Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently did a trade that included a spider ball and it has a weird head wobble and it always keeps it's neck kind of cocked. Eats fine and everything else. I was reading that most spiders have them. I wanted to trade it for something else but I don't want to trade something that's not 100%. Anyone have some input on this???

You read correct most have "the wobble". I got my first spider male back in 2002. I've produced a lot of them since then. I've got some in my collection that you would swear they don't have the wobble at all, and I got some that twist into a pretzel at the site of food. But they all eat poop shed and breed fine. And grow fast. You have nothing to worry about. I personally love spiders and what they can do to other morphs.

Caveman

so this still would be a snake I could feel comfortable about selling then? I breed boas but I don't mess with ball pythons but like I said I got it in a trade. I have seen them from like 200-500 dollars but have no clue what makes them the lower or higher end. I just don't want to get a bad rep for selling a snake with "wobble"

Just be completely honest with your customers and you'll never build a bad rep. Wobble or no wobble.

Caveman

I noticed when I soaked her tonight she did the whole pretzel thing in the tub, she swims fine until about 5 inches from her head and then it goes all crazy, never seen anything like this before in my life.

Yeah. It was hard for me to get use to for a while. It's just how they are. I still have my original male that i got from NERD when he was just 100 grams, and is now about 12 years old. He's probably a 5 on a scale of 1-10 for the wobble. He's still great eats breeds like no tomorrow.

Caveman

Ya this female eats like a boss and just had a full shed come off all in one piece. I'd rate her head wobble like a 2 but pretzel a 7. To bad I am not into ball pythons. Is there somewhere I can look online for pricing? I have looked around and it's so different everywhere I go I can't decide a reasonable value. Since she shed yesterday she looks amazing

I did a search on the classifieds here. I see hatchlings listed at $150 adults around $500. Yours seems to have a little size to her I'd guess she's a 2012? If that's the case, me personally I would put her up somewhere in the middle and see what happens.

Caveman

The Question is, Why is the spider head wobble there is the first place? I can remember with no spiders had a head wobble.

Np

Really Tom? Every spider I have ever seen has had some quirk regarding it's behavior. While most don't cork screw like the OP is observing, they all do something. Those that advertise and state that they have spiders that are PERFECT are being very misleading in my opinion. If you observe your snake enough, startle it and watch it's response, or watch close enough during feeding you will see something abnormal.
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Josh & Krysty Hutto

Various Ball Pythons, boas, dogs, cats, fish, 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!!!!!

Pricing is so hard, I just wanted to get a decent price and I looked around and was like oh my. She is a 2011. It's funny to see her eat all pretzel up but she makes it work. After the shed she looks so good. Hopefully someone can put her to good breeding use.

joshhutto, agreed... while spiders make some beautiful snakes, all that i have ever witnessed do have some quirk to some degree. i have spoken with numerous breeders and keepers who have the same experience.

that is why i have never kept any personally. same reason as i never kept any caramels. IMO, why keep reproducing something that is prone to having genetic defects? like the striped look? go with pinstripes. like the caramel color? go with ultramels.

just my 2 cents, for what it's worth

jonathan

I think they all have -and always had the wiggley brain ....
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........JY