Wanting a ball python, but having a bad experiences

[Sylphie]

Hi,
that's me again... I know I'm a bad person, and I'm still looking for a hognose snake and maybe a woma python...
(The good thing is that my boyfriend likes snakes too and even encourages me to get every one that I want)... but there is that nice ad on my local snake forum with 2015 ball pythons that already are feeding f/t... and I really would love to get ball python.

But like the title says I was once having a ball, he was my greatest snake, and unfortunately we weren't able to switch him to eat f/t (even after a long wait, he was starting to be on the skinny side and still wouldn't take a f/t). In the end we rehomed him to someone more experienced and I'm still sad about this. I'm afraid that I'll get a new one, and then he will do typical "ball thing" and go off food, or he will decide that he no longer wants f/t...

Are you having any tips on how to best keep them? I know there are a lot of care sheets, but I'm really afraid that I will do something wrong and the baby will stress too much and it will end in stopping eating.

[trailblazer295]

I think over all I've gotten pretty lucky. I'm not sure if this is the norm but when I got my BP he was about 4-6 months old. Purchased in Dec and born in summer. I wasn't given an exact date. He ate 2 days after being brought home and never refused through being moved back to the store in april back home start of may and again end of may when i moved. He ate like a champ weekly minus weeks i skipped because he was shedding. Now in the last 4 weeks he refused once, ate next week and has refused the last 2. Some say it's the time of year, some say well that's
BPs but I've heard another customer where i go say his BP refuses all white rats. Which were what the refusal rats were. So could be that or he could be following trends. I'll try a non all white rat next week and see. He's been pretty good so I can't complain too much. He was my first snake and I still have my hair. Lol

[Sylphie]

Yeah, I love bp's but when I think that I will fell in love with my new baby and then s/he'll start to refuse... I will be stressed all over, and feeding live is really not good thing for me :(

[Wdnesday99]

Hi,
that's me again... I know I'm a bad person, and I'm still looking for a hognose snake and maybe a woma python...
(The good thing is that my boyfriend likes snakes too and even encourages me to get every one that I want)... but there is that nice ad on my local snake forum with 2015 ball pythons that already are feeding f/t... and I really would love to get ball python.

But like the title says I was once having a ball, he was my greatest snake, and unfortunately we weren't able to switch him to eat f/t (even after a long wait, he was starting to be on the skinny side and still wouldn't take a f/t). In the end we rehomed him to someone more experienced and I'm still sad about this. I'm afraid that I'll get a new one, and then he will do typical "ball thing" and go off food, or he will decide that he no longer wants f/t...

Are you having any tips on how to best keep them? I know there are a lot of care sheets, but I'm really afraid that I will do something wrong and the baby will stress too much and it will end in stopping eating.
Is live an option?

[redshepherd]

Yeah, I love bp's but when I think that I will fell in love with my new baby and then s/he'll start to refuse... I will be stressed all over, and feeding live is really not good thing for me :(

If you do want to try, I suggest buying live prey and euthanizing on the spot yourself using dry ice in a tub (very humane). And then immediately serving. It ups the chances that the ball python will take it.

But I think that the best option would be to avoid ball pythons then, since they are picky eaters, there's always that chance that you'll get one who refuses F/T prey. And even if he accepts F/T at first, he might refuse F/T some time in his life for whatever weird reason, whether sick or something else. And then you will need to rehome him again, if you still refuse to feed live. Part of responsibly owning ball pythons (or any other picky snake species) is the flexibility with feeding live when really necessary.

[trailblazer295]

I personally feed live to all my snakes, just follow the simple rules of watch and if not killed remove it. I've waited more then 20min before because my BP kept staring it down eventually it did strike and kill. It took over an hr though, I think it was part of it being in a corner and not being able to coil I'm not sure. Personally it's feeding your pet. I enjoy watching the stalking behaviour from one side of the cage to the other but other then that it's a necessity. Me, a cat and 2 snakes. House full of carnavores.

[Mmrseed]

Why are you set on f/t? If you really want a ball python then get one and don't feed it f/t. How about prekilled? It's certainly safe for the animal and most stores will do it for you if that's something that bothers you. Also you can ask a seller to feed a f/t before purchase and see if it's a finicky snake

[Sylphie]

You know, if it would be "starving snake to death or giving him live" then of course I will give him live prey. But for me mices are pets too, and it's hard to hear them squeak and watching them being killed... I know that it's part of nature, but still I reallly don't like it. And I know that frozen mices are being killed too... but it's typical human thing "if I don't see and hear it then it's okay".

And thank you all for responses, maybe like redsphered said they are just not for me. That's why I asked for your opinions :)

[Sylphie]

Well, so thanks to Aaron I started to thinking about getting a ball again... (he's a bad, bad person :D). Still not sure if this is good plan, so maybe someone else would respond to this thread too and tell me some of their experiences. I certainly can't decide now, but there is never too much knowledge to gain, right?

[ManSlaughter33]

Ball pythons are the EASIEST to take caer of in my opinion.
it's rare to get a picky snake, you just have to make sure the keeping is spot on.
Now are you going for tank or tub. If a tank youll want lot's of hiding so it'll feel safe and secure. It's all about comfort. None of my BP's will eat unless they are comfortable. One of mine isnt comfortable with me yet, so I leave the rat in her tub, and she will eat it no problem. They're jut children. The care is all the same it's just minor adjustments to fit that specific one :P

I think you'd LOVE a BP, I find they can be the best one's to handle and have hangout with you.

I could send you pictures of my breeders and of my Plain pet ones an see how awesome they are :)

EDIT on the live vs F/T

I've never had a snake stuck on live. It's just you need to be persistant on feeding the frozen thawed. They won't starve themselves. If they refuse and refuse it's again usually about comfort. Now i'm sure there are some stubborn ones out there but out of my 16 I don't have any that will starve themselves.
I do have one stuck on ASF's but that's what shes had her whole life, she's taken a few normals, but to keep the peace and (asfs are cheaper here) I just gave in and let her have her asfs :P

EDIT AGAIN
Do not panick if your BP refuses a couple meals. It won't kill it, eerything will be ok, then you just leave it alone again until next feeding.

[Minkness]

I only have 2 BPs. I was also aftaid of the horror stories of their terrible feeding issues. My 1st one did not disapoint in that either since he went over a month, almost 2, before FINALLY taking a large mouse. He was off and on for another 2 months, but once he was established in a routine, he's not turned a meal down yet! Even while in blue! My personal experience (since I refused to feed live) was to wait him out, leave him alone, and at the same time get more interactive while feeding. I thaw the rodent out well first, let it get warm to the touch, then I blast the hot water so hot it burns me, and run it over the rat's head and shoulders. From there I take it directly to him and make it dance to get his interest. He likes to play woth his food though and mock kill it....so I may have to rehear his rat 2-3 times using the same super hot water. By the 2nd time usually he takes it. I don't consider it a refusal because he does take it in the end.

My other BP, Amara, has not refused a meal since the day I got her and acrually ate the same day I got her home. I like to at least offer them a meal on their new home in the 1st or 2nd day just to see if they will take it, and she did, and has been slamming them back ever since!

I can't speak for your last BP, and I'm sorry to hear he didn't work out for you....but I thinka second try couldn't hurt.

I keep my guys in a simple set up of a hot hide, something to climb over, and a large water dish on the cool side. This has given me fairly active, comfortable, and easy feeding BPs so far. =)

Also, while I am a serious advocate for hoggies as well, they can be even more unpredictable in their feeding habbit. Had 1 female eat great for one month, then refused EVERYTHING for 2 months...she's now comfortably on a 2 week feeding schedule, even though I want her on a 7 day routine. She just won't donit and if I over offer, she refuses for longer periods of time. Also, all of my hoggies go though a very hissy 'teenage' phase where all they want to dobis make you think they are the deadliest thing this side of the sun! I find it adorable since they are small, but many people (including the people I got 4 of my rescues from) were terribly intimidated and became completely hands off with one as she had also developed striking the glass if they passed her tank....since I have had her there has been NO glass strikes, and 2 months of some of the loudest hissing I could imagine! But now...she's easy, if a bit more squirmy than my others.

Every snake has its pros and cons, it's embrasing them both that makes for an awesome experience. =)

[Sylphie]

MAnSlaughter, Thank you for your response! I know I'll love to have one as my first ball was the best of all my snakes (okay, I know it's bad to have favourite childs). It's just that he was soo stubborn that he was starting to be really skinny and yet wouldn't take f/t... but then I was rather a newbie and it's possible that something was not like he wanted it to be and he was just too stressed to think about eating something that wasn't kicking his instincts.

And yeah, send me all the pics you're having, I would love to see all the cute faces, haha! :D

And I think that IF I will decide to get one then I'll try to keep him in a small secure tank so he won't feel too exposed and see if he'll be okay in it. If not then I'll choose the rub, even if I don't like tubs too much.

[ManSlaughter33]

And I think that IF I will decide to get one then I'll try to keep him in a small secure tank so he won't feel too exposed and see if he'll be okay in it. If not then I'll choose the rub, even if I don't like tubs too much.

I think a small tank as long as temps and humidity are correct and lots of Hiding is available it'll go great :)
Now that you also have more snake experience it should be easier and more comfortable for you.

Don't have many pictures of me holding the big girls as I usually have to use 2 hands lol and the BF can't take pictures worth Poop

[Sylphie]

Also, all of my hoggies go though a very hissy 'teenage' phase where all they want to dobis make you think they are the deadliest thing this side of the sun! I find it adorable since they are small, but many people (including the people I got 4 of my rescues from) were terribly intimidated and became completely hands off with one as she had also developed striking the glass if they passed her tank....since I have had her there has been NO glass strikes, and 2 months of some of the loudest hissing I could imagine! But now...she's easy, if a bit more squirmy than my others.

Every snake has its pros and cons, it's embrasing them both that makes for an awesome experience. =)

Thank you for sharing your experiences! And with hoggies I'm afraid of their feeding problems too, that's why I still don't bought one (and if I am to choose between two problematic feeders then I prefer balls).
And the thing with mock striking is putting me off a little too. My Artemis is pain too, but only in her feeding modes, so it's not all the time... only like 80% of it, haha!

[Sylphie]

ManSlaughter awww, they are soo cute! Especially that Banana (I'm not sure it this is banana but he looks like one to me :D). Great little ones you have there!

[ManSlaughter33]

Top is banana fire and second is banana cinnamon :)

[Tsubaki]

Cinnamon banana's... sounds so tasty... :P

[Sylphie]

Cinnamon banana's... sounds so tasty... :P

Exactly :D Like some type of cake or shake.

[Pogie]

I love the BPs. My brother has one and she is such a nice girl. I saw one at Petsmart, a pied and it sure was pretty. But the price was $400. So I wasn't tempted lol. I agree, I would love to get one too Sylphie, but the going off food scares me. :(

[Sylphie]

Well I guess I'll finally end with a ball soon. There is that breeder in my country who's having a lot of nice 2015 babies in great prices. I'm still waiting for the list of which of them are eating f/t but let my say you that there are bumblee bees and cinnamons for 75$, or pastels for 25$... There is nothing wrong with the babies, the owner just wants them to go to new homes, and she has really good opinions.

[trailblazer295]

Take pics of the new addition. Their faces are so cute, even if they are pet rocks a lot of the time. I'd have a hard time saying no to more myself.

[Sylphie]

That's my biggest problem too, they are just soo cute! And one calm snake would be a nice variety after all our active colubrids :D

[trailblazer295]

That's my biggest problem too, they are just soo cute! And one calm snake would be a nice variety after all our active colubrids :D

That's why I bought a BP, I didn't like the constant escape mode of the corn I held. While BPs just chill out or roam around you. I've watch a movie for 1.5hrs with my BP around my neck. He just hung out in one spot. In your hands they just move around and look at things.

[Albert Clark]

Sylphie, try and make sure you find out from the breeder what f/t prey the snake is taking and also find out what type of enclosure they housed the reptile in. Try to duplicate both but just stick with cypress mulch as your substrate. Ball pythons refuse food for different reasons but the main reason is husbandry related. So keep on point with that to minimize refusals. All my hatchlings get 3 live feedings then are switched to f/t crawler rats. They all eat f/t now. The first three feedings are live hopper mice. It also depends on how you present the f/t as well. The heat signature needs to be high and you can't wiggle the prey too much for hatchlings otherwise you can intimidate them and cause a refusal.

[Sylphie]

Thank you Albert! I'll definitely ask about all of this if I decide to buy from her. At the moment we need to take our blizzard corn to the vet, so I need to wait and see how much money will the treatment take.

[Albert Clark]

Thank you Albert! I'll definitely ask about all of this if I decide to buy from her. At the moment we need to take our blizzard corn to the vet, so I need to wait and see how much money will the treatment take.

Ok, and good luck at the vet. Keep us posted on the results.

[Sylphie]

Well, here is the thread of my little one: http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/python-regius/110863-sylphie-has-balls-too.html

Fingers crossed that he will eat without bigger problems! And if not then at least I'm having more experience now.