Ball Python Behavior

[pnshmntMMA]

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!

 

[Boanerges]

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

 

[willywonka]

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.

 

[Mina]

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.

 

[El Viejo]

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.

 

[pnshmntMMA]

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.

 

[Boanerges]

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.

 

[pnshmntMMA]

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

 

[Boanerges]

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

 

[pnshmntMMA]

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?

 

[Boanerges]

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.

 

[pnshmntMMA]

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

 

[Mushroom Spore]

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

[pnshmntMMA]

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

 

[ballpython2]

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.

 

[ballpython2]

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.



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.



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.



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.



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.

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

 

[halfwaynowhere]

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.

 

[Mina]

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.

 

[equuskat]

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.

 

[ballpython2]

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.

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...