over at www.ball-pythons.net

Here's their care sheet, but the search function is also a huge treasure trove of information and the people are very helpful if you have questions to ask.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?127203-Ball-Python-(Python-regius)-Caresheet

Ball pythons are a great choice if you've never had a snake before. Back before the economy tanked I had a few racks going with several morphs but nothing too expensive. To this day my favorite morph is still the piebald ball python and the price has come down considerably, though a female baby might still be out of someone's price range if they're merely looking for a pet, perhaps a less expensive male may be an option.

A couple of things I've noticed. They have more of a tendency to refuse food than do other snakes just as colubrids but is of no concern if they're being housed appropriately. When I first started off I kept my ball pythons in spacious fish tanks with screen covers and would often have terrible sheds especially in the winter time when the air is very dry unless I was misting their hides almost daily. It became too much work once I had several snakes so I moved them all into racks with cypress much, a big water bowl, and less ventilation, perfect sheds every time.

As for handling, I never handle any of my animals just because I feel like it, I only do it momentarily while doing cage cleanings. Despite never being handled, most of the ball pythons were very docile, though a few were always crabby and defensive no matter.

I don't keep ball pythons any more, instead I focus on rat snakes, milk snakes, and hognoses. I still believe the best pet snake is a corn snake, and I do keep a pair of beautiful okeetees of the Abbott line, of the Love line, and another from a hobbyist who collected some wild okeetees and has kept them relatively unchanged from their wild appearance. I think corns or another colubrid may be easier to care for than ball pythons if you find that a ball python may be too much work though if you have your mind set on ball pythons you will succeed because you're doing your due diligence first.

As far as the best housing I prefer racks though some people dislike them, there's no doubt in my mind the snakes feel comfortable in them. Snake cages also work very well, I have a few neodeshas and Boaphile cages that would make an excellent display tank. Tanks with screen will work, just be sure to give them humid hide spots and a proper thermogradient.

Try to attend a reptile show to see the great variety with ball pythons. Pastels are pretty and inexpensive. A breeder is always a better source than a petstore.

Have you bought one?

They can be picky eaters and quite inactive a lot.

A few years ago, in late October, while I was in the woods walking the dog, I came across a full grown 5 ft ball. I'm in WI, so it had obviously been released, and I came across it just prior to the cold weather hitting that year. I picked it up, it was pretty docile, put it in the bed of my pickup and drove it to a friends house who's son had just lost his bearded dragons...its still doing quite well.

I didn't keep it because I have had them before, and despite my love of snakes, I really didn't want another at the time.

There are much better snakes to choose from IMO . If you don't want something that gets to big maybe try a Dumerils boa .
Rowdy Hotel gave some great info , okeetees are very beautiful and hognose snakes are super cool can hood up like a cobra and always stay very cute but can be picky eaters the trick with them is to feed them in a paper bag if they won't eat . I really
miss my hognose he was super cool and mellow .

I agree with Blue Jaye - Dumeril's make excellent snakes. I have a big female who is very docile. My favorites, though, are the big guys.

mmfh said:

Have you bought one?

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No, no I never rush into anything. I've gotten a lot of info through here and PM. I've read 'Ball Pythons in Captivity' by Kevin McCurley too. Currently, I'm waiting for summer hatchings from a breeder.

cold blood said:

They can be picky eaters and quite inactive a lot.

A few years ago, in late October, while I was in the woods walking the dog, I came across a full grown 5 ft ball. I'm in WI, so it had obviously been released, and I came across it just prior to the cold weather hitting that year. I picked it up, it was pretty docile, put it in the bed of my pickup and drove it to a friends house who's son had just lost his bearded dragons...its still doing quite well.

I didn't keep it because I have had them before, and despite my love of snakes, I really didn't want another at the time.

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Gee, *glances at tarantlas* inactivity is going to be a huge issue for me...

I'm not really worried about that. I know they can be fussy eaters, but I've got a friend who last I checked had two burmese pythons, one ball python, and a few rat snakes. He's also got an extensive collection (around twenty was the count 3 years ago) of various lizards. He's even got an alligator, the crazy *expletive*. Oh! And he has a gigantic tortoise. Like, probably two feet from nose to tail. Amazing animal, I love to feed it. So slow. Not a care in the world.

If I have any problems, I know he's just a phone call away.

Blue Jaye said:

There are much better snakes to choose from IMO . If you don't want something that gets to big maybe try a Dumerils boa .
Rowdy Hotel gave some great info , okeetees are very beautiful and hognose snakes are super cool can hood up like a cobra and always stay very cute but can be picky eaters the trick with them is to feed them in a paper bag if they won't eat . I really
miss my hognose he was super cool and mellow .

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I appreciate the suggestions, but ball pythons kind of have a special place in my heart. My aunt's sister had one when I was young, and up until that point I had been taught from my mother that snakes are 'bad'. (She had a valid excuse, childhood trauma that I won't go into.) Welp, they used that snake to teach me otherwise, and it's just a memory that has stuck with me for almost two decades now. I've even got pictures of myself with that snake, somewhere in my house.

So you see, my desire for a ball python has a more personal meaning. It's not just that I'm under the misconception that ball pythons are 'the last word' in beginner snakes.

If I had my druthers-- and quite a lot of money-- I'd track down a boelen's python. Now that is one stunning snake.

freedumbdclxvi said:

I agree with Blue Jaye - Dumeril's make excellent snakes. I have a big female who is very docile. My favorites, though, are the big guys.

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I like to look at big snakes, but I wouldn't want to own one. Not at this point in my life, who knows what the future brings. But at this point, I don't have the time or space for big snakes. My friend has two burmese pythons (as mentioned above) and I know he was looking into green anacondas. Those burmese pythons are absolutely impressive to look at.

I also don't have the desire to wrestle with 200 pounds of pure muscle either! I'd lose. Horribly. But much respect to those people who keep giant snakes. Especially giant -angry- snakes.

Too bad you're not nearby...my little LPS has some really nice ones that they're selling for like $40

I don't like big snakes, either. In the space it takes up to house one Burm properly you can have a whole breeding operation of colubrids with room for an adult rack and a hatchling rack with space to spare. Smaller snakes are more fun in my opinion.

cold blood said:

Too bad you're not nearby...my little LPS has some really nice ones that they're selling for like $40

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Ironically, the aunt in my story is the one who lives in WI.

Ball pythons are nice. All with the puppy face and stuff.. but why not take a real snake?

Hanska said:

Ball pythons are nice. All with the puppy face and stuff.. but why not take a real snake?

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Ziiiiiing!

Hanska said:

Ball pythons are nice. All with the puppy face and stuff.. but why not take a real snake?

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So I can name them Ouroboros.

Just take note that they can be some of the most frustrating eaters in the snake world. My ball python (I had to name him Monty) goes off feed twice a year for about 3-4 months apiece. Half of my brain seems to be experiencing anxiety spikes because of his crummy eating habits. He's a spider ball, too, and those are supposedly the best eaters as far as color morphs go (besides the natural wild ones). He's a bit underweight, too, but that may also be attributed to his ridiculous wobble genetics. They are also probably the most difficult snakes to switch from live to prekilled. They are nice snakes and mine has never bitten me for the 5 years I've owned him, but honestly, if you don't want to be frustrated by their sudden fasting, then look to the colubrids like corn or king snakes or the cute sand boas as far as beginner snakes go. Not to mention you can house a corn snake or a sand boa in a 20 gallon long nicely- ball pythons need a minimum of 40 gallon (breeder) to be comfy.

Hey moxie you could try a Kenyan Sand Boa, especially if you are fine with having a pet hole lol. I personally love them and just got a male counterpart to my increasingly chubby female
Btw my Acanthoscurria geniculata is doing very well and intrigues me greatly, thanks again for the suggestion.

BP's are great snakes. Honestly, I think if they hadn't gotten as commonplace as they are now, you wouldn't see very many people not excited about them. That said, they are very commonplace, and like others mentioned, pretty boring to watch. I've had a few over the years. All of mine were "normals" and most of them before the huge morph boom. I don't remember ever having one refuse a meal, although that's a knock they get now. Maybe some of the feeding response has been bred out in the morph process, or maybe I was lucky and just had good eaters, I don't know. All that said, they're really not for me. They're just so sedentary. But, to each his own. There's certainly nothing wrong with them, if you like their traits.

eminart said:

BP's are great snakes. Honestly, I think if they hadn't gotten as commonplace as they are now, you wouldn't see very many people not excited about them. That said, they are very commonplace, and like others mentioned, pretty boring to watch. I've had a few over the years. All of mine were "normals" and most of them before the huge morph boom. I don't remember ever having one refuse a meal, although that's a knock they get now. Maybe some of the feeding response has been bred out in the morph process, or maybe I was lucky and just had good eaters, I don't know. All that said, they're really not for me. They're just so sedentary. But, to each his own. There's certainly nothing wrong with them, if you like their traits.

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I honestly believe that looking for different color morphs will find you getting ones with crappy eating habits. You know how inbreeding works- they want this or that trait and keep their gene pools minuscule which leads to a bigger likelihood of genetic abnormalities. Honestly, if I had a choice in the matter, I would've settled for a normal morph over a spider ball. No wobble, probably less likely to go off-feed. This one spider I have which I'm having issues with was adopted off someone 5 years ago who couldn't care for him anymore due to financial constraints- that was the only way my mother would even let me get a snake larger than a ribbon snake haha.

Additionally, I have further evidence that terrible breeding plays a role in reptile behavior as much as it may in dog or cat behavior. The two leos I have now are both female, one tangerine and one that seems normal dominant with subtle tangerine morph markings around her hindquarters. The one that's full tangerine takes 5 years to stare at her food before taking the lunge at it (sometimes if you literally don't cut off a waxworm's path of movement, she will stare at it for long enough to wriggle out of her reach)- the one with mixed traits eats instantly. These, again, were rescues from the same source, funnily enough.

Hanska said:

Ball pythons are nice. All with the puppy face and stuff.. but why not take a real snake?

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That's funny I thought bps were Real Snakes.


Some have mentioned genetics and going off feed. There's no correlation between going off feed and any of the genetic mutations of bps to my knowledge, never heard this from breeders.

Going off feed is something inherent in this species in general in captivity.

I've owned 2 bps, one naturally occurring mutation and one normal phase, neither went off feed, I was lucky.