My New Black Back!!

[SweetDreams444]

Heyy! Just today (Sunday, March 15th, 2009), I went to J & J Reptiles (a reptile store in my city) and purchased a [roughly] 7 month old male Black Back ball python. He's amazing, and sooo cool, I can't wait to start handling him! He doesn't have a name yet, but we're thinking either Buddy or Cookie, or something that sounds like a sweetheart name. Cuz ball pythons aren't mean like so many people think. =]

[Chu'Wuti]

Sweet! I'd love to see pics of this guy; haven't seen that morph in person myself, only the pics Kevin McCurley has in his text. Are you thinking of breeding in the future?

I know you're dying to handle him, bu let him chill for a week before you start; he's pretty stressed from the big move.

Welcome to the forum, too!

[SweetDreams444]

Thanks, Chu'Wuti! Yea, we're thinking of possibly breeding him-hopefully with a female Black Back, or possibly a different morph. A female Black Back only because if they were to breed, their offspring would be Red Axanthics. I'll try to get pics of him up when I start handling him!

[siz]

Awesome can't wait to see him!!

[DeesBalls]

ill be getting a new ball thurday! i cant wait.. its a normal ball, but its got a lil bit of orange on em.

[mykee]

Ok, did you purchase a black back, or a het red axanthic? The names are really interchangable within respected breeders. Is it possible that you may have been ripped off by a less-than-respectable pet store? Many pet stores sell normal ball pythons as black backs, but true "black bakcs" is another name for a het red axanthic, originated and produced by Corey Woods.
Do you have a pic, or would you mind divulging what you paid for him?

[SweetDreams444]

I'm not sure...he could be a Black Back, or a het. Red Axanthic....I paid $200 (I think?) for him. They had two there that were young like mine who had strong Clown [morph] genes. I really wanted one of them, and I think my mom did too, but they were $600. No matter what morph my baby boy is, I still love him. =]

P.S. He has a name now! It's Ziggy.=]

[Chu'Wuti]

So Corey Woods bred two black backs together and got the het red axanthics? Apparently not quite the same thing, if I understand his comments correctly, but I'm a little confused by his pics which still look like Black Backs to inexperienced me. I wonder what the genetic difference is?? His het red axanthics are pricey: $10,000 for males, $15,000 for females--ouch. At any rate, very cool snake!

[mykee]

Chu, Corey hasn't updated his website since 2004. Het red axanthics are now around $400-$600. Het reds, when bred together can produce red axanthics. Het reds are also called black backs WITHIN the community, that does not include pet stores for the most part, where all prices of normal ball pythons are grossly inflated to first-time ball python owners. Some pet stores will call abberant normals by loads of different names to "trick" a buyer into buying a normal ball python for morph prices. This is what I think has happened to young SweetDreams here. I hope this is not the case as it pisses me off to no end to see new hobbyists screwed over for a profit.
I am also still wondering what a "strong clown gene" is. I own clowns and they still come in around $2500 with hets ranging from $400-$700.

[Chu'Wuti]

Ahhh . . . that's really good info to know. ALL of it! Thanks for continuing my education, Mykee! I really appreciate you!

[mykee]

Chu; if you can get past the fact that I am a condescending, ignorant, rude, obnoxious a$$hole prick, I have been known to hit one out of the park every now and then.

[Faequine]

isnt there suposed to be a pic? of a snake somewhere here?

[SweetDreams444]

Chu, Corey hasn't updated his website since 2004. Het red axanthics are now around $400-$600. Het reds, when bred together can produce red axanthics. Het reds are also called black backs WITHIN the community, that does not include pet stores for the most part, where all prices of normal ball pythons are grossly inflated to first-time ball python owners. Some pet stores will call abberant normals by loads of different names to "trick" a buyer into buying a normal ball python for morph prices. This is what I think has happened to young SweetDreams here. I hope this is not the case as it pisses me off to no end to see new hobbyists screwed over for a profit.
I am also still wondering what a "strong clown gene" is. I own clowns and they still come in around $2500 with hets ranging from $400-$700.

The ones we saw first would have Clown offspring, that's what I meant. They were $600. But, the owner (manager? Not sure which lolz) breeds the snakes for the store by himself, they don't get them from breeders. We were lucky to find a young(ish) one.

[mykee]

The ones we saw first would have Clown offspring, that's what I meant. They were $600. But, the owner (manager? Not sure which lolz) breeds the snakes for the store by himself, they don't get them from breeders. We were lucky to find a young(ish) one.
I can only assume that you mean that the snakes were het clowns. If that is also the case, het clowns bred together will give you a 25% chance of producing a clown offspring per egg. I do not know of this J&J Reptiles you speak of, and I know nothing of their reputation, but I sincerely hope you didn't end up with the poopy end of the stick on this one.
Post a pic and I can tell you for sure if you bought a het red axanthic (which I do not feel you did for the price you paid) or if you do have a het red.
Enjoy him regardless and read all you can to keep him healthy and happy.

[Chu'Wuti]

Chu; if you can get past the fact that I am a condescending, ignorant, rude, obnoxious a$$hole prick, I have been known to hit one out of the park every now and then.

Hah! I never considered you any of those things in the first place! That was other people who 1) couldn't see under the words you sometimes used to the passion you have for snakes, not me; and 2) were so far beyond you in those qualities (especially the "ignorant, rude, obnoxious a$$hole prick" qualities) that you ended up not qualifying for them! LOL!

[siz]

This has been a really interesting thread to read thanks for all the info mykee

[mykee]

Thank you Siz, glad I could help. Still hope to see a pic SweetDreams.

[citysnakes]

i doubt its a het red axanthic. most likely its just a normal, non-genetic blackback.

i have a wicked normal blackback female that i would love to prove out if she ever decides to lay a clutch for me...:mad:

[SweetDreams444]

I can only assume that you mean that the snakes were het clowns. If that is also the case, het clowns bred together will give you a 25% chance of producing a clown offspring per egg. I do not know of this J&J Reptiles you speak of, and I know nothing of their reputation, but I sincerely hope you didn't end up with the poopy end of the stick on this one.
Post a pic and I can tell you for sure if you bought a het red axanthic (which I do not feel you did for the price you paid) or if you do have a het red.
Enjoy him regardless and read all you can to keep him healthy and happy.

Well, your thing says you live in Ontario. If that's true, that's prolly why you don't know of J & J Reptiles; it's only in Calgary. But yes, I do mean they were het Clowns. And very cute ones at that! But anyways, we fed him for the first time today (Friday, March 20th), and he ate well. I think he's gonna be a good eater, but only time will tell. =]

[SweetDreams444]

i doubt its a het red axanthic. most likely its just a normal, non-genetic blackback.

i have a wicked normal blackback female that i would love to prove out if she ever decides to lay a clutch for me...:mad:

Lolz, best of luck with breeding your female Black Back!=]

[SweetDreams444]

Thank you Siz, glad I could help. Still hope to see a pic SweetDreams.

Yea, I'll try to get a pic up of him soon, but he moves a lot. I'll try to get one tomorrow or something. If I can't, I'll post the link to a video of him.=]

[Aaron_S]

Chu; if you can get past the fact that I am a condescending, ignorant, rude, obnoxious a$$hole prick, I have been known to hit one out of the park every now and then.

Mykee we both know this as the truth...

"you are a slightly hyper, bluntly outspoken perfectionist with no patience for stupidity. I know this because you have a chocolate lab"

[mykee]

Aaron, I think they're both dead on. It depends on where I am in my menstrual cycle.

[Aaron_S]

I think there's a little boy deep down inside that needs a hug... You just need to let the inner child out Mykee :P

[mykee]

Aaron, I prefer to keep him in a wooden crate in the basement. I occasionally let him out but only if he promises not to make a run for it, and not to scream. Get's difficult to explain to my neighbours...

[Aaron_S]

Well, at least there's airholes in the crate.

[Kmef07]

He never said anything about airholes lol

[mykee]

What do you guys think, I'm a monster?! Of course there's AN airhole.

[Kmef07]

an

monster!!!!!! Lol

[Aaron_S]

Hey! He's a monster that supplies amazing animals to me (when they hatch) so don't go chasing him off.

[Chu'Wuti]

Aaron, I think they're both dead on. It depends on where I am in my menstrual cycle.

I think there's a little boy deep down inside that needs a hug... You just need to let the inner child out Mykee :P

Aaron, I prefer to keep him in a wooden crate in the basement. I occasionally let him out but only if he promises not to make a run for it, and not to scream. Get's difficult to explain to my neighbours...

What do you guys think, I'm a monster?! Of course there's AN airhole.

OMG! ROFLMAO! and my stomach hurts from laughing so hard! You guys!

Oh, THANK YOU both! MY PC is crashing, the laptop I'm on at the moment is flickering, and my general exams--for which I have to have 5 papers of 15-20 pages each memorized--are in less than a month, so I'm really stressing out! My DH is currently trying to rebuild the PC after wiping it clean. I have a bad habit of clenching my jaw when I get stressed, so I really needed a good laugh! THANKS!

[siz]

Hahaha do you feed your inner basement child F/T or live?

[Chu'Wuti]

Good question, Siz! and how often?

[Kmef07]

I reccommend feeding once every 5-7 days as a juvenile and when it gets big feed it once or twice a month...........and make sure if you have to bathe it that you don't get the temp too hot because you could put it into thermal shock.

[Chu'Wuti]

I would add that you should be very careful when bathing it; an inner child kept locked in a basement cage most of the time may develop some neurotic tendencies beyond what it already has! ;)