Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi! I'm new to the forum and also to ball pythons. My boyfriend got me into the hobby and I quickly fell in love with it. My question is how can I tell the difference in a regular dark ball python and a black pastel. I was sold yesterday a black pastel female. I'm just curious how to tell if this is a really a black pastel or just a dark regular? My boyfriend is more of the big boa person and doesn't know much about balls either. I hope someone out there can help me out. :]

Thanks,
DeeRa

You sold one as a Black Pastel and you weren't sure what it was?

Or did you buy it?
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www.HeathersHerps.com

-Ohh, what a Lady-

Balls for Life, Baby!

I bought a snake that is supposedly a black pastel. The guy who sold me the snake had several morphs and goes to some shows. This snake was in vision with about 6 other balls. All around 900-1000 grams. He started saying in the top vision, which had no light and the snakes were freezing, that there was a black pastel female. He reached in and pulled out an extremely dark ball python. He kept saying she was a black pastel. The reason why I am questioning is because the snake was sold to me extremely cheap. Considering that it is a defient female (I went to the local snake store to the people I trust and had her probed.) I'm going to try to post some pics up with her and the other female I bought so people can compare the differences.

I'm sure we can help you.
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www.HeathersHerps.com

-Ohh, what a Lady-

Balls for Life, Baby!

Okay this isn't the best pic in the world. I couldn't get the other photos to upload from my phone. This is the only one I can get to upload. Atleast its a decent pic of her side.

As you can see she has a pure white stomache and the few flames she does have are white as well. I looked for the "squigglys" that some of the black pastel lines have above the alien eyes but she doesn't have any. I'm so confused because she defiently stands out when placed next to my other two normals. Hope this pic is okay enough to attempt to get me some answers.

Thanks for helping! :]

...sorry here is the pic

It's not a very good picture - but it doesn't look like it. If he was willing to lie about that I'm betting they aren't even females.

Good luck!
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Tosha
JET Pythons

Sorry I know the pic isn't good. I know for a fact they are females because I went and had them sexed by my snake guy that I have been doing business with for awhile. He probed both of them and said both are indeed females. So atleast I did good on that part. If she isn't I can't complain considering I only paid 60 bucks for her. :]

Thanks for your answers.

if you only paid $60 for her than she is I would bet 100% not a black pastel.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto
J&K Reptiles

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, an amel tiger retic female, a couple sulcatas and a few other odds and ends.

a BAD dog is MADE not bred, support the American Pit Bull Terrier as the greatest breed of dogs on Earth!!!!!

I couldn't see it, but here is a picture of one of my Black Pastels for comparison.

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www.HeathersHerps.com

-Ohh, what a Lady-

Balls for Life, Baby!

Check this out!
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=45652

There are subtly different in color and pattern - if you aren't involved with balls you probably wouldn't really know the difference - post a picture - someone on here would be glad to help.
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Tosha
JET Pythons

No offense, but wouldn't it have been........ to ask these questions BEFORE buying the animal? Hope you didn't end up paying too much...
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www.strictlyballs.ca

Actually I paid 60 dollars for the females and they both are over 1000 grams. So no, I defiently didn't get ripped off. That's why I'm questioning what the guy said. The girls where EXTREMELY cheap. He had two girls and I purchased both of them. Can't go wrong with the price reguardless if they are both just normals.

OK I read it all, Noway would a person that goes to shows sell a female BlkPst that weighs in at 1000grams. I would think he would sell it at one of the shows for atleast 1k for a female blkpst that size.......... Can You post a Picture of it?.. But if he goes to shows and says its a black pastel why would he lie? .. I have to see a picture to say what it is.. If he sold You a dark wild cought female that just drop her eggs,You may have a 60 dallor problem on your hands...... What did the people at the pet shop that probed her say.?

Van
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=288590239

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Forever Trust in what we are,and nothing else Matters

Well when he got there he immediately started saying she was a black pastel and he was for sure it was a female. I went ahead and took her to my snake guy who has been doing snakes for well over 15 years. He has a snake store in miami. I do a lot of business through him so I decided to take both snakes I purchased to him and have them resexed and let him give me his opinon.

When I took the snakes out and had them sexed the supposed black pastel was a girl and the "possible yellowbelly" is a boy. Which both were sold to me as girls but its all good. They both weight alittle over 1100 grams each. He said that he didn't think my female was a black pastel but she defiently wasn't a normal. He was real bewildered by her belly markings and her odd color. My male is producing sperm (duh!) and he looks odd too. Except he is extremely light compared to the female. My snake guy said put them together and see what happens. So! That's what I have done. He was really interested about my dark female and is going to hunt around and try to find another snake that looks like her. So we will seeeeeeee!!!!!!!

Only time will tell. I got two odd balls that were both in a low low low temp cage when I bought them and now have been raised up. The snake guy says even though breeding season is over, with those factors you never know what can happen.

:]

I'm happy either way bc its still a steal of a deal.

this is what your looking for. ps. not my snake got pic off King Snake some time in the past . David