GG Hot Takes: Ball Pythons Are NOT Beginner Snakes

Welcome to our new series: GG Hot Takes! Who doesn’t love a hot take? I know I sure do and oh boy, do we at Graceful Garters have them. There is so much information out there, both good and bad for snakes, lizards, and the reptile community as a whole. So let me kick off this series with my hottest take (I say this now, but just wait, I might have a spicier one in the future), ball pythons are not beginner snakes.

Oh boy, I said it. Everyone’s favorite noodle with the boopable snoot. Who can say no to that puppy-dog face? I know I couldn’t, so we picked one up at a show in 2024. There were hundreds of ball pythons at this show, but I found him: a banana morph male ball at a good price. After showing, the guy informed me that he is from a 2023 clutch that hasn’t sold yet, so he discounted him even more. I got to hold the little yellow ball, and it was fine. He stayed in a ball the entire time (balling up is a defensive behavior when they feel threatened), which is totally understandable.

Naturally, I did some research before buying to make sure that we would be able to give it a great life. I already knew that ball pythons can be picky eaters, but I figured if push came to shove, I could source African Soft Furs (ASF, the ball python’s natural prey) or use ASF scenting on frozen/thawed rats. I knew that they needed larger enclosures than what is commonly advertised, higher temperatures, and more humidity. I thought I was ready. But here’s the thing: you can never really know everything, and you definitely can’t predict the future.

Being oh-so-original, I named my new ball python Mr. Nanners. And so, my ball python journey began.

This wasn’t my first snake (shoutout to my Kenyan Sand Boa, Toph!), or even my second. We had rat snakes and garter snakes before Mr. Nanners. I let him decompress for about a week after we brought him home. Then came his first feeding time. Although I was shocked by how strong and fast his strike was compared to my colubrids and KSB (Which was a little terrifying. I mean, who would want to get bit by that?). My garters and rat snakes have struck at me or bit me before (to no fault of their own). No big deal. He is a bigger-bodied snake, so of course, he is going to be stronger.

But then after that first week, he wouldn’t eat. Like a concerned snake mom, I took him to the vet to make sure there was nothing wrong, and there wasn’t, so it must be a husbandry thing. Turns out ball pythons need some pretty warm temperatures, and the glass enclosure wasn’t holding nearly enough, so we got insulating foam all around it, covered up some of the mesh top, and got a ceramic heater for him, and that was that. Mr. Nanners started eating again, so that was awesome. Now comes shedding (If you are a good ball python owner, you already know what went wrong), and it wasn’t good. His shed was patchy, but luckily, the eye caps came off. I watered the enclosure well, and I had a healthy amount of sphagnum moss throughout the enclosure. Turns out, glass enclosures with a mesh top are also awful for humidity. So here comes a humidifier. This wasn’t our first attempt at fixing this issue. At first, we tried a sprinkler setup, kinda gave up on that, so a humidifier it is, and it works (mostly). I still have to add a lot of extra moisture to the enclosure when he turns blue, but it is what it is.

Looking back, I blame these struggles on poor information about ball python husbandry. I thought it would be easy. Spoiler: it wasn’t. And this isn’t even the main reason for my hot take.

The attitude.

I knew the common stress signs: slow tongue flicking, hyper-fixation on one object, stiff and tight body posture. But new reptile keepers? Most don’t. Many people don’t even know when cats or dogs are stressed, and those pets are way more common than reptiles.

Yes, ball python bites aren’t usually serious, but they’re unpleasant and can totally turn someone off snakes. It took a lot of careful, consistent handling to build his confidence. I started by working with him in my quiet bedroom with the door shut, lights off, no pets. Then I slowly added stimulation: me watching TikToks, my husband walking around. Once he was calm with that, I graduated to walking around the house with him. Eventually, he became confident and tolerant.

Other people have had the same struggles—just check Reddit.

Do I regret getting Mr. Nanners? Absolutely not. He is a silly little guy who just needed some extra TLC. I mean, who doesn’t get overstimulated from time to time? All animals have boundaries that we need to learn and respect. It is what’s best for you and more importantly, your animal. Do I recommend getting a ball python as your first snake? Nope, especially if it is for a child. Do I recommend garter snakes instead? Yup, them, cornsnakes, and KSB. The most common thing for a garter snake to do if they are stressed during handling is that they will musk on you. It is absolutely foul-smelling, but you can work through that. I’ve only ever gotten bitten by garter snakes if I was handling their food right before handling them. Even then, getting bit by them is not a big deal. I had one bite me and not let go for like a minute until my husband got a spray bottle out to encourage her to let go of me, but that bite healed up in a day. I was laughing the entire time.

Final thought: Ball pythons are rewarding, but they’re not easy-mode reptiles. They need patience, good husbandry, and a keeper who’s ready to work through setbacks.

Hi Toph!

How can you not love that little face?