Reptile & Amphibian Forums

How can I find out the age and sex of a python that I have received? She was bought at Petco, and when I asked how old and sex I was told that s/he's not very old, they only had them a couple of weeks and was too young to be sexed. Well, that hasn't helped me any. He's about 18 inches long I believe. I won't be able to really say until I get back home (my mother is snake sitting for me).

Jennifer

If there is not a breeder in your area to help you, look for a reptile show in your area & someone there will be able to help you, not to mention going to the shows can be fun..... but I'll warn ya, if you bought it at petco you'll probably be sick after seeing the prices at the show.

Oh, & no BP is really too young to be sexed, just another case of petco not havng a clue what they are talking about.

If the snake is about 18 inches, it's a young one. Beyond that, there is no real way to tell age. Ball pythons can completely stop growing if not fed well, so this can make them stay small despite being older than they look. Your baby could be anywhere from 1-6 months old. It really depends on how it was fed/cared for prior to you buying it.

PetCo doesn't know jack about ball pythons. You can sex a ball python right out of the egg by popping, a little older by probing. I bet they gave you inaccurate care info too.

Nice name, BTW. My name is also Jennifer Nicole.
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

They actually didn't say much for care, besides he's eating one fuzzy a week, and on Wednesdays. Gave me a sheet that said what I needed to care for pythons. I didn't think it was much help so when I got home I got online and searched for what I could on them.

Right now the cooler end of his cage is 72. I am having a hard time keeping the temps on each end different. I have a black (well, looks purple turned on) light that is a 75 watt bulb on one end, also a small heat pad underneath on the same end. I have an electric heater in the room to keep the room warm It's been getting really cold in here (we don't have central heat/air).

I am about to move him into the spare room as it will be warmer than the living room. At night the warm end doesn't really stay warm. He's in a 10 gallon tank.

Nice to meet you Jen!

Jennifer

Fuzzy mouse or fuzzy rat? Fuzzy mice would be much too small and that could mean that he is older but still small from not being fed much.

What kind of thermometers are you using?
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

He's eating fuzzy mice. Fed on Wednesday. Tried to feed again on Sunday, but thinking he may have not eaten because of having the car trip home. I thought my boyfriend was going to go with me to pic him up where I could have held him on the ride, but my grandmother went with me and she doesn't drive. I really don't know how to tell when he's hungry, or when I should feed more than once a week. I thought about trying today, but dunno. I'm so clueless here.

In about a week or two I'll be taking him to a vet that specializes in snakes. My mom called her vet (dog vet) and the receptionist said only one in town specializes, but 2 takes them. I called the vet and they said $60 for examination and $16 for sexing.

I handled him today. Well, I got him out and held him and let him roam around for a bit.

The thermostats/humidifier that I'm using are made by Kritterz. Which the sticky stuff on the back of the humidifier became not so sticky and won't stick to the glass. Is there an alternitive to ones that stick to the glass? I thought about gluing the humidifier in as this is only a temporary aquarium. I'm thinking about making one out of plexiglass so I can make a front that has hinges on the bottom so it'll open from the front instead of the top. Makes things much easier for me. Ok, I'll quit rambling on!

Those stick-on thermometers and hygrometers are very inaccurate and worthless. You need to get a digital thermo/hygro combo with a probe or a temp gun. A good one can be found here, I use these as do many other keepers:

www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=21243-1308-00887GT&lpage=none

If he's a baby, fuzzy mice are pretty small. My hatchlings don't even eat fuzzy mice -- they're on large hoppers/small adults from day 1. I would go with 1 every 5 days, or move to larger prey like a small adult mouse every week.
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~* Jen *~

Pink Lady Constrictors

If it came from Petco at that size, it was almost certainly a "farmed" import baby from this past season's hatching. This would make it anywhere from 5-7 months of age.
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Brad Chambers

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....