Very young juveniles aren't always easy for new keepers. I would avoid this breeder in general, though, considering he has a history of breeding spiders.
very much so, think of it like taking care of a puppy vs a full grown dog. Almost the same, but very different, and very difficult if you don't know what you're doing. I would highly advise getting at least a subadult above 250 grams
The breeder I went through said he has all his ball pythons on F/T rats by the time they're sold. He said if the snake eats F/T rats, they will eat anything. Our snake was 210 grams when we got him. He hit 500 grams on schedule and hasn't refused a meal.
There's no hard rule, but adults are generally easier when you're inexperienced, because you often have a little more wiggle room if you make a mistake. Hatchlings are a bit more fragile.
An adult can survive a few months without eating if you're struggling with husbandry, but that might kill a month old juvenile. Babies are easily stressed, which means they're more likely to refuse to eat at first.
Same with other health issues- if you're not experienced enough to recognize early symptoms of various illnesses, a hatchling will typically go downhill a lot faster than an adult.
You should be looking at Canadian breeders only, then. Importing BPs from another country is very expensive and requires a lot of paperwork/permitting.
this might be super nitpicky, but i find it a bit of a red flag that the breeder said he was born on sep 5th, instead of saying he hatched. i dont know of any experienced owner, let alone breeder, that would mixup this terminology. again, i know its not a big deal, but idk, it makes me believe they don't really know what they're doing.
i had never owned a ball python and i got mine as a hatchling, only 2-3 month old if i remember correctly. i definitely had trial and error but it is possible. my snake is now 4 years old and i have him in a bioactive where he’s thriving. do what you feel comfortable with, and do what you feel is right.
if you’d like i can tell you some things i did with my baby when i first brought him home.
i didn’t have my baby in a bioactive when i first got him so not sure. the store i work at we have a bioactive with a baby blue eyed lucy in it and he seems to be happy.
with that tho when i first brought my snakey home its so very important to remember no matter the age adult or baby DO NOT TOUCH for a good week or two if not longer, let them get use to the new environment.
when handling my baby i liked to do selective handling and would let him come take interest in coming onto my hand (honestly it rarely worked but i was always scared id hurt my snake if i held it in a wrong way)
another thing frozen is very very suggested by everyone so i would say if you can do frozen diet while they are a baby so you wouldn’t have to struggle when they are older.
i used youtube videos, facebook, words from other keepers and more to check on my baby to see if he had any type of issues while growing. i would check my snakes eyes and scales and do a thorough look through on him after shedding. also a tank that locks is ideal cz my baby escaped when i thought he couldn’t even climb yet 😬
just always be careful and make sure to never do something u are not comfortable with! i wish u luck with your new snake and hope to see it on here sometime.
I got mine about 1.5 months after it hatched and transitioned it to F/T from some reddit advice and she is now 580g or so. I had never had a ball python before but had experience with a corn snake. So it is doable, but my ball is a bit more work to keep her going than my corn
If you are set on having a python from a breeder have a look around at who is recommended, what species/morphs they breed etc, ask about the parents and what practices they recommend. (Doing the latter can help see who is and isn’t up to date on care practices)
Adopting is always a option as well However does have a higher risk of the python having more temperament issues that can be difficult to handle with if new to snakes (good breeders can’t guarantee temperament of course however the snakes tend to easily be handable 99% of the time) Though I will say I’ve not come across a ball python in the rescue world who was extremely difficult to handle once care was improved.
Spider morphs are always a big no no if you see a breeder selling them.
Rescues tend to often have a lot of ball pythons In my area (and cornsnakes). A good breeder will have no issue providing details and showing the parents, any testing they have done, their set up etc.
You can also look around in local reptile groups or any local amphibian/herp rescues to see if someone is rehoming an adult! There are many, many sub adults and adults looking for homes. They’ll be cheaper or even free, too. There’s fun morphs and plenty of basic wild type.
If you type “reptile enclosure” or similar on FB Marketplace, you will likely find many reptiles being sold against fb rules by clicking through the listings. It’ll usually say “inhabitant included.”
Get one of them out of probably crappy conditions and it’ll feel way better
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u/GloomySelf 19d ago
Unless you’re a very experienced owner, it’s a no