So, I just got into owning a pet snake. I chose a ball python for their demeanor. I really like the colors and pattern of this guy. So, my question to any knowledgeable BGP'er is: Is this a vanilla? In my research, I believe it is. Faded head, bright off color, completely white belly with no marks. I have a friend who thinks it is a normal. Any ideas?

[ATTACH]69025[/ATTACH]

 

I believe you are correct that it is a Vanilla Ball Python. Regular Ball Pythons have more brown, olive and forrest green in them if I recall.

 

My brother worked in a pet store in high school and he had a Burmese Python. Cool snake, just grew too big, got to the point that rats were too small, would have to go to rabbits or chickens which would have been a pain in the butt. Your Ball Python will not get near that big. Also Ball Python's are tamer and are less likely to bite. My brother's Burmese bit him twice, both times he made the mistake of not making sure the Python know he was about to pick the snake up and startled the snake which instinctively struck at what it thought was a threat, i.e. my brother's hand.

 

Speaking of biting, if he bites you, it's actually not as bad as people make it to be. Does it hurt, yeah, some. Will you bleed, some. It more scares you than anything else. Let me put it this way, if I had to choose between being bitten by that snake or the hammer I hit my thumb with last week, I would take 20 snake bites without question. Their teeth are so thin, the puncture wound is pretty needle like like, not tearing like a dog's teeth.

 

If he does bite, they usually immediately let go. If you're is stubborn and does not, DO NOT try to pull him off, their teeth curve in and if you try to pull him off, they dig in and drag and those small needle holes get much bigger. To get him off, my brother would usually just wait for it to let go on its own or fill a sink or tub with water and dump it. The snake will let go before drowning, granted they can hold their breath for an amazing long time so be prepared to hold your hand or whatever under water for quite a while.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DLveilqtDF0s&ved=2ahUKEwjDorWcoN7kAhVU_J4KHRNHChoQwqsBMAB6BAgCEAQ&usg=AOvVaw36omcKOd7bbblT65FASj9-

 

This guy has a good YouTube page you will probably learn alot from. The anacondas he has are very bite prone, just watch this video, I laughed out loud at both bites.