Reptile & Amphibian Forums

not new to sankes but my son is asking for a few ball pythons. He's already working with geckos so this I guess is his next step. Potentially have room for 4 animals (1.3). Given a limited budget what four animals would you all suggest to produce a good variety? Thanks in advance.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

Is your son interested in breeding or just keeping a neat variety of Ball Pythons?
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Lincoln, NE
0.1 Pastel, 1.0 Pastel het Pied, 0.1 Pied, 0.1 Cinn, 1.0 Black Pewter, 1.0 Woma (hidden gene?), 0.1 Yellowbelly
2.0 Normals, 1.0 Thayeri, 0.1 Thayeri X Alterna, 0.1 crazy cat, 1.0 husband

breeding
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

he's 10 and already has 2.4 leopard geckos he is working with.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

I would say get him one ball python, and give him the opportunity to pick up some more once he has established a proper care routine.
For a 10 year old, handling and ensuring that many animals are safe and healthy may be to much.
He might also find he is not as interested in snakes as he is now.
I say get one nice female(They take longer to get to breeding size), and think about a male next year or season.

Why rush into things when it will take years for a baby female to get to the right size anyways.

By 10 I had a collection of 15 Snakes, 10 Lizard, 2 Iguanas, and many Rodents.

Aninmals have always been my passion.

But I do agree, he should get one first. Then move up from there.

My mom bought me my first snake, Albino Corn Snake, in 2nd grade I believe.

I got my first Ball Python around 5 or 6.

Ive had them ever since!

I wish you and your son the best of luck!
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Got Balls?
Josh Molone

We got our first ball python when my son was 6 years old (my son is 19 now and we still have that snake). We asked him what he wanted for his birthday and he said "a snake" so we bought him one.
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Neutiquam erro. Hostes alienigeni me abduxerunt.

What do you consider a limited budget? To some that's 200 dollars, to some it's 10,000. we could make better suggestions if we know what you're working with-and does your budget include needing to purchase caging and equipment or do you have that already?
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www.jasonrbartolettreptiles.webs.com

When I first started looking into breeding, I asked the same question and most people told me to start with co-doms and dominant.... Things like pastels, spiders, pinstripes, fires, etc...I think they all produce some good looking offspring.

Personally, I think it's awesome that you're allowing your son to do this so early. I didn't have an interest in snakes until I was almost 21 years old and I've been constantly fighting my parents along the way. I recently had to move back in with my parents upon graduating college, and I'm fighting with my mom weekly about my snakes.... Dad is cool with it... even though he's terrified of snakes... I really wish i would have had an earlier experience with them.

By the way, not sure how much you guys have been looking into ball python morphs... but I'm a huge fan of: www.worldofballpythons.com .... great website.
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Teresa
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3.0 Dogs (2.0 Chihuahuas, 1.0 Toy Poodle)
1.5 Cats
1.0 Cockatiel
1.0 Indonesian Blue tongue skink

Ball Pythons
0.1 100% Het Albino (Watson)
1.0 Pastel (Sweets)
0.1 Spider (Daisy)
1.0 Albino (Gormagon)
1.0 Lesser (Wendell)

What's the budget?

Personally, I love bees and pewters, so I'd go with a male pastel, female spider, female cinnamon and female lesser.
(pastel lessers are nice too)

Just my choice.
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"What is man without the beasts?
If all the beasts were gone,
men would die from great loneliness of spirit.
For what happens to the beasts,
soon happens to men.
All things are connected."

-Chief Seattle (Duwamish Tribe)

no more than 1500 and even there I'm personnally liek Jeez they're ball pythons but that's what he wants!

BTW I've been breeding colubrids for the better part of 30 years. My son is not new to this and has wanted to be more ivolved all along. he can earn the 1500 selling geckos and helping me with my animals so we're looking at a year out before completing the 1.3 but I do like the idea of getting a lone female up front to get a bit of a head start! Perhaps even 0.3 very nice normals and then put the rest into a nice power male.
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“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.” Emmerson

WWW.TDSNAKES.BLOGSPOT.COM

You can get a good group of animals for 1500 as far as a starter project goes. With that budget you could easily do something like a bumblebee male and any number of single mutation co dom females, like butters/lessers, pinstripes, cinnamons, pastel, mojave, etc. That's a pretty good budget to start with since it allows you many choices, and, as has already been mentioned (and as you said), get your females first.
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www.jasonrbartolettreptiles.webs.com

Tony......you can get 3 really -really nice female balls for the 1500.....you can get normal balls for 15.00....LOL....adult females for 100 and less.....depends....(20 if you buy dozens of them at a time)...

right now there are alot of single ,and even double morphs you could pick up...it's all up to what you want....like colorwise and all even...co-dom or recessives makes it easier or harder to make them in the future....

good luck...shop around.....lots of stuff out there....cheap....

.....
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........JY

Bumblebee male (like 600?)

pair with mojave, pastel or spider females?
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We wouldn't have 6 and a half billion people if you had to be beautiful to get laid.
6.6 African House snakes
3.2 reticulated pythons
.1 corn snake
4.2 Florida Kings
1.2 speckled kings
1.2 ball pythons
0.0.1 Argentine boa