Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know that this sounds silly but I just recently acquired a juvenile female ball at the Richmond, VA show this past october. She only cost 30 dollars and since the dealer selling her also had some gorgeous morphs, (platinum and silver streak) one of which is supposedly the only one in existence as of yet, I figured that he would be a safe source for good animals. After getting her home I noticed ticks on her that I missed at the show, now she is so aggresive that I cant walk past her enclosure with her striking at me through the glass let alone trying to take her out. And of course there is the age old problem of refusing to eat anything live or f/t mice/rat pups. My question is do breeders acquire wild caught to add outside genes to there ball populations and is this what I may have gotten? She is not breeding size yet, only about 2 ft long.

Yes they do. Did you ask if it was captive born, eating, etc. when you bought it? Or just assume it was since it was on his table? It's also possible that it is captive born but picked up the ticks from an import or sometime at the show. You never know. You can always contact the breeder and ask. Unless someone else had the Silver Streak on their table it's very possible that it is WC as that breeder is know for importing some nice ones.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

7.33.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi - yeah I know but my kids love the book)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.2 frogs rescued from pool skimmer

yes they do and for $30 you got one......

yes they eat sometimes...yes they live...

yes they.....

said it before.......

wild balls suck........

good luck...small wild stuff will do ok..once they get 3 foot and are 2 to 4 years old or more they suck alot...babies can grow ok and do well......

2 foot.....could go either way....

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lots of breeders sell imported wild crap........and lots of people sell them and lie about it......(IF you even ask)....

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That HAS to be a wc unless proven otherwise, how many CBB balls strike at you when your OUTSIDE of there enclosure??? C'mon that has to be a WC bro, My BP's are like pussycats, they would never EVER think about striking. And even my hatchling spider is just a big placid beauty. Wouldn't make sense contacting the breeder over 30 bucks. But who knows, that ball could be tamer than any CBB in a few months. Here a link that might help you with feeding.
Help with feeding

how many CBB balls strike at you when your OUTSIDE of there enclosure???

I used to think it was quite rare, but I hatched a clutch of 9 from two of the tamest animals in my collection this year.

Well, every one bites me repeatedly, and one still stikes the side of the tub as soon as I walk in the room.

these were early '05 babies, and are about 600 grams now, so you would think they would calm down right??

At least it was a 2.7 clutch
live and learn

TomChambers

So your saying the common placidness of balls is over rated and every animal strikes? In other words I meant that a ball that is striking at you even though you've had it since october is rear and doesn't make sense to me IMO. Sorry for thinking that balls aren't placid and nice and behave like a Crotalus atrox instead. I've never had balls like what you explain but alas you are correct because not every snake is the same.

There are some that do just have bad tempers - like any animal their personalities differ. I have three that will strike at the tub if you stand in front of thier rack - in general they aren't biters - or have bad attitudes - they are definately agressive eaters so maybe they just see the heat and strike - can't say for sure - they are pussy cats otherwise. I have one that isn't such a pussy cat - he's fine until you open up his tub - he's fairly territorial. Most are great tho.

But you are right this one that the poster is talking about is most likely a WC.
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Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

7.33.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Anakin Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python (Verdi - yeah I know but my kids love the book)
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise (Pope John Paul aka JP )
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.2 frogs rescued from pool skimmer

So your saying the common placidness of balls is over rated and every animal strikes?

no, I don't think that is what I said.

I said I used to agree with you that CCB ball pythons wouldn't be that agressive, untill I personally hatched an entire clutch that made me reconsider my assumption.

As for the rest of your post??????

So no response.

I have had several mean spirited ball pythons over the years, but they usually calm down within 6 months or so.

I was just stating from experience that a mean ball python doesn't imply wild caught.

TomChambers

mean and hate people and strike faster than cobras.....

yep

......they are NOT good first snakes for kids or dumb people....

yet thousands of dumb people buy them each year....even month...

yep...true story

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after reading it.........(didn't first time)...

yea........he imports every month......and yea it is a big baby probably and it will eat....... give it time...it's winter and they know it.......

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That's strange. I've kept and handeled dozens of species of snake and other than the smooth green snake I can't think of a calmer, more even tempered species than the ball python. When I was little I even had a couple of imports and one of them, at over 5' was the sweetest snake I ever met. The other one at around three feet was meaner than any rattle snake and did the same thing that this guys does with the striking as I passed his cage. If a hide is provided that should help. Of the two I have now, the male is super sweet. He struck at me a couple of times the first day I had him as I moved him from the box he came in to his cage, and once when the temp dropped freakishly bellow 69 one night in July, but that was because he was stressed and even then his mouth was closed. The female hisses at me sometimes but she has never struck and is docile as can be once she's out of her cage. Sorry for such a long post, I'm just really confused as to why anyone would consider a ball python to be an ill tempered species. Have you ever handled a tree boa or a north eastern water snake? Those have attitude.
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1.1 Balls (1.0 het clown 0.1 normal)
1.1 Kittys and
0.1 WC Human
"I need evaluation...and dinner; and by dinner I don't mean gnome heads!"

some balls are mean some are nice and most are wussies that hide their head.......anyways.......

....yes I had eastern waters once.wild ..saw 18 that day and brought home 6.....4 2 1/2 footers and 2 over 4 foot (that each coughed up a trout),.........they bite and musk and stink........keep them in a tank 4 days and they were sweet as any corn........sweeter than alot of balls......

no balls aren't mean.......no they aren't a good first snake.......yes they hate to be touched especially the head.......and yes they strike faster than cobras........

yes I have kept a few snakes in my time.......sweet green tree pythons and all.......(yes they were)........
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Ahhh Yes, I remember Eastern Waters. Had a three footer loose a couple teeth in the heel of my hand while we were in 4 foot of water, But I didn't let go.

Quig

I myself own about 3 ball pythons myself that are strikers. one is older now and better but I still proceed with caution. The other two are hatchlings and they came out of the egg nasty unlike their other brothers and sisters. Each snake can be totally different, I have tame as can be, super shy all the way up to biters.
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Misty Sprouse Ball Pythons

I have a few CBB BP's that will chew your hand off. Meanest BP's alive. Guaranteed!!!!!

I always thought the general ball python was supposed to be calm and assertive but I guess they are just mean grumpy snakes. What is a true all around nice snake? I WAS going to get a ball for my cousin but seeing as how they are not nice what would you suggest?

It looks like everyone is going to have to give up breeding morphs and concentrate on breeding for temperment. Great now what going to happen to the price of pastels. LOL.

Thanks, Jay
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Find a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life -Confucious
3.20 ball pythons
1.1 dumeril boas
0.0.1 pixie frog
1.1 dogs
0.2 cats
more fish than I can list.

>>I always thought the general ball python was supposed to be calm and assertive but I guess they are just mean grumpy snakes. What is a true all around nice snake? I WAS going to get a ball for my cousin but seeing as how they are not nice what would you suggest?

I would not suggest corn snakes lol. I had one that was biting and striking at me before it ever left the egg...never did like me from day one.
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PHWyvern

My young western hog will "out nasty" everything else, pound for pound. (or maybe gram for gram )

>>My young western hog will "out nasty" everything else, pound for pound. (or maybe gram for gram )
>>

Naw.. westerns (growing babies/juvies mostly) are known for biting and carrying on like that - usually when they aren't being fed enough. They can be very agressive feeders and they are not afraid to let you know. Pink fingers is just as good far as they are concerned as a pink mouse or pink rat. Metabolism is faster than corns and kings so they feed more frequently. I have an eastern who is often out asking for her pinky rats usually 2-3 days after the previous feeding. She doesn't bite like westerns do but she does put on a show nevertheless to assert her displeasure at my slow response to her hints for more food.

Now some years back I had taken in a rescue mexican black kingsnake. Supposedly these snakes are touted as being really docile - more so than corn snakes even. I don't think so LOL. This snake had been given up cause the owner was afraid of it - it just got nasty over time. Apparently the snake wasn't handled much and it got into a habit of only seeing the cage open up when it was feeding time. This one had developed a serious feeding response. If you reached in the cage it was fair game for the snake to try to eat you. I figured I could break it of that. I mean I had tamed wild kingsnakes in a week or so. Oh Silly me. Over 9 months of working with the snake, the bites/problem got progressively worse over time - not better. One day the sucker wrapped around my hand and had his head tucked under the coils and constricted so tightly I could not get it off. After fighting with the snake for half an hour I finally ended up sticking my hand in a bucket of cold water for almost 20 minutes before it let go -- he came to the surface to grab a breath of air and immediately ducked back under the water in an attempt to go back to biting and killing my hand ! Thankfully I had a glove ready and got it between my hand and his mouth and he transferred his attack to the glove and happily spent the next few hours killing it. Total devil snake in my opinion lol.
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PHWyvern

Oh yeah! Well I had a tame leucistic texas ratsnake!

On the subject of ball pythons I have one that is the meanest thing I've seen in a long time. She'll strike the side of the cage, and start hissing as soon as she sees you....hisses the entire time she's held as well. Oh well..what can ya do.

I have one that will best you all......

Sorry but I have it beat. I have the meanest most unpredictible of all. After 13 years of intense training I thought we had actually trained it. We had even gotten to the point that we would let it free range around the house some of the time and on occasion even outside. But just when you think everything is fine you get that wonderful call... "Dad, I broke my skateboard again, I am getting another one, yeah I know I have no money so I took your Visa card because I thought this was going to happen... they just need your pin number..." Ugh! Give me a mean ball python, corn, hognose, or gaboon over a teen anyday!
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

1-0-0 Rescued Ball Python - Apep
0-1-0 Rescued Mountain Horned Dragon - Ki
0-0-1 Rescued Aggressive Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
1-1-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Bastet
0-0-1 Rescued Dieting Panda Hamster - Mr. Fluffy
0-1-0 Rescued Little Angelic Kitten - Isis
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

In all fairness I did not ask him if it were WC or not. I did just assume that is was not. It was from the same breeder as the silver streak but people please don't get me wrong. I am not accusing anyone of dishonesty. It could be safe to assume that anyone who goes to a show and buys a ball python at least knows something about them or they would go to a pet store instead. I prefre to think of it as a challenge. If I can get the snake to feed and calm down then it would only serve to increase my experience with them and add to my knowledge as well as personal satisfaction.

and if it doesn't work out then I am only out 30 bucks.

I also bought a hatchling western hog from him that bit me as well 2 days ago...LOL He is a fun little pugy snake that makes all my kids laugh and is a joy!! Thanks

3 balls
2 corns
1 western hog

Thats what I mentioned, it will probably calm down (most likely) and I was under the assumption it was an actual WC. Either way it's only 30 bucks no biggie.

I wsa refering to the hog not ball, I still think the ball is a WC..but still not biggie just an increase in experience.

18 responses in less yhan an hour...is this a record? I love all of your responses. Have I hit on a sensitive subject?

LOL that is how I felt with the mouse breeding simmer down post.
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Find a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life -Confucious
3.20 ball pythons
1.1 dumeril boas
0.0.1 pixie frog
1.1 dogs
0.2 cats
more fish than I can list.

May I offer a suggestion for calming your baby? When I got my CH baby in July, I was advised to ball up newspaper and fill his enclosure (or at least the floor) with the newspaper balls.

What that did was provide him a sense of security and privacy and really helped him to get acclimated. Before I did that, he also would not eat.

After about a week with the newspaper balls I offered a live hopper mouse and walked away (the hopper mice are still very young). A half hour later, Kashmire was inside his hide happily digesting away.

I then "weaned" him off the newpaper balls, taking out a few each week. I have a calm snake that's never balled on me, is not head shy and had never struck at me. He has also eaten without fail once a week.

I know someone else who used the balled up newspaper with a WC adult female they rescued that would not eat for its previous owner for at least six months. After a week of acclimating with the newspaper balls in her enclosure, she took the food that was offered her, and she's eaten every week since they rescued her too.

It certainly can't hurt to give it a try. There are several other people I know who have used that "trick" and all have reported success with this method.

Robin