Age Determination

[sapphire_moon]

I got this beautiful BP and the breeder is saying she is over a year old....hatched april 2002! However the bp is only 22 in long and about the size of a blind fuzzy mouse around! Maybe 100 grams in weight....And the breeder is getting this "I know all, you know nothing" attitude.... Now I know that age can not be determined by length.......but can you more experienced herpers give me rought estimates of how old she really is....I think she might be between 3-5 months old....but that is not what this person is telling me....

[Andy_G]

If your ball python is that old and that small, something is terribly wrong. My 7 month female ball python is around 32 inches in length and I would assume around 600-700 grams in weight. I think yours is 3-4 months. Mine had a HUGE growth spurt when I put her on rats in length and thickness. Is yours on rats yet?

[sapphire_moon]

Oh I agree that she could only be 3-4 months old.....I think that the snake was hatched in april of 2002, i think she was hatched in april of 2003..........stupid people......she's not on rats yet...no where has small enough rats for me to feed her....I'm thinking of putting her on a "power feed" diet to get her big enough to eat small rats....

[lilyskip]

is this a third one for you, sapph? coolness!

it sounds like if the snake really is a year old, then it's pretty malnourished...

[sapphire_moon]

oh no this is not the third! This is the one that I was having problems feeding...Prana..... I found out who the breeder was, and contacted them. They said she was hatched april 2002! I think she was hatched april 2003.....why would you sell yearlings, and I think we all know which pet shop I got this snake from!!! Certainly not the same one I got Damballah from!!!! I'll never go to this pet store for another pet!!!!!! But atleast she is eating. f/t now......:) I got the place that breeds the BP's for the ball pythons and contacted them, gave them the date I purchaced her and the place........and thats the date they gave me???????? I don't think so!!!!

[Linds]

Even a day old hatchling is larger around than a blind fuzzy. I would be very concerned with the snakes prior care. It sounds like it has been very neglected :(

[sapphire_moon]

Well a blind fuzzy that is maybe a couple of days from opening it's eyes it's about to open.
prana all the way around -------> [.............] ----->blind fuzzy >>>>>>>>>>>>>.[.........] all the way around

Does that help?

[Andy_G]

Fuzzies don't have their eyes open, as far as I know, as soon as they open their eyes they are then labelled as a hopper/crawler mouse, but I could be wrong :).

[sapphire_moon]

I don't know, I always get confused when it comes to names for these feeder mice/rats

[sapphire_moon]

Well I emailed the breeder yesterday........and he has yet to re email me.......hmmmmmm.......well I think she is only about 3-4 months old. No matter what the breeder says. I think he has his hatch dates all messed up........

[Solid Snake]

a new born BP can eat a rat pup... Mine did

you should get yur BP on rats asap. Damn mines 3 months old and hes huuuuuge!