Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am interested in buying a ball python, but I would just like someone to answer some of my questions.
1. If you are bitten by a ball python would it hurt, and if so will it draw blood?
2. How often and why would they bite me?
3. How many days should I wait inorder to handle it once again after it has eaten?
4. Is a 30 gallon terrarrium good enough to house one??
5. What should I use as a substrate for the bedding???

1. If you are bitten by a ball python would it hurt, and if so will it draw blood?

*It depends on the size of the python and if it was a "warning" or not. I've never been bitten, but my husband got tagged when he wasn't paying attention and it bled slightly.

2. How often and why would they bite me?

*How often depends on the snake. One of mine is an angel, and the other a demon, he will try to strike at anything that comes near him. Many times people get bitten as a feeding response by the snake.

3. How many days should I wait inorder to handle it once again after it has eaten?

*I feed mine once a week and usually wait 2 or 3 days. The day after they eat they will not come out of their hides, when they start to come out and explore again, that's when I handle them.

4. Is a 30 gallon terrarrium good enough to house one??
*A 30 is a good start. If you get a young one, it should do quite well for the first year or so.

5. What should I use as a substrate for the bedding???
*If you don't care how it looks, newspaper or papertowels are easy to clean. Also repti carpet and anything that isn't dusty. Look at the ball python care sheets for more on this.

Good luck!

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annjaret

"When I die, I want to come back as one of my animals."
0.1 Cat - Cordelia
1.0 Dog - Jake
1.0 Leopard gecko - Joey
1.1 Ball Pythons - Niame and Nala
0.0.1 Snow Corn - Gandalf
1.0 Aberrant Cali Kingsnake
1.0 Husband - Shaun
(Not always in that order...but sometimes)

>1. If you are bitten by a ball python would it hurt, and if so will it draw blood?

IMHO, the actual act of being bit is more startling than the pain, which is rare but it depends. Painful to me is when my 8 foot boa decided my hand looked like a rabbit - OUCH! They usually draw blood but nothing major.

>2. How often and why would they bite me?

It depends. Some rarely if ever bite. Some bite all the time. I have found that the meanest BPs I have were once imports. My CBB are ver docile. My adult Chondros have never attempted to bite but the babies are mean as hell. They would bite mainly for defense. Another reason is a feeding response. That's how my boa got me. I opened the cage at a time when he's normally fed and WAP! With a BP, I would not be too concerned about aggressive behavior. Just get a good CBB baby.

>3. How many days should I wait inorder to handle it once again after it has eaten?

You'll get a lot of debate in this area. The next day should be fine unless it ate a large meal. Then maybe 2 days.

>4. Is a 30 gallon terrarrium good enough to house one??

Depends on the age of the snake. Or more likely, the size.

>5. What should I use as a substrate for the bedding???

Newsprint and not the glossy colored stuff. Or you can use pine shavings or a whole host of other types of betting. Newsprint is easier for me to clean with a small breeding colony. With my chondros I use mulch and live plants.

HTH
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Jay A. Martin