Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 2 tortoises and a bearded dragon and now I want a snake. I've been thinking aobut a ball python but the food thing is giving me second thoughts. Does EVERY ball python go threw no eating stage?

If you get a captive BRED and born ball python you can usually get a snake that will eat regularly. Adult males will go off food during the breeding season, but that is normal.

The trick, however, is to find a captive bred ball python. Most baby Ball Pythons in this country come from wild harvested females that lay eggs on big "farms" in west Africa. The newly hatched babies are bagged up by the thousands and sold cheap in the US as "captive born" ball pythons. These babies often don't eat due to the stress of shipping. If you get a snake a Petco, etc., this is what you are buying regardless of what BS they tell you at the store.

If you want a captive bred ball python, go to an expo and talk to the breeder. Be aware that some people buy these farm hatch ball pythons cheap ($10-12 each in bulk) and then try and resell them at expos for a quick profit. I suggest you look for someone who breeds albinos or other known high end morphs and buy a normal baby from them.
-----
Chris Harrison
Does anyone else here think that these scrolling signature lines are stupid?

all i can say is that brooks kingsnakes are the way to go, about the balls, well it kind of all depends, some do and some dont, sometimes it reflects what you are or are not doing and somtimes there seems to be no reason at all
-----
i have one Brooks Kingsnake, hopefully breeding in the next couple of years! yaaahhhh, only if i can find a male though lol, but im still looking for a male lol

They don't just go off feed because they are acclimating, sometimes they go off feed because of bad experience with live food i.e. a bite, or just because they are fat. in either case, an adult ball python can go without food for over a year and it's nothing to be upset about, they eat when they are good and ready too.

Actually with the food thing, you're right, they're really picky and they will eat when they please and not until. But also another thing to be wary about if anyone is reading this who plans to buy any type of snake, do not let prices fool you. Dont buy a snake that you know nothing about simply because its cheap. For example in some places you'll find things like, reticulated pythons and baby burmese pythons for $75 when all the other boas and pythons cost more. This is the clincher, those things get huge! Why do you think they're so cheap anyway? Its because most people cant take care of snakes that large, so they dont buy them, and those that do are often mesmerized by relatively cheap prices. Read up on the species you intend to get before you actually buy it, or you may end up in a mess you would rather have avoided. Also, if you are not sure of the integrity of the breeder you are buying from, DONT buy your pet there. Lastly , check for mites and mouth rot BEFORE you buy anything...it would be sad to take your pet home and get attached to it only to find it dead a week later. Be careful when you buy. Hope that helps anyone wanting to buy a snake. Good luck!