# Ball Python Behavior



## pnshmntMMA (Jan 20, 2009)

im new to snakes, and ive always wanted a baby ball python since i was a little kid. i have every intention of handling it, and keeping it for its full life, not getting rid of it when it gets big i hate when people do that. ive heard that they are very docile, then ive heard they can have nasty bites. so i have unreliable info as usual. if i handle it alot at a young age will it get used to it? i dont want it to bite me. any info is appreciated thnks!


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## Boanerges (Jan 20, 2009)

Nine times out of ten it wont bite you. Try to get a CB one. They are notorious for being picky eaters so make sure you get a good eater. They are more shy snakes so handling to much can stress them out really easy. If you got a young or old one it probably wont bite you so you don't need to handle everyday to get it used to you. Any more questions feel free to ask or if I didn't answer yours good feel free to ask


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## willywonka (Jan 20, 2009)

I will agree that they can be picky eaters but don't worry about it as long as they don't lose weight.  I have 3 and two are picky and the other one is not.  He usually will eat what the others don't (they are not in the same cage).  The only time I got bit was during feeding and it did hurt but not too bad.  It was my fault that it happened and I have since changed my snake feeding habits so that it won't happen again.  They are fun snakes so good luck with your new snake.


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## Mina (Jan 20, 2009)

I have two BPs, one adult male and one 10 month old male.  The adult is a sweetie.  He doesn't eat very often at all, 8 to 10 times a year.  I don't worry about it to much, as long as he looks good, and drinks.  Which he does.
The older male has only bitten my husband once and it was an accident.  The snake was hungry, and when my husband took him out of his tank there was some substrate stuck on his face near his mouth, my husband went to take it off and Dax struck at his fingers.  
It was an accident and it wouldn't have happened if the snake hadn't been hungry and my husband hadn't waived his fingers in front of his face.


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## El Viejo (Jan 20, 2009)

One other point, you won't have to worry about getting rid of it when it gets big, as ball pythons only reach 3-5 feet in length. A few might get somewhat bigger, but that's rare. Good luck & keep us posted.


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## pnshmntMMA (Jan 20, 2009)

wow thanks for all the quick responses. unfortunately i have to wait till i move to get one, cause of my parents not being fond of my scorpions and tarantulas, a snake would cause WW3. but i want to get it when its very young so i can have it for a very long time. how fast do they grow and how long do they usually live? i hear the bites are not painful just like a pinch.


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## Boanerges (Jan 20, 2009)

life span approx. 20 years. How fast it grows depends on how often you feed her. I feed every 7 days personally. Bites hurt but not bad like a blood, burm retic etc.


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## pnshmntMMA (Jan 20, 2009)

anything you can relate the bite to? paintball, punch, pinch, bi-otch slap? haha


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## Boanerges (Jan 20, 2009)

pnshmntMMA said:


> anything you can relate the bite to? paintball, punch, pinch, bi-otch slap? haha


LMAO - I can't think of anything that I can relate it too. Sorry


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## pnshmntMMA (Jan 20, 2009)

maybe a snake bite haha. however ive never been bitten. i dont understand how people get so worked up when they see a snake, when i cut the grass and i see a little garter snake, i stop and relocate it because it didnt do anything to me, so why should i run it over. ny neighbor chases them with the lawnmower. im just sad we just dont have more species in MD. so im not familiar with snakes as pets, can you let them free roam your house sometimes like a dog? or is it kept like an invert in its cage unless during occasional handling?


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## Boanerges (Jan 20, 2009)

I don't let mine freeroam. If you put her on the ground they will go exploring and it would be a pain to try to get her back again so you would be constantly chasing her. Plus they are cold blooded so unless your house is warm I wouldn't keep her out for extened periods. Mine all stay in their cages unless I am cleaning their cage.


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## pnshmntMMA (Jan 20, 2009)

ok sounds good, i dont plan on letting it crap all over my house anyway haha. are they pretty easy to take care of? im not looking for something i have to worry about when i go out of town or if i got deployed for a brief period


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## Mushroom Spore (Jan 20, 2009)

pnshmntMMA said:


> then ive heard they can have nasty bites


An adult BP's bite will at worst be like a cat scratch. They don't have fangs, only tiny velcro teeth only good for holding food steady while they swallow it. My BP bit me once because I was cleaning the tank with a white kleenex (mistaken for a white mouse) - it was over before I really knew what happened, I didn't feel a thing, and it didn't even leave a mark. 



pnshmntMMA said:


> if i handle it alot at a young age will it get used to it? i dont want it to bite me.


The snake being young has nothing to do with it, in fact if you're a total newbie to snakes you might be better off buying a juvie or adult. Simply handle regularly and don't make any mistakes like having hands that smell like food or moving your fingers like a prey animal, and you'll be fine. Many BPs are so docile that they don't need to be handled much at all, being gentle is just their default mode. 



pnshmntMMA said:


> but i want to get it when its very young so i can have it for a very long time. how fast do they grow and how long do they usually live?


The oldest ball python on record lived to be 48. Trust me, you don't have to get the tiniest baby possible.  Growth depends on genetics and gender...my male is almost four years old now and somewhere between 3-4 feet long. I don't think he'll get much bigger.



pnshmntMMA said:


> so im not familiar with snakes as pets, can you let them free roam your house sometimes like a dog? or is it kept like an invert in its cage unless during occasional handling?


If the snake is EVER outside its cage without your direct supervision, there's a very good chance you will never see it again. If you're lucky you'll find it a few days, weeks, or months later hiding someplace random like your laundry hamper, assuming it doesn't contract a respiratory infection from living outside a warm enclosure or get killed by some random hazard in your house.



pnshmntMMA said:


> are they pretty easy to take care of? im not looking for something i have to worry about when i go out of town or if i got deployed for a brief period


They are easy to take care of, but if their very basic needs aren't met their health can go downhill fast and they aren't easy to nurse back to health. They need a proper enclosure with proper temperatures and humidity, their water bowl refilled at least once a week, regular feedings (an adult can do pretty well fed every two weeks or so), and someone to clean up their waste. 

I go visit my parents sometimes for a week and my snake is fine without anyone here, but if you're going to be taking a lot of long trips or probably be sent overseas I'm not sure this is a good time to be getting a pet.


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## pnshmntMMA (Jan 21, 2009)

wow, thank you for all the info, that helps tremendously. all my questions answered in one fell swoop. sounds good to me, i guess the bite thing comes down to other people not being educated and telling me bad info. im glad you guys are so helpful! thanks alot everyone

chris


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## ballpython2 (Jan 23, 2009)

Some people have said these snakes are picky eaters, in my opinion as long as you start out with a healthy ball python they will do and usually eat every week you go to feed them.

I'm not saying that if your ball python doesnt eat week every week or every two weeks that you feed it that you are doing anything wrong.

But i have had ball pythons and probably gonna get some more but  when i had mine I found that (my opinion) they do much better in plastic tubs (with a UTH on the bottom and no it wont burn through the  tub)than they do in regular tanks because it holds heat and humidity better.

When I had my balls (before i sold them for lost of interest, now it came back ughh lol) they ate every week for me two mice a week and sometimes even ate during shed mode.

So before some of yall claim you have picky eaters try housing them in different enclosures also some ball pythons are picky if you get their mind set one certain food that eventually becomes too expensive for you to buy and they wont eat anything else unless you scent it.

But over all yes ball pythons make excellent  beginner snakes in my opinion. and you can handle it on a regular basis but it still needs its own time to be left alone.


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## ballpython2 (Jan 23, 2009)

Mushroom Spore said:


> An adult BP's bite will at worst be like a cat scratch. They don't have fangs, only tiny velcro teeth only good for holding food steady while they swallow it. My BP bit me once because I was cleaning the tank with a white kleenex (mistaken for a white mouse) - it was over before I really knew what happened, I didn't feel a thing, and it didn't even leave a mark.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I remember one time my ball python escaped and i found it behine my stove that was a hassle and a half to get the snake out of there because my stove only moves so far away from the wall and there isnt enough walkin space back there. Also there was a hole in the wall thank god this Ball python was TOO big to get through that hole or he'd be gone for good...Well bad rather


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## halfwaynowhere (Jan 23, 2009)

my BP has been the easiest critter ever. She's really laid back, lets me handle her as frequently or infrequently as I want to. Only once has she ever refused a meal, and that was my first time offering her multiple prey items. I got her in june, I believe she hatched in may, and she can easily handle a small rat now, although I generally give her two mice because its easier for me to get mice. 

I read all sorts of horror stories about problems with feeding, and all that before I got her. I had my doubts at first, but she's turned out to be amazing. I immediately set her up in a 15 qt tub with one hide made out of a cheap plastic bowl (4 for $1 at walmart) with a hole cut in it, a water bowl, and a heat mat with a dimmer switch. I also bought a digital thermometer/hygrometer at walmart for around $12, which let me monitor both the hot and cool sides, as well as humidity. it was so easy to get everything set up properly, and so cheap, too.


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## Mina (Jan 23, 2009)

ballpython2 said:


> Some people have said these snakes are picky eaters, in my opinion as long as you start out with a healthy ball python they will do and usually eat every week you go to feed them.
> 
> I'm going to have to disagree with you.  I started with a beautiful, perfectly healthy 6 month old male BP.  He ate wonderfully until he became mature, then he got much more interested in roaming his tank looking for ladies than eating.  He had been an exotic vet for a check up several times, and I was again assured he is in perfect health.  I've spoken to many BP breeders and have been told that once a male reaches maturity, they just don't eat as much, but it isn't a problem as long as the animal doesn't loose condition.
> From what I understand females do eat better, but I can't speak to that since both of mine are male.
> If you think there is anything I could do to get him to eat more, please tell me, it would make me very happy if he would eat once a week.


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## equuskat (Jan 23, 2009)

They ARE notoriously picky eaters, but the biggest problem is with wild-caught BPs.  Now that there are more CB ball pythons in the hobby, the picky-eater problem is less severe, though it still exists.  Housing, trips to the vet, etc, sometimes just do not change a picky eater's habits.  Precautions can be taken that will "ward off" picky eating in babies: never house two babies together, provide proper temperature and humidity, feed at night, pre-kill food, don't keep babies in HUGE tanks.  Picky eating later in life is a little bit less serious in a CB snake - sometimes they go off food seasonally, but they can last longer without eating than a baby can.

I have had only one baby pastel female who was reluctant to eat normally, but after her third shed, she finally became an eager eater.

Ball pythons are awesome snakes, though.  Just the cutest little things if you ask me.    They are good for beginners and have relatively easy care.


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## ballpython2 (Jan 23, 2009)

Mina said:


> ballpython2 said:
> 
> 
> > Some people have said these snakes are picky eaters, in my opinion as long as you start out with a healthy ball python they will do and usually eat every week you go to feed them.
> ...


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## ballpython2 (Jan 23, 2009)

Katy_green said:


> They ARE notoriously picky eaters, but the biggest problem is with wild-caught BPs.  Now that there are more CB ball pythons in the hobby, the picky-eater problem is less severe, though it still exists.  Housing, trips to the vet, etc, sometimes just do not change a picky eater's habits.  Precautions can be taken that will "ward off" picky eating in babies: never house two babies together, provide proper temperature and humidity, feed at night, pre-kill food, don't keep babies in HUGE tanks.  Picky eating later in life is a little bit less serious in a CB snake - sometimes they go off food seasonally, but they can last longer without eating than a baby can.
> 
> I have had only one baby pastel female who was reluctant to eat normally, but after her third shed, she finally became an eager eater.
> 
> Ball pythons are awesome snakes, though.  Just the cutest little things if you ask me.    They are good for beginners and have relatively easy care.


I apologize I didnt make my self clear. when i said they werent picky eaters i didnt be specific when i was actually talkin about the Captive bred ones thats my fault and i apologize for that.


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## equuskat (Jan 23, 2009)

ballpython2 said:


> Lol, i guess this topic also comes down to the individual snake..and what did you mean by "maturity" did you mean by when its close to dying? cause by then its old any way and thats normal for humans or did you mean mature as in sexually? either way i guess they are all different...



She meant sexually mature.  She said that he was more interested in looking for females than food.  I thought it was pretty clear.  :?


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## ballpython2 (Jan 23, 2009)

Katy_green said:


> She meant sexually mature.  She said that he was more interested in looking for females than food.  I thought it was pretty clear.  :?


.. and since it was a male and they eat less when they are lookin for a female that doesnt make it a picky eater at all...that just means it wants to mate and not eat.....so its not picky just not hungry even though they are totally different animals this also happens with tarantulas...


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## equuskat (Jan 23, 2009)

ballpython2 said:


> .. and since it was a male and they eat less when they are lookin for a female that doesnt make it a picky eater at all...that just means it wants to mate and not eat.....so its not picky just not hungry even though they are totally different animals this also happens with tarantulas...


I'd call that a picky eater.  I guess it just depends on your definition.


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## Mina (Jan 23, 2009)

Well no matter what his reason is, he is much less interested in food than ladies.  I have no intention of breeding him though.  He is a sweet snake and is always very gentle so I really have no complaints.
I do wish he would eat more, but he drinks, sheds, and pees so he is okay, I just worry.
I guess you are right if you consider being mature and being a picky eater different things, I was considering them to be the same but I see what you mean.


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## Dom (Jan 23, 2009)

I've kept and bred ball pythons many years ago.
If you start off with CB they usually  eat very consistently. Stay away from wild-caughts because they can be a different story altogether. 
Mature males will often go off their food for a few months in the winter which is not the same as being picky.
To me a picky eater is one that eats one week and not the next but then eats the following week.
Many reptiles esp. males will go on fasts for a few months. They don't eat for a few months and when they start feeding again it's pretty consistent for several months.


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## pnshmntMMA (Jan 27, 2009)

thanks for all the great discussion and information. as soon as i move, i will locate a captive bred baby i think, lookin for something small for starters, that i can adapt to. is it advisable to handle it in the store to get a feel for how it reacts? what are some things to look for/avoid? thanks guys!

chris


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## Mushroom Spore (Jan 27, 2009)

pnshmntMMA said:


> is it advisable to handle it in the store to get a feel for how it reacts? what are some things to look for/avoid?


*Do not get one from a store.* The odds of finding a healthy captive-bred baby ball python in a pet store are astronomical - what's more likely is that you'll end up with a wild-caught baby full of parasites that's never eaten in its life and WILL never eat, but the dumb kid that just wants to make a sale will gladly tell you it's captive bred. Even if you do somehow find a store with CB babies (most don't because WC ball pythons are so amazingly cheap to import even if so many of them die), that doesn't guarantee the store has been keeping them in good health. Some pet stores have also been known to lie about snakes being good eaters, which is very important with BPs.

You take a lot of risks in going to a pet store, especially if you have no previous experience with snakes. But even experienced people can't always tell by sight if a snake has internal parasites that will be a huge costly pain to treat and the snake might not live anyway. (EDIT: well, really they can't tell at all except to make a wild guess based on the fact that a snake that's had a lot of parasites for a long time will look crappy. And that's not a very reliable method either. It takes a vet exam to know for sure, and by then you've already spent money for a sick animal.)

Go to the dealer/breeder review forums here on AB, and/or the one on faunaclassified (or is it faunaclassifieds?). I think kingsnake.com has one too? Anyway, go look for someone with lots of good reviews and reasonable prices, and have the animal shipped overnight to your house. Even WITH the cost of shipping, the average ball python baby will still cost less than the sickly messes you'd find at your local chain petstore, or about the same. I think I paid like 45 dollars and 25 shipping or something. Last I checked PetCo sells their (almost always unhealthy) WC babies for 70-80 bucks.

If you wait a few months into spring/summer, it'll be a lot safer to ship reptiles and you'll be able to get in on the rush of new hatchlings if that's what you want. Just be sure you look for one that's already gotten started eating, and eating f/t prey too.

I would still advise not getting a teeny tiny baby. There's not really anything to "adjust" to with a docile BP, and tiny babies are FRAGILE. Even one that's six months or a year old can withstand going off feed safely much longer than a newborn.


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## halfwaynowhere (Jan 27, 2009)

also, be wary of the term "captive hatched". Its really no better than wild caught. Only difference is, they catch wild mommies, and release them after they lay their clutch. Then when the babies are hatched, they are shipped over here. Almost all the risks of wild caught, only benefit being that the moms are released back into the wild so they have the opportunity to contribute to the wild population a bit... stores like petco and petsmart only sell captive hatched babies. Your best bet is to get one from a breeder online, normals are generally pretty inexpensive, and you get personal communication with the person who bred them, so you can know the exact history regarding feedings, etc.


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## johnharper (Jan 27, 2009)

Some of my ball pythons have a really bad aim when it comes to feeding time and they sometimes miss the rat on the tongs anyone ever notced about balls? For the most part though they really gentle snakes.

John


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## Ritzman (Jan 27, 2009)

Mina said:


> I'm going to have to disagree with you.  I started with a beautiful, perfectly healthy 6 month old male BP.  He ate wonderfully until he became mature, then he got much more interested in roaming his tank looking for ladies than eating.  He had been an exotic vet for a check up several times, and I was again assured he is in perfect health.  I've spoken to many BP breeders and have been told that once a male reaches maturity, they just don't eat as much, but it isn't a problem as long as the animal doesn't loose condition.
> From what I understand females do eat better, but I can't speak to that since both of mine are male.
> If you think there is anything I could do to get him to eat more, please tell me, it would make me very happy if he would eat once a week.


Mina can I ask how old your BP was when that happened? I have a BP that just ate tonight for the first time since this past summer. I was so pleased to see him eat. I was freaking out over it. He didn't really lose weight but the lack of eating...He was always such a voracious eater. I figured he was maturing and lost interest in eating, in pursuit of a lady.


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## Mushroom Spore (Jan 27, 2009)

johnharper said:


> Some of my ball pythons have a really bad aim when it comes to feeding time and they sometimes miss the rat on the tongs anyone ever notced about balls?


Mine used to miss occasionally when using tongs, I think it was a combination of the moving target (even if only moving slightly) and the fact that the thawed prey I used wasn't always very warm. Now I usually put the dead rat in the bottom of his feeding box and dangle him over it...from his perspective the rat is still "moving" but he doesn't seem to miss anymore even if I don't get the rat above room temp.



Ritzman said:


> Mina can I ask how old your BP was when that happened? I have a BP that just ate tonight for the first time since this past summer. I was so pleased to see him eat. I was freaking out over it. He didn't really lose weight but the lack of eating...


Just remember, if the snake isn't losing weight it's not a problem and you're stressing over nothing.  Also I believe males start having their breeding season mood swings after their...second winter? That's what I always heard and it was my experience, anyway.


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## Ritzman (Jan 27, 2009)

Mushroom Spore said:


> Just remember, if the snake isn't losing weight it's not a problem and you're stressing over nothing.  Also I believe males start having their breeding season mood swings after their...second winter? That's what I always heard and it was my experience, anyway.


Yea I gotta always tell myself to quit worrying. Then I jump on the net and re-read that they can go for an absurd amount of time w/out eating.
I pinned him to be approx 2 y/o when he started his little fasting stunt.


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