Ron's Ball Python Blog

This may seem like a foolish blog post to most but I've received quite a number of emails asking me whether it was okay to take a ball python outside. The weather is starting to get warmer in most parts of the country right now and people are eager to get outside and bring their ball python along with them. This is a touchy subject for most because not everyone enjoys seeing a snake, regardless of whether it's harmless or not.

I would venture to say that it's okay to take your ball python outside but please be respectful of other people when doing so. There's just a ton of bad press nowadays and although we've defeated HR669 as a community, we're still not completely out of the woods just yet. If you do decide to take your ball python outside, PLEASE supervise it fully and be careful of who you decide to let hold or touch it. If your ball python should happen to bite or injure someone, that person may decide that they want to sue you, especially if the strike point is the human eye. I mentioned this so you'd be aware and give you something to think about before you let anyone hold or touch your ball python.

If you have an exotic ball python morph like an Albino, try to keep it out of direct sun light because the sun affects people and animals with albinism differently than those without. People with albinism have problems with the sun due to their albinism and you'll notice that most, if not all wear dark sunglasses to protect their eyes. I'd venture to say albino ball pythons may have the same problems with the sun as well so keep them out of direct sunlight.

If you decide to let your ball python roam freely in your backyard, check it for ticks afterwards. Mites aren't really a concern but ticks are most definiately a concern and will embed themselves in your ball python if given the opportunity. The more I think about it, check it for both mites and ticks. Search my other blog posts for photos and information on mites and ticks. Other than what I've mentioned already, just try to use some basic common sense if you decide to take your ball python outside or on a trip with you.

Speaking of trips, don't leave them alone unattended in a hot car because they can perish if subjected to extreme heat for a lenghty period of time. You may also notice that your ball python might hiss at you if its been outside for a while and you try to pick it up or take it off a chair, ledge, etc. that it's resting on. I've noticed that when ball pythons get a taste of “freedom” they can hiss at you but generally won't strike.

Now I'm going to get back to searching the Internet for some good expense report software and ways for kids to earn money. My kids need something to do for the summer when schools out.