My favorite pet I've ever had was a ball python named Anthrax. It was such a beautiful snake; he died at 12 years of age, but it was exciting to watch him grow and feed.
Once on one of my many trips to our nature center there were some people there with several animals. They were showing them to children. There was a great, long, fat yellow snake of some sort. I really do not remember the name as I am not a snake person. I went closer to have a better look as the woman seemed to have control over the snake. She mistook it as I wanted to actually be in physical contact with, I believe she called the snake, her. So the lady draped the snake across my shoulders. I had a hold of the snake right behind her head in my left hand and about 18 inches from the end of the tail in my right hand. Being the macho guy that I am I did manage not to pee myself. However I did like to watch the three toed sloth.
When I was in middle school, one kid from another class brought a tiny pet snake to school. It was maybe a little over a foot, quite cute really. I had never liked snakes before, but as several of other kids went ahead to touch it, me too... followed the crowd lol. I even hold it in my hand for a while. It was so soft! haha ! I really thought it was cute at that moment, because it was so small and soft while in my hand.
I can see where they would appeal to some people. I spent some of my childhood in Lake Orion Michigan where there were rattle snakes. So I had a fear of snakes ground into me. It stuck. Yes, I was quite proud I didn't pee myself. Amazed too.
Oh I do. Problem is I fear any snake. Probably because I never learned to tell which ones are poisonous and which ones are not. Snakes are not for me. I have had fish, hamsters, goats, a horse, cats and dogs. Mostly cats and dogs. I am a dog person.
03-06-2012, 03:36 AM, (This post was last modified: 03-06-2012, 03:41 AM by Ram.)
It is reasonable trying to avoid any wild snakes in case you don't know for sure if it is venom snake or not, but it is easy to ask the owner if it is a pet snake. Non-venom snakes of small size post no threat to humans. Even non-venom snakes of large size would not attack humans unless you really tried to provoke it.
I've read stories of soldiers in Southeast Asia liked to have anaconda in their temporary post of caves. Anaconda keeps other snakes away (actually eat them), especially venom snakes, and it would pretend to be a guard dog at the entrance. Although this guard "dog" doesn't do its job very well, and would only bluff. When an officer came to check on the soldiers, all he needed to do is to just keep walking and the snake would get out of the way lol.
I definitely look forward to owning another snake, and I would like another ball python, the natural design of the scales are so beautiful and the thickness of the snake and its strength is quite surprising.
(03-02-2012, 12:58 AM)bw Wrote: Being the macho guy that I am I did manage not to pee myself.
That is excellent, it gave me a good chuckle. I still have a small fear of snakes I am not familiar with because of not knowing how they'll react to me so I can understand the feeling.
(03-06-2012, 03:36 AM)Ram8349 Wrote: I've read stories of soldiers in Southeast Asia liked to have anaconda in their temporary post of caves. Anaconda keeps other snakes away (actually eat them), especially venom snakes, and it would pretend to be a guard dog at the entrance. Although this guard "dog" doesn't do its job very well, and would only bluff. When an officer came to check on the soldiers, all he needed to do is to just keep walking and the snake would get out of the way lol.
That's an awesome story, I think I might try to raise a gaurd snake for my mother's farm as long as it doesn't eat the sheep, actually, that's probably a bad idea... Large snakes loooove them some sheep.
Ball pythons are, as mentioned in an earlier post, very docile for a beginner snake. They can be trained to eat frozen/thawed mice/rats, which makes feeding easier (you can order in bulk and store dozens in a freezer when needed).
They are tropical snakes, and need a fair amount of heat, light, and humidity. Measuring it can be tricky, but as long as there is always adequate water in the tank, the heat from any reptile lights/heat pads will help raise the humidity inside. Just don't let it get so moist that mold grows.
In the 10 years I have had mine, she has only bitten me once, and it was after feeding. I still never figured out what caused it, but it was years ago, and has not happened again.
The only problem that I can think of with ball pythons is something I have both experienced and heard from other owners. They tend to be finicky eaters. Most reptiles can go weeks to months without eating, but will still eat if presented with food. My python will demonstrate her hunger by trying to hunt at night, and then not eat for months, despite attempts.
However, she has never shown any health problems. Activity remains normal, she drinks water regularly, scales are clear and healthy, sheds normally, etc. So, if this happens to you, just monitor their health. If they start changing their behavior or appear sick, take it to a vet. Otherwise, just continue to be frustrated by their desire to want food, then not eat it. The longest mine went was 8 months. It seems to be completely random and based on the snake's mood.
(This can also be a problem when attempting to 'stretch' the snake out to eat larger meals; after several months of not eating, you may have to use slightly smaller meals at first)
I have always fed my snake live mice and he had never refused to eat at any time that I recall. Do you think that providing a dead mouse (not the DJ) has any affect on the snake's eating habits?
I think frozen thawed rodents are %110 better. No chance of injury, and after 2 weeks at 0 degrees F or longer, almost all possible parasites are dead. Most snakes will accept F/T &/or pre killed rodents. Some will be a bit difficult about it, and you have to trick them once or twice, doing "The Zombie Rat Dance". And a few will refuse them altogether. I have never seen it to change a snakes eating habits, but it can change their feeding behavior, if that makes sense. I have owned & seen many snakes, and have one now, that don't even bother constricting much, he just takes the mouse/rat off of forceps, puts it down, and swallows. Almost no "predatory response". It is more like feeding a dog. He has been eating F/T or prekilled rodents from hatching though, I doubt he has ever actually killed his own dinner.
Ah, I see. I have never tried to fee my snake F/T mice so I have no idea whether or not he would have been one of the picky ones who refuses F/T mice altogether. And I find it quite funny thinking of how "The Zombie Rat Dance" may have been performed.
That is a funny phrase I saw on a reptile forum years ago. Everyone who read it knew exactly what he meant I have never forgotten it, and it is one of my favorite phrases now...
Basically it is the art of taking a stunned, prekilled, or thawed rodent, holding it in tongs or forceps, either by the hind quarters or by the tail, and wiggling, twitching, and moving it around, "making it dance", to elicit a feeding response and a strike out of the snake. If your trying to switch over a resistant snake that wants a live rodent, and your good at it, it can be quite an art form.
, but it was exciting to watch him grow and feed. 
