Dark Male (what do you think?)

[Bristen]

Here's a male that I got recently... it was supposed to be a female, but as usual, it probed as an obvious male... What I like about this guy is how black the "black areas" are on this little guy... it doesn't appear to be brown at all, but very black... perhaps it's just because he's still small?

He's apparently 2 years, and he weighed less than 500g when I got him (about a month ago I think)... so either the age was wrong, or it was fed very little in the past 2 years (very likely the later unfortunately, but who knows)...

He's currently eating f/t rats without any problems (2 rats per meal, a little over 100g total per meal about once a week)... Anyways, he's a cute little guy and appears to be gaining weight...

I'll probably not end up keeping him, but I like the looks of him... it's really too bad it was not a female as I could easily see that producing some killer high-contrast albinos... that would of been very clean white, that's for sure!

Anyways, let me know what you think!

http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/bristen/BallPythons/DarkMale1.jpg

http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/bristen/BallPythons/DarkMale2.jpg

http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/bristen/BallPythons/DarkMale3.jpg

Thanks for looking,
Bristen.

[nita]

Beautiful snake Bristen, I have some 2 yr olds that are small like that, they are mouse eaters and picky ones at that. I have a male that is 2 and only weighs 350g! He is a miserable eater though, only one mouse at a time and often skips meals or simply stops for a month at a time, he is gorgeous though so I keep him hoping he will start eating better, he has never lost weight but is soooo slow to put any on! I have an 04 CH I got this summer that outweighs him!!

[Bristen]

Nita, thanks for the comments! As far as this little guy, it is NOT because he is a picky eater at all.. he was being fed live/prekilled before I got him.. he switched over to frozen/thawed instantly.. he's sooo starved, he'll eat anything, I'm sure... I feel sorry for the little like.. it almost feels like he's trying to catch up :( Anyways, at least he's getting food now and doing quite well, gaining weight, etc...

Thanks for the reply,
Bristen.

[malaysianbloods]

Sorry to hear about the sexing mix up. But at least he looks good.

[smeagel]

Beautiful markings and i love how black he is. Good luck with him and i hope he continues to eat and hain weight for you.

[nita]

Originally posted by Bristen
he was being fed live/prekilled before I got him.. he switched over to frozen/thawed instantly.. he's sooo starved, he'll eat anything, I'm sure... I feel sorry for the little like.. it almost feels like he's trying to catch up :( Bristen.

That is always sad, I have two males that I got in a similar situation, a 10yr old weighing 960g and a 12 yr old weighing 1016g They were fed 4 live mice every 2 weeks or so likely longer between feeding and they were just tossed in the tank were both snakes were kept! Soon as I got them they were eating FT rats like they were going out of style, they now are both over 2000g and usually eat a 500g rat every other week. The 12yr old though has decided to fast I think for the winter, I still offer every 2 weeks for him though, I have them thawed out for others.

[bailey]

He's beautiful and voracious! Good thing! He has a most unusual pattern as well. Congrats on that cutie.