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Anonymous
o sup /an/. I will be getting a ball python sometime near the end of this month, and I have everything prepared, and know enough about snakes to take care of it and keep it healthy.

One thing I'm not sure of, though, is how long a snake can stay comfortable out of the cage. I'm talking about just having the snake in my lap while I'm on the computer or reading n' such. I live in California, so temperatures away from the heating lamp/pad won't be TOO different, but I don't want to endanger my snake by simply by keeping it out for too long.

Any advice for a snake-newbie who wants to be friends with a cold-blooded animal?

Also, the idea of bringing the ball python to a friend's house has crossed my mind. This might be a bad idea, but what do you guys think?
>> Anonymous
Pythons like to snuggle
>> Anonymous
Yo! I have a ball python and I can tell you that they love being out of the cage, love the freedom, and will try to escape. Always keep an eye on it when you take it out.
>> Anonymous
I've had my BP for years now, and I can tell you that they're comfy out of the cage at all times. If theres a way to get out, it'll find it. My snake's been gone sometimes for days, and everytime I find her, she's ok. And warm at that (I dont know how) If you have it out, make sure to keep a close eye out.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
My BP loves being out of her tank, but she would much rather wander than snuggle. Ball Pythons love to explore, and are extremely good at escaping through small openings you didn't know you had (such as, mine managed to knock a loose cover off a heating duct and was halfway in when I realized it). Just make sure her explorations are supervised.

They make great pets tho, and are pretty gentle. Pictured is my BP, Natasha, going after a mouse.

And before anyone complains about cruelty to the mice, she came to me at 5 years old and had never been given anything but live food. I tried pre-killed mice, she won't touch them.
>> Anonymous
>>52123

Anyone who complains about you feeding your pet needs to be killed very painfully.
>> Anonymous
>>52123
Snakes eating live rats! That's so unatural and sadistic!!
>> Anonymous
Balls do pretty well outside of their cages, but like most any snake kept as a pet if you keep a close enough eye on it things should be fine.

Ball python behaviors outside of the tank can vary greatly by snake to snake, but with the seven I have there seem to be three different basic types, snakes that stay balled up in your lap, snakes that stay wrapped around your arm, and snakes that just won't stay still no matter what.

More than likely you'll end up getting a ball python that's going to be content with sitting with you for a while (probably somewhere in the range of ten minutes to an hour) and then is going to decide to go off and find it's own thing to do. Luckily it's rare that you won't instantly know where your ball python is after it decides to go off elsewhere as they are rather slow moving compared to most other snakes and are rather predictable.

If you're getting one as a baby go ahead and get a few shirts with breast pockets, smaller balls can sit for hours in there without much trouble. Ball pythons really do tolerate handling very well compared to a lot of other snakes, so you did make a good choice. Hope you enjoy owning one, they're fun, if not a little boring at times.
>> Anonymous
It's not unnatural because the snake is eating the mouse. It's unnatural (and cruel) because the mouse has no chance. It is being thrown into it's doom. This is not the way of nature.
>> Anonymous
>>52984

I suppose one should let one's pet die of starvation then. That's much more humane.
>> Anonymous
>>52987

Snakes can eat tofu, silly bunch of carnivores
>> cant touch this !AB5fTSvpY6
>>52984
i really hate people bitching about feeding live,if its a captive or not bred from baby on dead (in the case of my old snake)it wil turn its nose up at dead food.so you think that freezing a mouse to death or gassing it is natural?thats how you get them from pet stores. how about you go and chase that cow for that tasty steak of yrs?domestcating animals isnt natural but we do it anyway.
>> Anonymous
OP here, thank you guys so much for your replies. I finally got my [adorable] python a few days ago. I've held it a few times, and it's still really cautious, but after holding it for a while, it will slowly start to explore. It's a careful little guy.

Now, I have another question. I keep the tank warm and lighted with a heating lamp. Going on some websites, it's been said that it's ok and recommended to turn the light off at night, since ball pythons are nocturnal. But the man who supplied my snake (he's VERY experienced with reptiles, I think he breeds them), said to leave it on 24 hours. I might've misunderstood, though. I have a heating pad, so the snake still has heat if I turn the lamp on or off.

Snake-newbie needs your help!
>> Anonymous
>>53025

As long as you have the heating pad, it should be fine to turn off the lamp at night. In fact, I'm a little concerned that you might have it TOO warm with both a lamp and a heating pad. There should be a temperature variation in different parts of the enclosure, so that your snake can regulate its temperature.

Also, if you're planning on having your snake sit with you for long periods of time, you might want to snake-proof your computer area as much as possible. As one poster said, balls tend to move very slowly, so if you're really focused on whatever you're doing, they could be off your lap and wrapped around your monitor, cords, etc. Sometimes once they find a spot they like, you can't get them off it until they're good and ready, which could be hours later.

Show us pics! I love BP pics, they're such cute snakes...
>> Anonymous
>>53025

You aren't going to want to leave the heating lamp on 24 hours a day unless your house is absolutley freezing (bad idea) or unless your lamp has an extremely low wattage (also a bad idea) You'll probably want something to the extent of a 50 watt bulb in either spot basking or regular by your preference.

I'm going to recomend you spend a little extra money to get something like this http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/reptile-supplies/thermometers-and-thermostats/-/alife-1000-watt-
electronic-thermostat-with-probe/
A thermostat like this will allow you to program an acceptable tempature for your snake, and when the tank is heated to your selected tempature the lamp and pad can just shut off automatically. This worked well for me, it should be enough so that your snake can stay warm but you won't have to worry aabout overheating the poor guy.
>> Anonymous
>>53025
>>52123here.

I was at a pet supply store looking for tank heating options, and found this great stuff called repti-heat-cable or something like that. Basically it's a long wire that is essentially a flexible low-wattage heater. It doesn't get "hot" - it just gets warm. I taped it to the bottom of my BP's tank, and it generally keeps the tank nice and warm. I left the area under her water dish unheated so the water wouldn't evaporate.

I also bought a heat pad, but found that the cable heated the tank up enough that I didn't need to use it.
>> Anonymous
/r/ pics of said adorable python!
>> Anonymous
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>>53280

Seconded. Pic of him in your hand, or with something else as a size reference. We wanna see your cute snake!

Closeup of my cute snake as payment in advance.