So I got another pet....A ball python!!!

EnzoLeya

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I never thought I would like snakes till I met a few of them. Then today I found a baby pastel(?) ball python that I just loved!
I haven't told my SO yet, he's NOT going to be happy.
He told me "no snakes".

Here is the closest picture I could find of the snake I have. It has the green on top and pink on the side, but not as much pink! The site calls this ball python an Enchi.
 

arlyn

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Age? sex? and what did you pay (if you don't mind answering).

And grats, Balls are awesome little snakes.
 
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EnzoLeya

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I have no idea on the sex. She said he was about 2 months old, and I payed $45. We were at a "pigeon swap" here in IA. It's pretty much a big flea market of animals. The women who had this BP breeds iguanas/skinks/ball pythons/and more that weren't at the swap. She had about 15 baby pythons and two older pythons, 1 and 2 years, at the swap. They were all really friendly. The bigger ones were a lot more money, but they were the regular color.

I've never had a snake before, but I've heard pythons are awesome pets.
 

arlyn

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Holy Cow! $45??
I've never seen an enchi go for under $600, you got really lucky.
If you can get a good, clear photo of it's tail, from the vent to the tip, from the belly side, I might be able to tell you what sex it is, dunno if it'll be big enough though.
 
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EnzoLeya

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

Holy Cow! $45??
I've never seen an enchi go for under $600, you got really lucky.
If you can get a good, clear photo of it's tail, from the vent to the tip, from the belly side, I might be able to tell you what sex it is, dunno if it'll be big enough though.
Oh my goodness you have got to be kidding!!!!
Like I said he's not as pink as that one, but that's the closest coloring match that I can find to mine. They are just about identical. He/she is about as thick as my thumb and the pink is as wide as my pinkie nail. I'm not at home right now so I can't get any pictures up of him/her till this evening.
 

renovia

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I don't know how much I'd like a snake in the house with my babies.......
 

arlyn

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If it makes you feel better, Balls don't really get big enough to view a cat as dinner.

Their native diet is mostly gerbils.
 

goldenkitty45

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Very pretty - my favs are the corn and king snakes and all the different colors. One day I would consider breeding them, tho I would like to cross them in different colors just to see what I'd get
 

strange_wings

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^Morph breeding is very specific... I'm not going to go into explaining it, too much trouble. But just like with cats, you have to be very careful about genetics, too.
For those seriously into it, developing or strengthening a morph can mean a lot of money - with most of it going into the project and not being made back. (it's always funny when new 16-18 year olds join reptiles forums and ask how they can make lots of money breeding reptiles.
)

That one could have been cheap because it was breed out of lower quality (at least color wise) parents and because it's not considered ideal of the morph itself. There could be a small deformity you haven't really noticed. In other words, pet quality. Quality feeders and proper care may bring out some color. Since the breeder had so many different species and was selling them cheap, I suggest taking your snake and a fecal sample to a herp vet. The breeder may have been legit... but there are too many that just try to pop out as much as they can to sell off - the reptile version of a BYB.

And of course, make sure everything is locked up tight so it won't get out and possibly become a cat snack.
 
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EnzoLeya

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Originally Posted by Renovia

I don't know how much I'd like a snake in the house with my babies.......
I was reading about that! Everything I found on the subject said that the cats are much more of a danger to the snake than the snake is to the cat. Thank goodness!

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Very pretty - my favs are the corn and king snakes and all the different colors. One day I would consider breeding them, tho I would like to cross them in different colors just to see what I'd get
I love corn snakes, but they like to move fast and that's what scares me!

Originally Posted by strange_wings

^Morph breeding is very specific... I'm not going to go into explaining it, too much trouble. But just like with cats, you have to be very careful about genetics, too.
For those seriously into it, developing or strengthening a morph can mean a lot of money - with most of it going into the project and not being made back. (it's always funny when new 16-18 year olds join reptiles forums and ask how they can make lots of money breeding reptiles.
)

That one could have been cheap because it was breed out of lower quality (at least color wise) parents and because it's not considered ideal of the morph itself. There could be a small deformity you haven't really noticed. In other words, pet quality. Quality feeders and proper care may bring out some color. Since the breeder had so many different species and was selling them cheap, I suggest taking your snake and a fecal sample to a herp vet. The breeder may have been legit... but there are too many that just try to pop out as much as they can to sell off - the reptile version of a BYB.

And of course, make sure everything is locked up tight so it won't get out and possibly become a cat snack.
Don't worry, I don't really plan on breeding her/him. I have a good friend who breeds piebald ball pythons. He has around 30 of them and the "cheapest" one is $1,500!!!!
He's got gorgeous snakes though! I can't remember what the other morphs he has are, but they are all really neat.

Originally Posted by AmberThe Bobcat

Congratulations on your new snake
I would like to have a snake, but with my cats, I have my hands full as it is.
I could imagine that you have your hands full!!!
 

mbjerkness

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My 17 year old daughter would absolutely love to have a snake. I am terrified of them. She dragged me to a snake show, I was so scared I thought I was going to pee myself.
 
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EnzoLeya

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I got pictures!!!! I'm going to post of few more in the "pictures" forum.

The pinkish color was better yesterday. I don't know if it's because of stress or what?




Here is one of her/his tail. My camera sucks for close up focused pictures.


And I circled the spur in this picture. I almost couldn't find it! I don't know if that's because the snake is so young, or because it could be a female. (sorry I stink at drawing!
)
 
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EnzoLeya

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I have a question about the ball python. When they get into a ball does that mean they are mad?! Stuart came up and smacked him during the photoshoot and he got in a ball for a minute. I was little scared, but thank goodness he unballed himself!

Oh and I talked with my friend that is a snake breeder and he told me that this snake is probably a yearling. (Last years hatchlings) It's about 1 foot and 4-5 inches.
 

vixen16

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What a gorgeous Snake!!

I would love to have a pet Snake but I cant see myself feeding one rat/mouse to a Snake than having a Rat as a pet... id feel to bad for the feeder rat.. even if it was frozen already


So what does the SO think of it??


Originally Posted by EnzoLeya

I have a question about the ball python. When they get into a ball does that mean they are mad?! Stuart came up and smacked him during the photoshoot and he got in a ball for a minute. I was little scared, but thank goodness he unballed himself!
My friends BP used to curl up in a ball in my hand ((when she curled up she was the size of my palm)) and just sit there while I pet her head.. she was cool
 

strange_wings

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Your snake was scared. Think of how Stuart looked from that tiny snake's POV! It would be a bit like a tiger coming up to smack you.


Keep a better look out next time, no kitties near the snake. I get onto my two if they even get the "look" in their eyes if I have one of my geckos out. I tell the boys to knock it off and go lay down, they usually give me the annoyed look but do listen.
 
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EnzoLeya

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Thanks everyone! I went looking at ball python spurs and think maybe the snake could be a girl. The spurs are a lot harder to see than the spurs I saw in some pictures. Either way I named her Isis.
 
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EnzoLeya

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Originally Posted by Vixen16

What a gorgeous Snake!!

I would love to have a pet Snake but I cant see myself feeding one rat/mouse to a Snake than having a Rat as a pet... id feel to bad for the feeder rat.. even if it was frozen already


So what does the SO think of it??




My friends BP used to curl up in a ball in my hand ((when she curled up she was the size of my palm)) and just sit there while I pet her head.. she was cool
Yeah....I have two rats as well. I'm not sure what I will think when she's big enough to eat rats instead of the little things.
 
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