hey i want a royal python!!!

[striko_69]

i want a royal but i am not sure about them yet.... i have the ball python manual by de vosjoli. are captive bred pythons difficult to keep? i mean the good eaters, i have heard all about the eating strikes but is there anything else that makes them difficult to keep?

please help , and i know all about the eating habits.... by the way!!!

alex;)

[daver676]

My bp has been a huge learning experience for me. The hardest part about the bp for me was the fact that my won't eat on her own yet. Also, getting the enclosure properly set up and to the right temp and humidity was a pain for me too. But everything seems to be coming together nicely now.

Dave

[krrc]

I think you will find ball pythons to be fairly easy to keep once correct feeding habits are established. Buy your ball python from a reputable dealer and ask to see it eat. If they say it has come back the next time they feed it. unless you have delt with the shop before dont take their word for it. (trust me I have) :)

daver676: what do you mean by "not eating on it's own?

[sapphire_moon]

Well my first bp is a joy...he eats great. He is up to a small rat every 4 days until I can get some f/t meduim rats......And my other bp.....*rolls eyes* she was a pain to get started.....only on her second f/t adult mouse.....Their humidity is what did it for me.....I am still having trouble getting my male bp to shed one of his eyecaps...I am sure it will come of with his next shed though......RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH...........and never let a pet store tell you how to take care of the animal.

[Linds]

Ball Python husbandry is fairly simple. Its all common sense. Here are some of the basics...

= rubbermaids and custom enclosures work best, tanks don't hold humidity

=bottom-heated methods are preferred, control the source... if its hot enough to warp or melt plastic and crack glass, it will burn your snake!

=they stress easily so don't handle your snake excessively

=just because your snake sits still when you hold it does not mean it is "tame"... this is your snake being defensive

=get from a reputable source. 99% of Ball Pythons sold in stores are not captive bred, they are either captive hatched (also called CB- captive born) or wild caught

Balls are very easy to keep as long as you get a good, healthy animal to start off with ;)

[lilyskip]

once you get the basics covered, like enclosures and feeding, they're pretty easy to take care of. They're not aggressive like some other snakes, and they don't grow ridiculously large.

[mango]

linds is right. as long as you are sure your temperatures are right and your bp has plenty of places to hide, you should have no trouble with feeding habits as long as you get a good feeder. Research breeders and make absolutely sure your snake is a good eater. I can't say you should get a captive bred snake because I have a captive hatched (which means the eggs were wild collected but the snake hatched in captivity) that is a wonderful pet and a hungry girl as well. Good luck and keep us posted!

[striko_69]

guys i am going to tke your advice and go out and get one... in a month or so... thanks for all the help

alex

[sapphire_moon]

Good Luck! And always do your research!

[AymKing]

Captive bred, captive bred I can't say it enough!! It's worth the extra $ to buy a cb. If you do buy a wc and it won't eat I try to mimick the wild as best as I can by not handling to much and putting lot's of plants in the enclosure and a place to hide. I've gotten 4 wc bp to eat that way. Food for thought so to speak!!

[daver676]

"Not eating on her own" meaning we assist fed her after she hadn't eaten her first meal after 6 weeks. This is what the vet advised, and the snake wasn't doing well.

Dave

[striko_69]

thanks guys

i just posted a thread on my recent vivarium i am trying to sort out......

so have a look and post some comments

[ATC813]

my ball is a wild caught one (even tho the pet store said it was captive bred)..... anyways, the only problem I've had with regards to feeding is that she WILL NOT take pre killed at all, no matter what tricks i try, so she's still on live, the major other problem is the parasites that most WC ones come in with, they are notorius for having worm, mites, or RIs or any combo thereof.... mine had all 3!!!! total vet bill !!! PRICELESS

[CyberGypsy]

Originally posted by sapphire_moon
...........and never let a pet store tell you how to take care of the animal.

Seriously man,...my roomate went to a pet store and asked if they had any frozen rats. They told him no, and that it is better to feed live anyway because "it teaches them to hunt.".....They already know how to hunt, its called instinct! Besides...its a captive animal that eats frozen rats...it don't need to hunt!

Oy :rolleyes: