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I WAS DOING SOME EASTER SHOPPING AND WENT INSIDE A PET STORE NEXT TO THE STORE I WAS SHOPPING AT FOUND MY SELF LOOKING AT THERE SNAKES. WELL IN ONE OF THERE CAGES IS A BALL WITH A ALMOST ALL BLACK BACK AND LITTLE TO NO WHITE ON THE OUT LINE OF THE PATTERN. ALSO IT HAS A REDUCED PATTERN. THE BELLY IS CLEAR AND EXTENDS UP INTO HIS SIDES. BUT THEY WANT $70. I HELD THE SNAKE AND IT IS OF GOOD BODY WEIGHT, IT IS EATING FRESH KILLED. THE ONLY THING I DID NOT LIKE WAS THE STORE WORKER JUST LOOKED AT THE SNAKE AND SAID IT WAS A MALE. DID NOT PROBE A REFUSED TO DO SO BUT THAT IS BESIDES THE POINT, SHOULD I SPEND $70 A POSSIBLE NORMAL MALE? ANY ADVICE WOULD HELP ALSO IT A DARKER SNAKE THE ALL THE OTHERS IN THE CAGE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

THANKS ,
JON

There is no way of knowing by a typed description if the Ball you are looking at is "something special" or not w/out pictures. And I doubt very seriously the pet store will allow you to take pictures of their snake.

If you know how to probe then go in and ask if they'll allow you to probe the snake to make sure it's the sex you want. If it is buy it. Especially if the snake is breeding age or extremely close to it.

But this is all in my opinion.
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Christine
Tails With Scales Reptiles
Happiness is biting my snake back!

This may sound overly simple, but if you LIKE the snake, BUY the snake. If you DON'T like the snake then DON'T buy the snake...
$70 is not really a lot of money for some people...but then again for some other people it is...
You may want to get your own probes and someone who knows how to probe so that you can determine the sex before you buy it, if the store does not object that is.

Hope this helps,

Rob Reiding.
Link

Whether or not you consider it a good deal would depend on what you want it for - a neat pet - then yeah - make sure it's healthy and buy it. If you plan on putting it into some breeding program examine what you've got and where it would fit in. Chances are its a nice normal probable male - start from there.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

6.34.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi)
0.1.0 Bredls Python (Smurfette)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.4 frogs rescued from pool skimmer
0.0.0 Lizards of unknown origin

BOTTOM LINE. IT YOU LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS, THEN IT IS WORTH THE PRICE. IF Y0U DON'T LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS, THEN IT IS NOT WORTH THE PRICE. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT. THEN YOUR $70.00 IS BETTER SPENT WITH A FINANCIAL CONSULTANT.

MARK

>>I WAS DOING SOME EASTER SHOPPING AND WENT INSIDE A PET STORE NEXT TO THE STORE I WAS SHOPPING AT FOUND MY SELF LOOKING AT THERE SNAKES. WELL IN ONE OF THERE CAGES IS A BALL WITH A ALMOST ALL BLACK BACK AND LITTLE TO NO WHITE ON THE OUT LINE OF THE PATTERN. ALSO IT HAS A REDUCED PATTERN. THE BELLY IS CLEAR AND EXTENDS UP INTO HIS SIDES. BUT THEY WANT $70. I HELD THE SNAKE AND IT IS OF GOOD BODY WEIGHT, IT IS EATING FRESH KILLED. THE ONLY THING I DID NOT LIKE WAS THE STORE WORKER JUST LOOKED AT THE SNAKE AND SAID IT WAS A MALE. DID NOT PROBE A REFUSED TO DO SO BUT THAT IS BESIDES THE POINT, SHOULD I SPEND $70 A POSSIBLE NORMAL MALE? ANY ADVICE WOULD HELP ALSO IT A DARKER SNAKE THE ALL THE OTHERS IN THE CAGE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
>>
>>THANKS ,
>>JON

I was in the same boat last week. I thought at first that I was seeing a dirty pastel but then realized that I was just seeing a very light and very pretty normal. She's a gorgeous little snake even if she isn't any kind of morph. I'm glad that I got her, but I'm not loaded to capacity with snakes. One big thing in her favor is that she is friendly.

If you are thinking in terms of money, evaluating the snake as a male should be very safe. If the store is wrong and the snake is female, she should be more valuable. I paid $80 for mine, and I feel good about the deal. The $40 I spent this morning at the vet's office learning that she is healthy feels even better. If she were sick, I wouldn't feel so good, but I'd still like her.

Bill

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It's not how many snakes you have. It's how happy and healthy you can keep them.