Splat, the Ball Python

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Well, Splat is here and boy is he/she doing well!!! I decided to make this thread so we can watch the growth and progress of this wonderful little snake :p

first meal, the day after arrival at my house:
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Pythons/007.jpg
Splat's splat!
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Pythons/009.jpg

[larean]

Nice pics:)
He(/she?) must be feeling very ok to be eating the day after he arrived. Ball pythons are notorious non-feeders right?

[Stefan-A]

Nice pics:)
He(/she?) must be feeling very ok to be eating the day after he arrived. Ball pythons are notorious non-feeders right?
I think they're more like seasonal feeders, with exceptions.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

well many baby ball pythons are notorious for non-eating, adult balls are definately seasonal feeders, many going off feed between november and february-ish.

[anji1971]

Splat is very nice, Shannon. Looking forward to seeing more pictures as he grows!

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

splat is hammering f/t hoppers the moment I open up the tub! its so cute the way she kills her already dead food :o she had two more today :D

I dont know the sex on this snake, but we are going to call her a girl until otherwise noted!

I am trying to pack some weight on since she was a bit on the thin side upon arrival. Already seeing much improvement!

[Stefan-A]

Good to hear, Shannon. :)

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

here is an updated pic of Splat!! She has put on a LOT of weight, a few inches, shed, and that is the same water bowl as the last picture!!! She is eating for me very consistently, as soon as I open the tub she is tehre waiting to nail it!!!

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Pythons/065.jpg

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Oh and by the way, she is has been sexed and is indeed, a girl!!!

[Lori P]

She's just beautiful, Shannon! She's really thriving with you. :-)

[jeanette]

she/he is beautiful, i do love ball/royal pythons i find them to be very social snakes when they have been raised and handled well. slash my own ball/royal python is so friendly he will climb his way into my clothing and stay there, problem is im usually wearing it at the time.
http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee140/carpathianwolf_photo/100_0091.jpg

[Snake lover 3-25]

lol CUTE SHOT!!!!!!!!:D

[dashnu]

She is awesome! My new one is about 6 months, she just ate for the first time yesterday. Not F/T but at least she ate. Not as plum as yours but pretty plump.. Maybe I will get her a couple small mice today and she if she will take both than hold off for a week.

Great pic jeanette, I hope to make Tessy as friendly as Slash!

[jeanette]

She is awesome! My new one is about 6 months, she just ate for the first time yesterday. Not F/T but at least she ate. Not as plum as yours but pretty plump.. Maybe I will get her a couple small mice today and she if she will take both than hold off for a week.

Great pic jeanette, I hope to make Tessy as friendly as Slash!

you definately will :) they are really quite social as soon as they get used to being handled. we have got some really nice weather here atm so ive been getting slash out in the garden for a slither around. the more they get to explore and feel safe while they are doing it the more social they become. slash is 18 months old give or take a couple of months and he has never bitten, he has hissed at people and had a few false stikes (close mouthed) but only when he felt threatened.
your little beauty will have no trouble settling he has had a great start just by coming to live with you :)

[adamanteus]

Over the years I have had countless 'rescued' Royal Pythons and I have a theory that none of you will like or agree with.... they don't like human contact at all.
They are a very placid and quiet species, and they don't show their stress levels through flight or aggression as many snakes do, but that doesn't mean they aren't stressed.
I have found that when they are given dense cover in which to hide and a bare minimum of contact (even visual contact) they always thrive.
I think that because this species is so 'easy going' people handle them and bother them way too much. In the correct environment, left in peace, they invariably do very well, and happily eat frozen/thawed rodents.
In my experience.

[Zephyr]

Over the years I have had countless 'rescued' Royal Pythons and I have a theory that none of you will like or agree with.... they don't like human contact at all.
They are a very placid and quiet species, and they don't show their stress levels through flight or aggression as many snakes do, but that doesn't mean they aren't stressed.
I have found that when they are given dense cover in which to hide and a bare minimum of contact (even visual contact) they always thrive.
I think that because this species is so 'easy going' people handle them and bother them way too much. In the correct environment, left in peace, they invariably do very well, and happily eat frozen/thawed rodents.
In my experience.James has spoken... Some one write it down. :P

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

James, I agree with you 120%. Splat is only handled when I clean her cage and occasionally to show her growth progress to eddie. Otherwise, I leave her be, and she is very happy that way. Ball pythons do not "enjoy" handling, they just tolerate it, at most. The reason ball pythons are msitaken to be social animals and targeted by newbies to the reptile world is because instead of biting and hissing as a primary defense... they simply either curl up in a ball or just slowly try to move away, and when they don't do either of that they just sit tehre and tolerate you... I am sure some balls tolerate us more than others... and some even get a little adventurous when they are out... but I don't think that they are jumping for joy when picked up... lol!! I have definately found that the less you mess with a ball python, (more so babies than adults) the more consistently they will eat for you and thrive.

[dashnu]

I agree. However this could be said about any pet short of a dog or cat. This being said dogs and cats where breed throughout the years for us by us.

My personal opinion is someone who takes in a new animal is truly fascinated by it and its behavior. They want to learn about it, they want to spend time with it, and they want some sort of interaction with it. Again in my opinion this is the way the ball falls no pun intended.....

If problems arise due to stress in a snake’s case, I would point to handling, poor habitat, and things of that nature...

A good owner should know and understand the snake and its actions/behavior and recognize problems/stress and take the needed action even if this means not handling the snakes for months and months.

I am doing the best to learn all I can and treat my snake well, however handling the snake is important to me. If I do see issues I will keep the words of James in mind...

In my case this poor girls was at the local petshop with no hide away or anything.. just a stick and a bowl of water.. I am sure it was being held daily if not multiple times a day.. I feel like I did her a favor :) All though on the flip side of that it is sucker assholes like me who keep the animals going to petstores like this. There was another one there yesterday and I almost bought her to :( I felt bad....

<sarcasm>
...who knows people are breeding balls like crazy maybe someday they will roll over and take a bone
</sarcasm>

[adamanteus]

No criticism or judgement intended, Brett. I'm simply stating an opinion based on what I've seen. I know that handling is very important to a lot of snake keepers, personally I keep such interaction to a minimum, and content myself merely to observe and learn from my snakes.

[dashnu]

No criticism or judgement intended, Brett. I'm simply stating an opinion based on what I've seen. I know that handling is very important to a lot of snake keepers, personally I keep such interaction to a minimum, and content myself merely to observe and learn from my snakes.

None taken, and I respect your opinions. You clearly have more experience and have spen a lot more time with these little guys then me. I hope to learn more from you, and so far this fourm has been very very valuable to me.. Just wanted to toss my 2 cents out.. :)

When you say "rescue" do you go to your local animal rescue center and bring these animals home or are you in some sort of program?

[adamanteus]

When you say "rescue" do you go to your local animal rescue center and bring these animals home or are you in some sort of program?

I no longer take in rescues, but at one time, for years, I worked as a consultant herpetologist for the local authorities (RSPCA, Environmental Health, HM Customs, Police etc) During this time I dealt with many reptiles and learned a great deal.
These days I'm a Garter Snake 'hobbyist'.:)

[Lori P]

or are you in some sort of program?

Brett, James needs to be in some sort of program, but mostly we just humor him, pat him on the head, and tell him he's a good boy.... :D:D

Just teasing, James. We luv ya. :p

[adamanteus]

James needs to be in some sort of program, :p

Yeah, a little 'rehab' might be a good idea.:rolleyes:

[dashnu]

Haha, you guys are a riot. I'll keep that in mind and throw a bone every now and then. :D

[jeanette]

well there is a slight dissagreement here :0
snakes can learn to enjoy human contact, on the picture i posted earlier you can just see some scars left from when the python had a nasty case of scale rot. he had it when i got him and i had to clean the area twice a day, a ritual of soaking, wiping and drying. In my opinion the snake came to realise that i was infact easing his pain and discomfort, and therefore sees people differently.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

I have noticed that if a snake has a dry shed and I help them take it off with some water and my fingers... they relax once they realize I am pulling the stuck skin off for them!

[adamanteus]

Absolutely. But would you say that means they 'learn to enjoy human contact'?
Personally, I think not.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

nope. hey just think that gettin old skin off feels goooooood.

[enigma200316]

I think its more they tolerate you and learn a routine of you being around........:)

[Snake lover 3-25]

i think mine enjoy me....... or maybe it's just the food i give them????? NAH!!!!!!!! they love me!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

[drache]

the test of whether your snake loves you is when you set the snake down in the open on the floor
if the snake comes slithering towards you and tries to climb your leg that might be an indicator

[Snake lover 3-25]

that's what happens when i put them outside on the grass!!!!!!:eek::eek:

[Stefan-A]

More like an indicator that you're still the #1 heat source in the room. ;)

[drache]

More like an indicator that you're still the #1 heat source in the room. ;)
that too probably

[Snake lover 3-25]

:(:(:( gosh stefan!!! way to ruin the moment!!!!:(:(:p

[adamanteus]

:(:(gosh stefan!!! way to ruin the moment!!!!:(:(:p

Yeah. But he's right!:D

[Snake lover 3-25]

:(:(:(:( i have no more proof:(:(

[Stefan-A]

way to ruin the moment!!!!:(:(:p
You're welcome. :p

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Okay so, back to splat :D

She shed yesterday again... she's still growing... here's pics!

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Pythons/0072.jpg


my mom is holding her here.... my mom loves this snake!!!
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Pythons/001.jpg

I love this part of her :P
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Pythons/0082.jpg

Cute belly :D
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll86/aSnakeLovinBabe/Snakes/Pythons/010.jpg

[Snake lover 3-25]

awwwww i love her eyes!!!!!:D:D:D:D

[Odie]

that's what happens when i put them outside on the grass!!!!!!:eek::eek: This what happens with stripe. Robin will be working out in the yard with him on her glasses and he will drop or fall off but he always comes back to her or hangs out at her feet till she picks him up. This has happened more then a few times :D

[Snake lover 3-25]

i know aren't they cute??????? :D:D:D:D

[dashnu]

Awesome Python looking good :) My two sleep on my belly today hiding under my shirt for about a half an hour :) I choose to be the magical provider of heat / hides and food! They will love me haha!

[jeanette]

Awesome Python looking good :) My two sleep on my belly today hiding under my shirt for about a half an hour :) I choose to be the magical provider of heat / hides and food! They will love me haha!
Lol i have the same problem with Slash, he climbs inside my shirt and goes to sleep and he is so quiet and still i could almost forget about him, that is, if he wasnt as heavy as he is and he didnt make me look as if i was strangly deformed in the chest region :D :D :D :D