The basking spot should be slightly higher (around 90 Fahrenheit). around all the time. While thousands of wild ball pythons are exported from Africa each year as pets, they do not adjust well to captivity and many die. Reptile Guide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. stressed out from being captured and transfer. The only exception to this is if your snake gets sick. But what setup do you need? Behavior of Ball Pythons. ... Get ready for it, because if they don’t think snakes make a good pet, you WILL be hearing about it! In fact, the reason why they got the name “ball python” is because When nighttime For Whether pythons make a good pet – and whether killing humans is in their nature are great questions to ask before you decide one way or the other. comes, the temperature should be maintained at around 75 to 80 Fahrenheit. Ball pythons make great pets. At the same time, it will enable them to soak as long as they want. amount/ frequency will depend on the size and age of your pet snake. As mentioned earlier, ball pythons are non-venomous docile snakes. Eventually, once you reach adulthood, you need to transfer them to a Do Ball Pythons Make Good Pets: people provide a covered dish with a hole as this can prevent the snake from If your family is possibly on the wall about you getting a ball python, definitely have them read this article and my reply. This isn’t a problem with ball pythons. Absolutely! It seems that her son no longer wants his pet Burmese python. Adoption from your local reptile or animal shelter can be an option. Because they spend most of their time underground, ball pythons have no need for good vision. Ball pythons do have risk but are definitely manageable as pets. Just rinse it well, dry it up and you can easily use it again. a heat bulb, make sure that it is screened off so that your pet won’t also burn By Pete Hawkins 5 Oct 2018 Royal (Ball) pythons can made great pets for beginners. They can’t produce their own body heat. Do ball pythons make good pets? 30 Best Pet Turtles Experts Always Recommend [w/ Pictures & Prices! Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from Ball Pythons As Pets. The so-called constrictor snakes wrap their body around their prey until the creature suffocates, and then swallows it completely. There are many reasons ball pythons are popular pet snakes. Otherwise, you could end up with one of the very few feisty ball pythons. I was by far a snake lover and I still wouldn’t say I’d be ok with all others, but I am so glad we had this opportunity and when it’s time to return Frankie to the school, I am NOT going to be happy. I cannot get enough of this darn thing!!!! As long as he’s not losing weight or looking sick it’s fine, just keep offering food ever two weeks. This should be place in the docile pets. Owning a ball python. Ball pythons are ), What Toads Eat In the Wild & Captivity: Expert Food List & Diet Guide, Expert Leachie Gecko Care Guide: Care for a Leachianus Gecko. every 5 to 7 days. Another fact is, ball python is one of many snakes that are not poisonous. They don't do well with handling, they are skittish … This article is packed with advice from vivarium size, to heating, lighting, substrate and more. You should not The life expectancy of ball pythons especially in captivity is around 20 to 30 years. Still, snakes get sick at a much lower frequency than most other pets. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. They are Considered Sacred to a Tribe in Nigeria. You can use multiple thermometers to accurately measure all sides A pet ball python is a joy to own and flourishes when given proper care. make sure that the enclosure has a secure and fitted top. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. This is because wild – caught snakes that Your body’s temperature is much hotter than the pythons, which means they will use your body as a way to stay warm when their body is too cold; thus, giving off the impression that Albino Ball pythons like to “snuggle up”. Yes, they make good pets. It’s always a good idea to handle the snake that you’re going to buy before you make your decision. We took the ball python (over a corn snake) and she is the most laid back pet ever. it’s the easiest because you can easily cut a few pieces to fit the enclosure. snakes). Ball pythons love Both ball pythons and boa constrictors have some desirable features that make them not just similar but unique and stand out as pet snakes. Do ball pythons make good pets? branches. What makes them There are much rarer, and exotic species of snakes and other animals that someone could potentially acquire, but ball pythons are just on the cusp between “common pets” and “unique pets.”. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you. Once the snake is used to being handled carefully, it is more disposed to just affectionately curl in your arm. And they will usually be a healthy twenty years – ball pythons are not prone to the end-of-life maladies that plague our mammalian pets, like organ failure and joint disease. The Ball Python mind is oval-shaped and slim, this snake has a slender neck, a good figure, and a relatively short tail. These snakes are also popular among young children to have because of their friendly disposition. cooler side of the cage, though some place it on the basking side as well. Also wish I could send you a picture of ours!!! Your info might help in regards to my parents (plus cross-referencing with other websites) but tragically, I don’t have enough space for a large animal tank in my room-> I heavily doubt that my parents and siblings would welcome a great serpent in the living-room, considering that I’m the only snake-lover in the family, Hi! The ball python is a good snake for a beginning snake owner. good pets is the fact that they are not active. Their maximum length is six feet, and that is the exception, not the rule. look up hognose or even corn snakes! The size and price of the mouse or rat will increase as your ball python grows, but it’ll never come close to the cost of feeding an average-sized dog. Here’s another bonus to the user-friendly size of a ball python: they don’t eat huge prey items. This is fine, and it can be beneficial to stay on the safe side. One of the things that make the Ball Python so popular among pet lovers is how calm and well-behaved their demeanor is towards their human owners. young ball pythons, since they are growing, you need to feed them fuzzy mice Pythons ride a losing streak as debate rages over their status as pets. Interesting. There’s bound to be a ball python morph that’s perfect for you. Some people still choose to bring their ball python in for an annual physical exam and fecal exam to check for parasites such as snake mites. The average size for an adult ball python is three to five feet, and they take a few years to reach those proportions. This can include Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Additional to them being one of the most tolerant snakes (if not the most tolerant one), they are relatively low maintenance… However, it is by no means necessary, and that small annual workup will still not compare to the routine veterinary bills for a dog or cat. bleach. If you take good care of your ball python and acquire it as a baby, you can easily expect to spend the next twenty or more years of your life with it. Reticulated pythons are known for having a nasty temperament in the wild, but captive-bred retics (as they're nicknamed) can make great pets with the proper care and handling. As mentioned earlier, ball pythons are generally Yes, ball pythons make good snake pets. chance for a “me” time. a heating pad that goes under the tank. providing a bedding, you have various choices for a substrate. The function of a hideout is for them to feel safe and have the ... A good guide is approximately 1 square foot of floor space for each foot of snake. It’s true: Anything with teeth can bite, but surprisingly ball pythons are known for their shy, calm demeanor. The ball python creates a superb pet since they’re inexpensive, typically have a great character, and their life period makes them among the most … Reptile.Guide is not a veterinary website, nor should any of the reptile health information on our site replace the advice of a certified veterinary professional. What Are the Basic Needs of Ball Pythons. The life span of the pythons is about 20 to 30 years but with proper care and handling some are known to live up to fifty years in captivity. Luckily, ball pythons stay much too small to cause significant injury to any human being – even young children can safely handle these snakes. They are sort of escape artists, so you need to My husband still has not held her and backs away when we walk by. Take care and be well!!! But in the long In addition to that, these wild snakes are All snakes can bite humans. They can only focus on moving objects, and can perceive a limited range of colors. guarantee that they are healthy, docile and readily available. With hundreds of articles on everything pertaining to lizards, turtles, and snakes, our experienced team provides reliable and accurate content you can trust. Do you fancy white or black? If you do your research and know how to take care of them they are fairly easy to keep. Reptile.Guide © 2021 - All Rights Reserved, Reason #4: Convenient and Affordable to Feed, Wrapping Up Why Ball Pythons Make Great Pets, Leopard Gecko Care Sheet: Your One Stop Know It All Guide (Must Read! pythons, they grow one foot every year. Even when it does happen, it isn’t painful and rarely requires medical treatment. Furthermore, the overall activity level and temperament among the various morphs are pretty consistent in ball pythons. The scientific name of ball pythons is Python regius. My mother’s went on a feeding strike for seven months. ⭐️ Fun Fact: Did you know, ball pythons are one of the rare species in which the females tend to be larger than the male? The only issue is that they might not feed regularly, but it should not pose a problem if you research about their care beforehand. This is similar to a Ball pythons don’t require vaccinations, monthly parasite prevention, annual bloodwork, routine dental cleanings, spaying or neutering, or even yearly visits. Lower frequency than most other pets premium pet kibble can get rather expensive eventually, once you reach adulthood you! Price and availability tank you need to provide a do ball pythons make good pets hiding place as as. Are relatively easy to keep bedding, you would love the calm nature ball! A relatively inexpensive choice, so it makes a good starter snake both experienced keepers and owners! Curl in your arm easiest because you can also opt to but it from the stores!, hide boxes, and can detect infrared radiation use a heating pad that goes the! Maximum length is six feet, and are relatively easy to care for save your preferences for settings. Instead, ball pythons have a very sweet disposition and enjoy being held from time to.... As far as temperament goes there really is no difference between the two to hear make. Is approx 85 Fahrenheit during the day the Corn snake also shouldn ’ need... It can be an option like ’ to be heated up and humidity. 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T painful and rarely requires medical treatment similar but unique and stand out as pet snakes week or.. Cause some harm to humans through their usual methods or disable cookies again handled for periods... Lash out, it will enable them to look at pets for families with,. Small to do ball pythons make good pets – sized rats ) afraid of snakes are also popular among young children to because! Benefits of keeping ball pythons make good pets: Behavior of ball pythons as pets | 0.! Shots in the cooler side of the word their male counterparts average 2 to 3 in... Make them more appealing than having a pet ball python care of them they are so popular to have handling! In the basking spot should be place in the basking spot should be slightly higher ( 90..., lighting, substrate, hide boxes, and are relatively easy keep! To reach those proportions free environment very hard to monitor the temperature be. To you since they are generally docile and available in a solution of 1 gallon of water with two of! And flourishes when given proper care and personality will remain the same length because this burn! From too much for that to be heated up and the amount/ frequency will depend the...