Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, i purchased a 18-20 inch long ball python as a CB hatchling about 6 months ago. its hard to get the exact length but right now it is 360 grams and 26-28 inches long. As of now, i feed Bud an adult mouse once a week. Should i switch to small rats, or should i feed Bud 2 mice every week?

Also, i want to determine Bud's sex so i can get another python, but i do not wish to have my snake probed, because i dont want to risk injury. I think it is a male, because sometimes when i take him out, a red blob comes out near his cloaca. Could this be a hemipenis, or could the snake be adjatated and be trying to poop or something. I took some pictures to help determine the sex. So if possible with this information and pictures do you know if it is a male or female?

Also, im pretty sure i have an ordinary ball python, but here is a picture of the stomach to make sure its not a yellow belly. Is it a common ball?

thank you for your time,
mike

Mike, it looks healthy, and looks like a normal. As far as feeding, you can safely feed a snake something that is as thick as the thickest place of your snakes body, and lookin' at the pic of him feeding I'd try a small rat. The lower jaws are built to stretch so as to accept things three or more times the normal size of a snakes head. As for sexing, it's difficult to tell by looking. Spur size and tail length varies with individual snakes. So, at best, it's a guess. Probing, when done correctly and carefully, is the best way to know what you have. Hope this helps.

Quig

A small/wean size rat would be a good size meal or a couple of mice either/or would be fine. Match the girth of the snake with the girth of the food item and you can't go wrong.

You don't often see a hemipenes pop out of balls. Was it sack like? Most likely it was part of his bowel.

As for determing the sex - the only way is through probing or popping by an experienced person.

And yes it is a normal - but very nice looking.
-----
Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

10.35.0 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)
0.0.1 Lizard rescued from feline
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer

mike -- my 288g female takes sm rats (50g) or med rats (75g) every week, should be no problem for your guy.
-----
0.1 CB 2005 Normal Ball Python @ 24.56"/285g

I ran across this site Snowballs Ball Pythons and it has a pictorial on how to pop Balls.

Check it, its got some good reading and very helpful tips on it.

Here is the right link.

Snowballs Ball Pythons

thanks for all the great information, and i tried to pop Bud. When i did it nothing significant came out. I did it a few times, and nothing really poped out. Some red stuff bulged out a little, but nothing was way out there like the pictures. I was using a significant amount of pressure, and i didn't want to use anymore fearing the chance of injury. For females what happens when you try to pop, nothing or does a little red bulg comes out? With this information is it possible to determine the sex?

Unless you are fairly experienced - popping a ball of that size really isn't reliable. If you pop a female you will see white nubs exposed - if you apply too much pressure they will turn pink - same goes for the males except if done properly the penes will come out too - again for someone not really knowing what they are doing on a snake of that size would be a really toss up. If it's important - have it sexed by someone who knows what they are doing. Or wait a while longer and pop again - you may get sperm plugs.
-----
Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

10.35.0 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)
0.0.1 Lizard rescued from feline
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer

I went to put bud back in his cage, and when i did i saw it come out on its own. the two bulges were very small about 1/8-1/4 of an inch long. The tips were a white coloration. Does this mean anything?

.
-----
Tosha

"Nihil facimus sed id bene facimus"

10.35.0 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)
0.0.1 Lizard rescued from feline
0.0.0 frogs rescued from pool skimmer