python snake information

A:http://www.ballpython.ca/

A:I wouldn't have recommended a diamond as a first snake. They tend to be aggressive anyway, and they are a rather large python. Not huge, but large, and they can deliver a painful bite. My suggestion would be to wear smooth leather gloves such as work gloves. Stay away from suede (rough leather) as the teeth will catch and possibly get broken if it should bite. With gloves you can at least keep the snake away from your face if necessary. Short periods of handling might help calm the snake, but don't be surprised if it never gets to be very friendly. When handling, I'd just reach in, and gently take the snake by mid body and upper body. Don't grab, just hold. Then bring it out. Do not squeeze the head or neck, this will cause a defensive pull back. Try not to be tentative with holding. Go in, pick it up and hold it. Don't put your hand in there, pull it back if it seems to be acting aggressively or things like that. The quick, tentative movements tend to create a strike mode. Good luck with your new pet!

A:Due to their rather specific care needs, Diamond pythons aren't one that I would generally recommend to anyone without at least a couple of years experience in keeping snakes. However, they do generally have docile, entertaining, quirky temperaments if handled regularly from the time they are young. Here is a very detailed care sheet on the maintenance of Diamond pythons; if after reading this you still think you will be able to handle one as your first snake; go for it. If not, I'd highly suggest something like a Childrens python, Spotted python, Rosy boa, Ball python, or Corn snake. :) http://sthcoastherpsociety.bizland.com/diamondpaper.chtml I hope this helps, and if you have any further questions at all on the subject (or would like care sheets on the other species I named); please feel free to message me and I will be happy to assist you. Good luck!

A:It's not hibernation - that occurs after a fairly long period of gradual cooling and lasts for several months (depends where you live and what type of snake it is) As snakes are endothermic (require external heat to keep warm) its body was shutting down because it didn't have any warmth. This can be dangerous if your snake has fed recently (the food may rot in its gut causing blood poisoning) and it may lead to the snakes death if it is not done gradually. Research your snake's natural climate and ensure that it is always in its enclosure with access to an adequate heat source apart from short periods when you handle it. If you do cool your snake, ensure that you reduce night temperatures gradually and even then, no lower than what your snake would be exposed to in the wild (eg an Australian Jungle carpet python would NEVER be exposed to temperatures below zero like some North American snakes and this may well kill it.)

A:Hi. Not a bad choice. I see you have it spelled both ways. One reason you're not finding much info on them could be that the correct spelling does not have a P in it; Antaresia stimsoni, or Stimson's Python, named after A. F. Stimson of the British Museum. It's very commonly misspelled, though. Stimson's are very rarely available in the US, but the closely related Children's Python, Antaresia childreni, is fairly popular. The two are very similar in terms of their needs, size, habits, etc., so any basic care information you can find on Children's Pythons will also apply to Stimson's. Both are likely to be defensive, and a bit nippy, as hatchlings, but generally mellow out pretty quickly. Wild caught adults tend to follow the same pattern, getting less defensive as they settle in. Once acclimated, they are usually quite tolerant of handling. They are quite small, for pythons, usually in the 75 to 85cm range, though some localities produce specimens up to 100cm. They can be started in the plastic storage boxes, if you like, but that's really more of a large-scale breeder's tactic. They will do just fine in a vivarium right from the start, as long as they have a hide box that is the right size and design to allow them to feel snug and safe. The more enclosed it is, the better they'll like it. They eat rodents, lizards, frogs, and even bats in the wild, but should be fed captive bred rodents, in captivity. One thing you should definitely ascertain before buying one is how well it is feeding, and whether it accepts dead food. You really want one that will accept pre-killed or frozen/thawed rodents. It's safer for you and the snake, and much easier to manage. If your mom is amenable, you can keep a supply in the freezer, to defrost as needed. But, a lot of mom's freak out at the thought, so ask first, and make sure your local pet store sells them singly, just in case. (All this feeding advice applies to most captive snakes, should you decide to get a different species.) I couldn't find much information on longevity, probably because they're not as commonly kept as many other species. One reference listed 8 years, but I wouldn't be surprised if they could exceed that. As for pricing, the prices you quoted seem reasonable. I did some checking and found the same price range. These are relatively rare snakes, in captivity, so they command a higher price than some more common species. On the question of adult versus hatchling, I always lean toward the hatchlings. They're less likely to have picked up parasites and diseases. (It's still possible, though, so be alert for them.) Who to buy from is a very difficult question without knowing the parties under consideration, but people who are selling hatchlings probably (say 70% probability) are knowledgeable enough to get the snakes off to a good start. Pet shops seem to be a pure toss up; 50% bad, 50% good. The most important thing is to ask questions. A lot of questions. Are the captive born? Are they eating? How often? What kind of food? Any signs of parasites? Are they active? Is there any kind of health guarantee? Anything you can think of. A good seller will patiently answer any questions you have about the snakes they're selling. They may not have a huge amount of scientific knowledge, but they should know their specimens well. How they answer is as important as what they say. If you get a bad feeling from a seller, don't buy from him, no matter how good the deal sounds. The pet trade attracts some of the nicest people in the world, but it also attracts some real scoundrels; it's very much a "Buyer beware" market.