View Full Version : Are Balls Really The Best?
Talking to a couple owners, and searching online it's rare to find a bad reviews about Ball. Great temperament, great eaters, "easy" care, overall an A+?
Granted this is a Ball forum section so finding a bad something to say about them will be tough. But what are your honest opinions on Balls? Is this the best Python to start out with or is there something better?
Link to the best care sheet would be appreciated.
SSSSnakes
10-03-14, 08:37 PM
Ball Pythons can be picky eaters, only wanting live sometimes or not eating at all. I work where we sell many Balls and to say they are always calm, is not true. I will say out of every 12 we sell 3 will be very aggressive. I have seen many baby Balls that will starve themselves to death.
poison123
10-03-14, 08:38 PM
Pet rocks. And I'm just tired of seeing them. What are you looking for in a snake?
Ball Pythons can be picky eaters, only wanting live sometimes or not eating at all. I work where we sell many Balls and to say they are always calm, is not true. I will say out of every 12 we sell 3 will be very aggressive. I have seen many baby Balls that will starve themselves to death.
Thanks! What is the best snake IYO?
Pet rocks. And I'm just tired of seeing them. What are you looking for in a snake?
Nothing special. I have a couple of snakes. Was thinking of adding a Boa or Python as I've never kept them.
wrecker45
10-03-14, 09:10 PM
I have a ball that went 7 months without eating. I have a redtail boa that has never miss a meal.
CosmicOwl
10-03-14, 09:40 PM
I don't really care for them. They're over produced and are a huge part of the morph breeding culture that is taking over this hobby.
toddnbecka
10-03-14, 11:49 PM
Some people love them, for sure they're very popular, but it's all a matter of personal preferences. I like pet snakes that are calm and easy to care for, not eye candy or something that's mainly for display.
I never was a fan of ball pythons (or any relatively short/thick-bodied snake) even before I heard about folks having way too many problems with them from a friend who ran an lfs back in the days before the internet. Regardless of the colors/patterns of the many selectively bred morphs available today, it's still a ball python.
That's why my first snake was a Colombian red tail boa, and now many years later I again chose boas, though a smaller variety. I was leaning toward Dumeril's boa before I ran across the Dominicans.
EL Ziggy
10-04-14, 12:19 AM
BP's aren't really my cup of tea but I've seen some nice ones. They're not very active and will sometimes take long food breaks. If it's a python you're interested in take a look at some of the beautiful carpet pythons out there. I'm pretty certain that'll be my next snake.
NewHerp293
10-04-14, 10:04 AM
^Agreed haha a carpet is definitely gonna be my next snake! Balls are alright but i just never liked the idea of a pet rock (not always true i know) and enjoy being different cause it seems like a ball python is almost the go to snake for alot of people:p
eminart
10-04-14, 11:17 AM
They're great snakes, if you like their characteristics. They're not my cup of tea, but I've had a few. It's also easy to let the insane market saturation and morph craze turn you against them. But, that really shouldn't take away from the snakes, if they meet a person's criteria for a pet.
mrgrimm
10-04-14, 12:17 PM
A ball python was the perfect choice for my family as a first snake. Very mild mannered and great for letting my 6 year old hold and learn about close up, hands on.
Easy to maintain, and can drape over my shoulders as I clean/re-arrange the tank.
He comes out to explore his large tank every night and drapes himself upon the propped up sticks in very interesting ways...I like the way they slowly, methodically move about.
After over a year of ownership I have nothing negative to say other that the several month break from feeding that he took...he is back to eating regularly though, now.
Great snake, but one is enough for us, next will be a Boa when the time is right.
bigsnakegirl785
10-04-14, 07:15 PM
They're alright temperament-wise. I have only had one, but my experience with mine is they aren't too interesting. Mine eats really well as long as he's kept in a steady environment, even eating through the winter. I've had to move 3 times in the last 2 years, though, so he's also changed enclosures 3 times. Each time sparked months-long feeding strikes. And I'm still looking to move again, we are too cramped where we live right now. They're tough animals, and will survive a lot of husbandry mistakes. He didn't do much for my interest in snakes, it wasn't until I got my boa constrictor 5 years later I began to delve into herp keeping (snakes definitely steal my heart, though).
BIGT FROM F.B.
10-04-14, 07:20 PM
Of course, everyone is going to have mixed opinions on this one. I don't really like the BP that much due to being picky eaters already mentioned before. The ones I have owned couldn't even shed right and I spent lots of time soaking and helping peel the remaining skin also. I prefer any kind of king or rat instead. They have laid back personalities as adults, (they can be twitchy and nippy when babies) but will grow out of that. Of course, I would research which ones are easier to keep starting off with also, which kings and rats tend to be in that category. Good luck.
hissykisses
10-05-14, 05:28 AM
I only got my BP this week so I can't say much about how 'interesting' they are, but so far my Peggy has left a good impression. She was really calm when I took her home and took her out of the transportation box and kept really still when I had to bath her because her last shed didn't go too well. Not once tried to bite although it was all new for her. Might be that she refuses her first meal here once I get around to feeding, but we'll see.
They seem to refuse food a lot, though. One of the reasons why I didn't get a baby ball, because I would be worried if it would starve itself to that. Peggy weights over 500 grams, so I guess we're on the save side if she doesn't eat the first few times!
To be honest, though, she spends the whole day in her hide and only comes out at night when the lights are out, but then she keeps exploring her tank. Very different from both my cornsnake and my BCC-mix ... They keep moving around all day and while the cornsnake is a little monster and will try to bite at every opportunity, the Boa is an angel, haha. Although it seems that the Boa's get a bit more calm with age (mine is only 6 months old) so... I will have to wait and see how her behavior changes.
I love all three of them, though and I'm sure that I will get more Boa's as well as more BP's ;) Maybe no cornsnakes, though ... one monster is enough!
Aaron_S
10-05-14, 09:36 AM
Of course, everyone is going to have mixed opinions on this one. I don't really like the BP that much due to being picky eaters already mentioned before. The ones I have owned couldn't even shed right and I spent lots of time soaking and helping peel the remaining skin also. I prefer any kind of king or rat instead. They have laid back personalities as adults, (they can be twitchy and nippy when babies) but will grow out of that. Of course, I would research which ones are easier to keep starting off with also, which kings and rats tend to be in that category. Good luck.
Your humidity was too low.
Aaron_S
10-05-14, 09:41 AM
Talking to a couple owners, and searching online it's rare to find a bad reviews about Ball. Great temperament, great eaters, "easy" care, overall an A+?
Granted this is a Ball forum section so finding a bad something to say about them will be tough. But what are your honest opinions on Balls? Is this the best Python to start out with or is there something better?
Link to the best care sheet would be appreciated.
Best python to start with? It certainly is one of the best. It's rather subjective to say which is best. There's a few that I'd consider and the ball python is up there.
My honest opinion is you could start with one but it isn't the only option you have available as "best first python".
metalcopper
10-05-14, 05:49 PM
I don't care for them, I can't stand the shape of their heads, and they are just too boring. I do recommend them as a first snake though, I really have zero interest in colubrids, so a Ball is usually what I recommend to friends who are just starting out in the hobby.
If you are already experienced with keeping snakes, a Boa or a Carpet is a great choice to get too. It's all personal opinion though, plenty of people really enjoy keeping Ball Pythons.
EL Ziggy
10-05-14, 06:07 PM
I don't care for them, I can't stand the shape of their heads, and they are just too boring. I do recommend them as a first snake though, I really have zero interest in colubrids, so a Ball is usually what I recommend to friends who are just starting out in the hobby.
If you are already experienced with keeping snakes, a Boa or a Carpet is a great choice to get too. It's all personal opinion though, plenty of people really enjoy keeping Ball Pythons.
To each his own MC, but don't sleep on the colubrids :). Kings, corns, milks, garters, rats, pits. They're some pretty spectacular specimens in those groups. I'm just saying ;)
Pareeeee
10-05-14, 06:45 PM
Mine started out being an easy feeder, now he is REALLY picky. Went without eating for over a year (had to assist feed a few times to try and keep his weight up). When he started looking visibly thin, I finally had to give in and start feeding him live. :/
Other than that, and even though they are ridiculously popular and really common, I still think they are beautiful snakes (especially the wild-type 'normals'). They have puppy-dog faces and I love that they will just *sit* there on your lap.
The feeding thing is REALLY annoying and if you're anything like me, something to stress and fret over.
Aaron_S
10-05-14, 06:46 PM
Mine started out being an easy feeder, now he is REALLY picky. Went without eating for over a year (had to assist feed a few times to try and keep his weight up). When he started looking visibly thin, I finally had to give in and start feeding him live. :/
Try switching back now that his appetite is back.
Pareeeee
10-05-14, 06:59 PM
Try switching back now that his appetite is back.
Easier said than done :/
I think he's...stuck on live...
(better not hijack the thread here :o )
metalcopper
10-05-14, 07:29 PM
To each his own MC, but don't sleep on the colubrids . Kings, corns, milks, garters, rats, pits. They're some pretty spectacular specimens in those groups. I'm just saying
Yeah, no offense EL-Ziggy, I have had them in the past, but I really have always been a python/boa/venomous fan. Kings, rats, and milks are ok, but corns are just not attractive to me, must be the red and orange color combo, just my opinion though.
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