Noob to snakes and I have questions.

[Kioka]

Jessie, I won't even get into it, a lot of hobbyists would disagree with you. That's all I am saying. All I am saying the kid is too young to make his own choice, and no matter WHAT animal, they should be supervised at all time -- even with a millipede. I wouldn't even trust a child with a dog, let alone a reptile. Why you need to continue arguing this on MSN when the debate is clearly over?

Remember "trust a snake to be a snake." Even a Ball Python can bite and draw some serious blood. That being said, you can't really go wrong with Ball Pythons considering how popular they are in the hobby. Pick a good one and from a reputable breeder. Get a good one and have a nice long healthy life with it.

 

[Tongue33]

You finally made your mind up! Amazing!

With your luck it will get out of its cage and become fish food!

Post pics when you get the little guy.

Ya I really cannot wait. And expect your phone to keep blowing up like today

Also Thank you all for your input. And feel free to keep posting as i will still visit this thread everytime it is posted in.

And will refer to the erlier post i quoted below To thank everyone

Kioka. Thanks For the help. And thanks everyone else who has posted. I appreciate the input!

I agree it will ultimately be a snake that I like and that I will be able to live with for a while. I have researched Corns and even came close to getting one..

Though If he had his choice we would have a Eastern coral!!! LOL Even though king is more available But If you had the venomous and the non he would pick the one that would kill you...... So I get the final say.

And it will be a hopefully a long lived snake, That is the plan. I don't want a corn snake to outlive the popularity in our house. As I particularly don't care for them. The idea is to keep the snake it's full life. Not have him AND me outgrow it and then sell it.. And this is likely as he points at those but would rather hold the 5' + snakes.. WHICH in the beginning concerned me.. Seeing your 4 year old holding 2 6 foot snakes at the same time has you thinking OMFG!!!!!

BUT... I don't like the fact that all the Corn owners I know that have had to find their corn in their house.. Usually find them up above a doorway.. NOT COOL for my wife.. I love her and a boid or a Python would not be abel to sit on the molding over the door and wait for her


Plus the decision is still up in the air.. I really am not in a hurry. Though I would like to have the snake for his B-day in a few weeks.. But Likely will not be the case.

There were some Rootbeer corns locally for 15.00.. I am still debating.. Now I have a nice selection to make my decision..

Thanks guys!

I am purchasing most likely a pastel from Dan And Collette.

 

[Tongue33]

And I expect to get bitten as well as my son.. When you own sankes you get bitten. it isnot IF t is WHEN

 

[Kioka]

And I expect to get bitten as well as my son.. When you own sankes you get bitten. it isnot IF t is WHEN

Hahaha... and "anything with a mouth can and will bite."

I am going to get face-bitten by one of my two boas these day just because of the way I interact with them... even though they are tamer than Ball Pythons.

Edit: This morning, one of my cresties drew blood from my thumb. Didn't even know they could do that!

 

[elevatethis]

And I expect to get bitten as well as my son.. When you own sankes you get bitten. it isnot IF t is WHEN

Some ball pythons go through what I call a "scared baby stage" when they assume an intimidating pose and tend to strike or try to bite.

I believe this happens for 2 reasons:

1. They are scared because they are small and nature has programmed them to be on edge at this time in their life because in the wild, many young ball pythons are a food source for various predators like birds, monitor lizards, and other snakes as well.

2. They grow more in their first year of life than at any other time in their life. They essentially double their size every few months for the first year and that takes a lot of energy to do...a well-cared for baby ball python might expect to fed every time you go into their cage...that might be intimidating for a new keeper, but for me, that type of behavior means that I'm doing something right. I think some of the '07s I hatched out this year would eat every 2-3 days if I let them. A ball python under 1 year of age should NEVER refuse a meal...even in the dead of winter...and if they do...something is wrong with your husbandry (temps, security, cage layout, handling, etc).

Ball pythons only get a bad wrap for feeding badly because they are one of the most commonly kept snakes in captivity and thus could be argued that they are also the most commonly MIS-kept snakes in captivity...meaning that there's a lot of people that get them and don't take are of them properly. Come to my house on feeding day and tell me that ball pythons aren't aggressive feeders...I am afraid of a few of my breeder girls when they are in food-mode.

Hope that helps. The Sutherlands will be able to give you a lot information...don't be afraid to ask. I met them in Daytona this past year, really nice people.

 

[Kioka]

What about the ones that go out of their way to bite? Is there a reason for it?

One of the breeders I know got a female that strike every time it is exposed and fly out of the tub? The one I am talking about strikes so often to the point it look like it's hopping in pursuit. It's funny to watch though, but I can't imagine what kind of stress it would be going through. He has her for about 6 years now, and still have not grown out of it.

 

[elevatethis]

What about the ones that go out of their way to bite? Is there a reason for it?

One of the breeders I know got a female that strike every time it is exposed and fly out of the tub? The one I am talking about strikes so often to the point it look like it's hopping in pursuit. It's funny to watch though, but I can't imagine what kind of stress it would be going through. He has her for about 6 years now, and still have not grown out of it.

That snake is HUNGRY! I bet he never had a problem getting it to eat...

That type of behavior, believe it or not, is something I like to see in baby balls...I don't think they are under much stress...I believe that they know that they get fed when you are around and at that stage in their life, they want to get fed at every opportunity they can have.

Defensive strikes don't result in the snake pursuing that which it is trying to fend off. Some of them are just like that. I actually hatched out a clutch this year that every single baby from it was almost impossible to handle because they were like what you described above. I'm not sure if its a genetic predisposition or anything like that, but I will say that those babies took prey with FURY and grew extremely fast. Once they got some size onto them (200 grams and up), they began to calm down and act like a normal ball pythons.

 

[Tongue33]

This is allot of info!! I am learning more and more Thanks!!

 

[DarthMaul]

I got my son a Kenyan Sand Boa for his 4th christmas. He always loved my big boas and pythons so I decided to get him somthing that he could handle. They are real hardy, and only get around 2 feet.

 

[arowana man]

i would get a california kingsnake if you like natives. max out at 4'.