i am going to buy a ball python today any body have any experience with snakes in general its going to be my first snake

if you've never had a snake before, why are you getting one now? Particularily one that's so dangerous?

Do ball pythons squeeze their prey and then ingest the meal whole? I'm thinking a nice copperhead sounds much safer, and they are pretty in their own sinister way.

if you've never had a snake before, why are you getting one now? Particularily one that's so dangerous?

looking online it seems that the ball python is very docile

A ball python isn't dangerous. It is a perfect first snake. What kind of cage will you be buying? The snake needs a heat light, but not one it can get to because it can be burned by it. I find the best set up is having a light and then a heat lamp. Heating pads can burn your snake as well. You will also need something for it to hide under, you can cut a pot in half or find something for that purpose instead of buying a hideout.

I wouldn't suggest buying a baby, but more of an adolescent. When they are young you can feed them about 3 mice a week to "beef it up". When feeding a domestic born snake you may need to stun the mouse before putting it in the cage. Snakes can be bit by the mouse. If the snake doesn't eat it right away, take it out..it wasn't hungry. Also, make sure you have a water dish.

The snake will also need the cage to be covered when it is shedding. If it is an aquarium you will want three sides covered all the time and at least have a place for it to hide when it is shedding.

A ball python can grow up to about 5 feet.

Ball pythons make great pets; I've had one for years. They're probably the single most docile domesticated species of snake on the planet. I have a four-foot long ball python, and his head is about the size of my thumb. Even if he were to strike you, the damage would likely be less than a cat scratch; the fangs are tiny. I was struck on the hand once (totally my fault; I had a rat in my hand) and I was far more worried about damage to my snake than to myself. Also, they won't strike out of fear; to defend themselves, they coil into a ball, hence the name. I've also fallen asleep with him coiled around my neck before, so there's no threat of getting constricted in your sleep!

BTW: What store will you be buying it from, or do you know a breeder?

petsmart bred in captivity 20ltr tank for now have a heat lamp glass tank with locking screen they said it was just fed today so it wont need to be fed for another 4 days wht cover then cage when molting and how will i know when its time

When your snake starts to shed it will turn a bluish color. It's normal color will seem less shiny and bold. Then as it progresses the eyes will become foggy looking. If the snake eats a lot it will shed more often. The snake could start feeling stressed during this time because it can not see as well. I used a posterboard with the sky background around the 3 sides of the cage and if it has a good hide box you wont have to worry about covering the front. If the snake will see you walking by a lot or any other pets then I would just tape a sheet of newspaper to the front.

what about bath time

I'll give you some tips, braumsman. I'm no expert, but my ball python, Ralph, seems happy and healthy.

Your cage setup sounds ok; it doesn't take much to accommodate them. I have a flat, shallow reptile dish for water (sold in stores for about $20, I think) that he can slosh around in if he wants, a bark hidey-hole, aspen substrate, and a branch for him to hang out on. I also use a ceramic heat coil so that he can stay warm at night, and his tank is by a window so he can get some sunlight.

First things first: shedding can be a pain (for your snake) if you're inexperienced. Make sure that his tank get plenty of humidity while he's shedding. I use a spray bottle to wet down the area beneath the heat coil so that it evaporates before it can get moldy. It's also a really good idea to fill up a bathtub (or sink, if he's small) with warm water and let him get a good soak once a day or more. Ideally, you want that skin to come off in one big piece; if he's too dry, it will come off in tiny flakes that stick to him and can rip his scales off if you try to pick it off.

A big caveat about shedding: EYE CAPS. Snakes shed the membrane that covers their eyes, and it can be problematic. If the humidity's right, they should come off with the skin. If they don't, don't panic. Wait until he's completely done shedding, then take a wet q-tip or clean towel and gently rub/pat his eyes until the cap is soft. Usually it will rub off after a while. By no means should you force or pry it off. If the above method doesn't work, try again after a day or two. IF it still doesn't work, there's a good chance they will come off in the next shed cycle.

Feeding tips:

I feed Ralph live rats, because my guy was an adult when I got him, and that's what he was raised on. If your snake's young or has been fed pre-killed rats, you can avoid witnessing hundreds of rat deaths over the years by buying frozen ones; the killing doesn't bother me much, though (and I have a pet rat, too). A warning about frozen rats: thaw them in the sink or fridge, NOT the microwave! :omg:

It's a good idea to feed your snake in a separate enclosure. There are two basic reasons for this: 1) When your snake is fed in its tank, it becomes conditioned to expect whatever goes into the tank to be food. Like your hand. I personally think that if you handle him a lot, this becomes far less likely. 2) If you have loose substrate, the snake may get it in his mouth when he strikes or devours his prey, which can cause injury and discomfort.
I must admit, though, that for the last few months, I've been feeding my snake in his tank, and haven't had any problems, though I monitor his feeding every time.

Also, if your snake doesn't seem interested in the rat at first, don't leave the rat and the snake in the tank together. The rat may nibble or scratch your snake. Also, if you're not using a separate tank and the rat pees and poops in your snake's tank, your snake may get confused, because they rely heavily on scent to track their prey.

Aw, we had a ball python in my 8th grade civics class. His name was Sir Tinker. I was the only girl who would feed him the mice. Imagine that :P What a surprise, I know, I know...

Good luck with your purchase! They are quite fun to hold, not dangerous at all. Just don't put a full grown one around your neck ;)

I can't fully endorse this because I haven't read the whole thing, but this site has a good FAQ:

Ball Pythons, a Troubleshooting Guide to (http://www.kingsnake.com/ballpythonguide/)

the cage i have has a screen lid since it is more less an open top how do i induce humidity its at about 20%

if you've never had a snake before, why are you getting one now? Particularily one that's so dangerous?

I know this is in very old, but wow - this is just so silly. Why would you be here giving advice about something you clearly have no informed experience with?


Do ball pythons squeeze their prey and then ingest the meal whole? I'm thinking a nice copperhead sounds much safer, and they are pretty in their own sinister way.

Hopefully this is a joke - copperheads or any other venomous snake are clearly more of a threat than non-venomous. Getting envenomated, even by a copperhead, could easily cost you >10K in medical expenses and most insurance companies won't cover you in this situation. Getting bitten by all but the largest python usually means some peroxide and band-aid.


Just don't put a full grown one around your neck

It's a Ball Python, not a 6ft Boas constrictor - so unless you're a child, or in a drug-induced coma, they aren't capable of strangling you.

Oklahoma City has two of the largest snake breeders in the U.S. (Bob Clark and Constrictors Unlimited), they can provide the best quality potential captives.

I know this is in very old, but wow - this is just so silly. Why would you be here giving advice about something you clearly have no informed experience with?


1. I didn't give anyone advice. I asked a question.

2. yes, I was unaware that Ball Pythons are relatively harmless, as the thread matured, I became aware of that.

3. yes, this is very old, but as it's become in vogue to bash fuzzytoad, i can understand why you dredged this up.