Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have always been interested in reptiles. Mainly snakes and lizards, but recently the facination has grown. My boyfriend and I have gone to several pet stores that speciailize in exotic pets, and we had yet to find anything that really jumped out at us. Oddly enough, a friend of mine is looking to sell a couple of ball pythons. (His son is too busy to care for them.) The information I have on them is : One male, one female. One of them is blind, but he isn't sure if it is the male or female. Roughly 36 inches each, and around 4-4 1/2 years of age. I suppose, what I am wondering is: Are these good starter pets for me?

Id say that if they've been in captivity that long, they're already well established so would probably make good starter pets for you. Make sure they are feeding well.

Mark

>>I have always been interested in reptiles. Mainly snakes and lizards, but recently the facination has grown. My boyfriend and I have gone to several pet stores that speciailize in exotic pets, and we had yet to find anything that really jumped out at us. Oddly enough, a friend of mine is looking to sell a couple of ball pythons. (His son is too busy to care for them.) The information I have on them is : One male, one female. One of them is blind, but he isn't sure if it is the male or female. Roughly 36 inches each, and around 4-4 1/2 years of age. I suppose, what I am wondering is: Are these good starter pets for me?

The best. Starter snakes, that is.
Ball pythons will never get so large as to be unmanageable.
And thus, your feeding expenses will never be too great.
Plus, in general, they're pretty docile to handle.

However, as with ALL pets, there are some cons, and some exceptions to the rule.
1) before getting any pet, be sure you're committed to the regular maintenance and feeding and expenses it will require. There's a REASON the person before you is getting rid of theirs. Most people do - eventually. That's why garage sales are FULL of old aquariums, and that's why the animal rescue is FULL of dogs.
Don't eve get started unless you're SURE you're ready to commit what could amount to the next dozen years or so of your life to it. It's like having a baby - it will be TOtALLy dependent on your care.
2) just because Balls tend to be docile doesn't mean the ones you're talking about are. They may have been mishandled, or worse. And they may just have snotty personalities. Every animal's unique. I'd ask to see the current owner pulling them in/out of the cages and watch how he/she handles them and how he/she feeds them.
Personally, I don't know if the blindness is an issue or not.
But what I'd do before making a commitment is go to the public library and get a couple of books on ball pythons. And then, I'd take these two to a herp vet and get them checked out for injuries & diseases.

>>I have always been interested in reptiles. Mainly snakes and lizards, but recently the facination has grown. My boyfriend and I have gone to several pet stores that speciailize in exotic pets, and we had yet to find anything that really jumped out at us. Oddly enough, a friend of mine is looking to sell a couple of ball pythons. (His son is too busy to care for them.) The information I have on them is : One male, one female. One of them is blind, but he isn't sure if it is the male or female. Roughly 36 inches each, and around 4-4 1/2 years of age. I suppose, what I am wondering is: Are these good starter pets for me?

Welcome to the fold Owning snakes can be an amazing experience. Ball Pythons are fabulous for starter snakes. Just make sure to do your homework and be prepared for the responsibility. This is another life you are dealing with, and most people don't realize it's a long life! 30+ years is an average life expectancy. I knew when I took on my snakes that they were lifetime companions. I hate to see people go into owning a snake (any pet) uninformed, and 3-5 years down the road decide it’s not for them citing reasons they should have known before purchase. Take a look at your local book store, too. There are really some fabulous books out there as well.

Most of all, enjoy the experience! There are a lot of people out here that are willing to help if the need arises. Take care.

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I never owned a snake until I got my first ball python three years ago. Decided to get a female a year later. You say that they are both about 36 inches long. From everything I have read and my own experience with both a male and a female, the females tend to be quite a bit bigger than the males. I know my female is a lot bigger than my male and she is a year yonger. If they are both only 36 inches my guess is that they are both males. I am sure others know more about it than I do however so correct me if I am wrong. That being said, I would go for it. I never thought I would allow my son to have a snake but I liked him so much that it was my idea to get the female. Now we don't have to fight over who gets to hold the snake.