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A few BP Questions.

Mr.AJ

Mr.AJ

Educated Horse.
Alright i know its a cornsnake forum But i also know alot of you on here have BP's. As some of you know i've been looking for a second snake (Got the addiction!).

Mainly its a snake for my girlfriend, and a Ball python seems ideal. The main problem she has at the moment is she wants to handle chompy, But his "flightyness" and willingness to bite scares her. She does pluck up the courage to hold him every now and then though!. BP's seem ideal for her because if i can find a good female it will hopefully be docile and very easy for my girlfriend to learn how to handle and build her confidence up.

I was looking at BP's before i got the corn snake, but couldn't find any local that were within my price range. I have however now found a local private breeder who is selling his CB'07's at less than half the price of the cheapest WC one i've been able to find in the UK (For those of you in the UK we're talking £45 delivered to my door!) His website states that he guarantee's his animals to be in excellent health and feeding well on f/t.

I've done a fair bit of reasearch on BP's and understand their care requirements and the risk of IBD however i havent found much advice on what to look for when looking for a healthy specimen, and what questions you should ask breeders to ascertain the health and genetics.

Now, im not interested in breeding and i like the look of 'normal' pythons so im not going for any fancy morphs or hets, Im just looking at a nice little normal.

So any tips on what to look for, Questions i should approach the breeder with etc would be ideal. It wont be for another 2weeks at the earliest that ill be approaching him to buy it, But i'd like to start a dialogue with him soon so i can learn more about his practices and animals so that when i do purchase the snake i know theres not going to be any surprises.

Im already going to ask him if he has any photos of the parents, What he has left available (How many M/F) etc , and for a few photos of individual snakes just for me to take a quick look at. Is there anything else i should ask before i arrange to go visit him?.

On a side note, im also looking at a striped cali-king he has for, IMO a very good price (Yet again half the price of any ive seen!).

(For you picture-lovers heres the examples he has up on his site)

Striped Cali-King
Striped_cali_king.jpg


Royal Python
Royal_pyhon.jpg
 
Good for you! BP's are a great choice - I just adore my Stori! I'm sure your girl will just love it - and they can get used to handling together!

I think you have a pretty good idea as too the questions to ask - the obvious ones being is the snake you are looking at a constant feeder, what kind of garuntee does he offer etc. As for the genetics questions, someone else on the site would give better advice, I havn't studied BP genetics very much!

My only concern would be the fact that he's selling them sooo much cheaper then anyone else - maybe he just has a ton of normals he's desperate to get rid of, or maybe there is something else making the price so low. Better ask :)

Good luck!
 
He seems to carry quite a large stock, he breed's pythons, boas, colurbrids, inverts, chelonia, monitors and geckos. He also states that he only breeds as a hobby and all the money he makes from the sales go back into feeding, and caring for his breeding stock. So i guess if hes not looking to make any money out of it, The lower price makes sense, plus working from home he keeps his overheads down.

Genetic wise im not bothered about what hets etc.. im just looking to find out whether theres any illness's or hereditary problems i should ask about and look out for.

Thanks for the reply! :)
 
Yes, BPs are a good choice for someone who wants a slower, more easily handled snake. Here is a list of things I would ask and do:

1. ask for feed/shed records, or if they don't have them, when was the last time it shed/ ate/ pooped

2. ask when it hatched and if you can see the parental stock

3. check over your snake , feel if there are any weird bumps, lumps, or rough sports, and make sure the snake looks alert and is yet calm in demeanor

4. Check the vent (Cloaca) for any weird crustiness, which could mean an infection.

5. Check for stuck shed, especially retained eyecaps. This isn't a huge deal, but a stuck shed may tell you that it wasn't being kept properly or that it may have had mites at some point. Stuck eyecaps will look silvery and a little crinkled. Remember that BP's skin isn't as tight as corns', so it may wrinkle a little when they bend their bodies, but that's OK.

6. Check the mouth! If necessary, bring a Qtip and slide it into the mouth to make sure the gums are pink and there is no Mouth Rot. It is very easy to slide a Q tip in a BP's mouth, and doesn't hurt them, so long as you are gentle. The mouth should seal nicely when closed. Also note if the animal's breathing is slow and consistant (depending on how much stress you are subjecting it to of course), and that the nostrils are free of bubbles or debris.

Good luck! That is all i can think of for now!
 
Send some pm's to some of the other UK members; maybe they know who he is and/or have dealt with him. You probably know/ have read this, but it's worth repeating. Baby balls NEED to feel secure; small tight hides they can just squeeze into and can not be seen in go a long way in keeping them healthy and eating. Also, NO snake is bite free. the most mild mannered snake can (probably will) surprise you. It's worth letting your g/f know this :)

The only question you need to ask about the king snake is how much is he going to bite you ;) They usually eat like crazy and can be kept pretty much the same way as corns...
 
Clipclopclip answered your question rather well.

As far as the price goes £45 quid to the door is very good. Avarage price for a baby without delivery is about £55. For the price the breeder is prob making a loss because its old stock and needs space for this years plans. Just take a good luck because usually if its the clearence stock sometimes there are reasons why that one didnt sell.
 
Ball Pythons are a great choice, mine is a delightful little guy.

Also, I would certainly go for that striped King, they are so awesome!


Good luck, I hope you find what you are looking for.
 
Congrats on your possible new BP!!!

Make sure there are no mites, no problems with the mouth (bubbles, etc), no retained shed, and that it is healthy and not too skinny. Genetics are not a huge issue if you don't care about breeding. Health is more important.

Contact them as soon as you feel comfortable, and ask what you would like to. Usually there is not a big issue with answering all possible questions, and hopefully that breeder will ask you some as well!

Other than that, it is kinda whatever you like!
 
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