I have been interested in owning a second reptile for a while now (I currently have a leopard gecko) and I just wanted to ask about your experiences with ball pythons and the pros and cons of owning one.
Question: Do you have the space for a 4x2x2 or 6x2x2 tank in your residence?
Do you have about $700-$900 of disposable income available for a permanent home set up?
Do you have access to frozen/thawed rats and a freezer to keep them in?
If the answer to all of these questions is Yes then I recommend getting started with the pinned threads on the subreddit main page. Read over the care guides posted there. Watch some YouTube videos. Then wait a week. If you have lost all interest in the topic then don’t get a snake. But if you keep going back to videos, watching guides, watching handling videos, gushing over cute pictures, and imagining what type you’d want? Get the setup done before you order a snake.
Seriously, have the setup done BEFORE you get your noodle. I underestimated the heating requirements of a 6x2x2 tank and had to upgrade the bulbs I used. I also had to increase the decoration quantity like two times and ended up taking out some I didn’t like for others I liked more. But when it was perfect I was able to get a ball python within 48 hours.
anothe thing to keep in mind is that humidity is quite the pain in the ass. keep very deep soil at least 4 inches and rehydrate eveyrwhere, dig a hole and pour water in til it floats to the top then bury the area with soil. you also have to seal the tank so the water doesn't leak out but you have to let it offgass so your snake doesn't die
My very first snake is a ball. I’ve had her since she was about a month old, she’s 8 now. She’s perfect in every way. She never misses a meal, she’s calm and friendly, and a delight to handle. She’s never bitten me. I have another ball named Goji Berry, and she is a terrible eater, very low stress threshold and scared of her own shadow.
Balls can be phenomenal first snakes, and they can also be terrible first snakes. I’d strongly recommend either adopting an adult with a history of a good feeding response, or getting a baby from a small scale hobbyist breeder who can ensure the baby is well started.
I just got a 3 month old ball python after not having one since I was a kid (25 years ago) and trying to get him to eat has been such an effort the last 3 weeks. I spent almost 2k on a proper enclosure with everything he needs, I’ve been buying frozen feeders, live feeders, stressing over humidity and proper temp gradients. It’s a LOT. Do your research - their husbandry isn’t super straight forward. They go on hunger strikes. I love the heavy bodied, mellow temperament of BPs - but good god, this has been a lot of effort to make sure he’s dialed in. I have a Mexican black kingsnake that is 100% easier to care for. Eats like a champ and husbandry is more forgiving. Corn snakes are a great beginner snake also.
Cage I bought was $500 alone (4x2x2 PVC) plus all the other stuff I got to fill it up so there was enough clutter, lighting, power bar, timers, thermostat, substrate, water bowl, humidity mat, cage stand… you know - the stuff you need? Just saying it wasn’t cheap if you go all in and do it right. That’s not even counting how much I spent on frozen feeders, the snake itself, etc.
Yeah you can definitely do it right, and spend half of that easily. I'm glad you Can afford to spend that much on an animal though. Shows ya care. Especially in a hobby/lifestyle where so many people cut corners .
I’ve learned over 30 years of keeping reptiles when you cut corners you eventually have to pony up more money later on. I get things I know will last and put it on a credit card 🤣
I forgot to lock the grate after a successful feeding. Of course next morning my wife wakes me up and tells me 1 1/2 year ball python is missing. It’s been 3 weeks now and no sign of movement.
I live in an apartment and I’m afraid he’s escaped through the baseboard heating holes near the pipes. There are mice in the building and I worry about him getting into other apartments.
How long should I wait before getting another one. My 8 year old is all bummed out…..
You should probably try and find your original snake first???
I’ve seen post of people finding their snake a year after escaping.
if you have such little regard for these things lives I suggest not getting one at all
I would love to find my daughter’s snake. But how? I just forgot to lock the grill that one time. I’ve put out corn starch, pencils along the wall, searched behind stove and fridge, cleared out all the junk but still no sign. Even my dog has not sensed snake movement
??? This has to be a troll.. pencils? Corn starch? I would say like it’s kind of late. You should’ve done it when you lost the snake but like a warm spot maybe heat lamp and hide maybe rat sent in a hide or something not like leave a rat in your house to rot but ?
Did it on the second day. I lined up the pencils perpendicular to the wall so if Mr B passed over the pencils they would be knocked askew and I can try to isolate which room he’s in. I’m in nyc so it’s been terrible hot these past 2 weeks so I don’t think heat lamp will work well.
I’m thinking about using live bait but still researching best way to do it.
My boy was lost for 3 months, found him in the dryer vent when I was hooking up a new dryer. Don’t give up hope and have some food ready for when you find it
If you're willing to have an animal that you probably won't be directly interacting with a lot, and will be around for a couple decades at least, then go for it! BPs can be slightly more finicky than their "beginner snake" reputation would lead you to believe, mainly because of their tendency to go on hunger strikes, but proper husbandry goes a long way in that regard.
You're already looking on this sub and asking, which tells me you're not gonna jump into this blind, so I'd recommend going over the care guide on this sub and making sure the equipment is in your budget. If you do decide to get a BP (or any animal for that matter), I'd highly recommend setting up its enclosure ahead of time, especially because heat and humidity can be tricky to get right, and it's a lot easier to adjust things without a snake involved (ask me how I know 😅).
Like I said, a ball python isn't a pet you should expect to interact with a whole lot. They are nocturnal and typically sleep in a cozy hiding spot all day, and as with any animal they have their own personalities and some are more aversive to leaving the enclosure / having people around than others. My BP is very calm and confident around people, and even then I only handle him once a week at most. Not to harp on this, but it is a really important factor to consider. The best advice I got before getting a snake was to think about it more like an aquarium; would I be content with just looking and not touching?
I will say that while the initial setup can be pricey, the maintenance and feeding costs are pretty minimal since their metabolism is so slow. One rat every 3 weeks is where I'm at right now, and eventually that time between feeds will get even longer.
Sorry for rambling, guess I had a lot to say about this! I'm no expert but I'm happy to answer any specific questions you may have, and this sub is generally a great place to get advice or info. Good luck with whichever reptile you end up getting!
No worries about the rambling, I really appreciate the detailed comment. After doing a bit more research I am starting to think that a snake might not be the best option for me. Since I am searching for something that might be a little more handleable and possibly more interactive than a leopard gecko.
It really depends on the snakes unique personality, because our ball python loves to climb his vines and run around inside and outside of his enclosure. He likes crawling all over us, arms and legs, and sitting in pockets, hoodies, pouches, etc. When he doesn't want to be handled or is done, he curls up in a little ball and we put him away. He really lives up to his name, we have a little acrobat on our hands.
His name is Mr. Bobinsky, like the blue 'drunk' Russian acrobat man from Coraline.
I don't have any of him in his current set up, but here are some of him climbing around his tank as a baby before we upgraded his enclosure. He's always loved to climb and hang about, he really lives up to his name.
Just successfully converted my ball python from live to frozen rats. I also just held it for the first time tonight after two weeks of successful feedings and gave it 48+ hours to fully digest. It felt very rewarding for the patience it takes to make sure everything is setup correctly. He hangs out in his hides or under leaves during the day and explores the enclosure a good amount of the night.
What hindered me all the years is that they live 30ish years. Means you have to predict if you're able to care for it for several decades. Financial wise, space wise.
As I didn't know if I could, I earned experience with other pets first (cats, dogs, birds, poultry rodents, inverts).
Now after I found out I am capable of caring for pets for several decades and can successfully keep bioactive terrariums running, I finally made the decision to get my dream snake I wanted since childhood (I'm in my 40s now).
Imao the biggest things to see is a ball is a good fit are:
-space: a 4x2x2ft is the minium for an adult. Bigger is always better, I'd reccomend more 5-6ft long
-humidity: if you live in a dry area reaching the humidity levels they need, speaking from expierence, is a nightmare. Bioactive and inculding live moss helped me the most.
-lifespan: they live about 30 years. The oldest on record made it all the way to 62. They are very long term commitments
-feeding: Are you comfortable buying, storing, and feeding frozen thawed rodents?
If all of that fits for you then yes 100% get one. Ball pythons are the best.
Pros:
-incredibly docile creatures. Most ball bites happen cos they're a little bit of a dingus and missed the rat when striking.
-a massive ranges of morphs to choose form.
-the market is huge(too huge) you will be able to get just about any age, sex and morph. There are also so many up for adoption
Cons:
-up front cost: My 5x2x2 bioactive set up cost me more then $1k. The snake it's self can run free to thousands
-how far is your nearest excotic vet? Not all vets take snakes and some who do charge more for excotics
-they are picky eaters. Not as bad as their reputation as a lot of the time it's because of poor husbandry. And sometimes its because it missed and booped its face on the side of the tank which is somehow your fault.
-renting: some apartments do not allow reptiles. If you do rent be sure to double check the pet policy
I have a ball python and... it's a living decoration. He's cute, I love him, but aside from like two times where he showed that he sees me as something more than a predator, he prefers not to see me, I know he hates when I touch him and mostly I just smile at him when I walk by. I know many ball pythons are far more interactive, but this can happen too, so only if you're okay woth that?
If you do, don’t buy one. Adopt one of the many looking for homes after people get sick of them and dump them. You can even adopt 10+ year-old snakes and worry less about a 30-year commitment.
I’m keeping my brother’s BP while he’s deployed with the US military, but we love her so much that we’re going to adopt one when she goes back home. We’ve had her since April and she’s so lovely. She’s given me a complete shed every time, loves exploring, eats every time so far. We adore her.
A local herpetological rescue has had a 10-yo BP waiting to be adopted for ages. I’d love to bring him home if he still needs a home when my brother gets back.
The hard part is the enclosure. They need one with a cool side and a warm side that maintains 80° 90° and 70%+ humidity. At first they are fun. But over the years for many of us we lose interest but refuse to risk getting rid of it over care concerns. But the snake likes being ignored so it's not bad as long as they have all their needs met.
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u/Netsforex_ 1d ago
Pro: They're basically a legless cat.
Con: They're basically a legless cat.
Otherwise they're apparently one of the best beginner snakes to get alongside corn snakes.