Ball Pythons

by Colette Sutherland

Ball Pythons are among the most popular of all pet snakes, and make interesting pets for both beginning herp hobbyists and professional breeders. Written by a respected breeder of ball pythons, this book covers a wide variety of key topics such as housing, health care, breeding, and genetics. 

Genres: Animals

128 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2009

Reviews

[Tim Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had this book checked out for like three months before I got around to reading it. Then it only took three days to finish. One of the first pieces of advice in the book is to read the entire thing before getting a snake. Too late on that one.

The information in the book is pretty good but it got a little heavy on the genetics. I mean all the morphs are cool to look at but the day to day care sections could have benefitted from more thoroughness. How about step by step instructions on making a humidity hide? How about non-toxic cleaning options for enclosures that are too large to move?

These are just a couple of things that I felt could have made the book more useful. Don't get me wrong, all the basic stuff is there and accurate and easy to follow. The medical information is solid as well.

Another thing, more of an annoyance really, if you are talking about a particular variety of ball python, please put the picture right next to it, not two pages later. I know, petty. Right?

Anyways, if you are considering a snake as a pet, the ball is a great introduction. They move slow and calm in most cases, seem to like being handled, and now are largely available as captive bred that will eat thawed prey. The Sutherland book will provide a nice introduction.

[Jon Calton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good guide to keeping pythons for a beginner

[Kyla Stan · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great book to learn more about these cute snakes! My only suggestion is to include a diagram of tank setup since they have very specific needs.

[Shauna Benson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a while of researching through ball python books, I finally settled in this one as a learning companion for my first ball python. Most of the books seemed to be for those looking to breed balls, which I am not. This seemed to be the best choice for those looking for simple information on the owning of ball pythons. Being so short, I had worries about how much information I would be getting out of it, but it had really good reviews, so I went for it. THIS BOOK WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. It touched on everything that I wanted to know, and made sure to drive home certain parts throughout. You can tell that the author really cares about your snake getting the best care possible that you can provide. This is a very good book to keep around to flip open to anytime that you need a refresher on some information. Yes, most of the pictures seem to be just generic ball python photos, but if I really want to see how something is specifically done, I would look it up on Youtube anyways. I very much enjoyed the section on ball genetics, and getting to see the different variations that you can get. There is also a helpful glossary and reference guide at the end of the book. I would like to add that talking to a professional who knows ball pythons well is a MUST for a first time, or really any ball python owner. I am fortunate that my boyfriend has owned balls in the past, which is hugely helpful, but we still have a very good relationship with the snake guy at our local pet store. (Thanks, snake guy!!) Any and all questions are welcome to a professional, and they are glad to help you in any way that they can in your care for your animal.. All-in-all, I would definetly recomend this book to any ball python owner as a go-to guide for their snakes needs.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good book for a beginner. If you want a quick read with the basic facts, this is a good book for you. There were times however the author touched on a subject that needed a more in depth explanation that I wished I would have gotten. Sometimes also, something was mentioned, that a picture of it would have been beneficial. But all around this is a great book for a first time owner that needs a fairly quick read of all the basics.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seemed really informative. I'm looking into getting a Ball Python, and I feel like I know a lot more about them now that I've read this, so, mission accomplished, book! This seems like a pretty solid resource, especially since Colette Sutherland is herself a breeder and owner of Ball Pythons. I'd imagine she's a pretty reputable source. We'll see in a few weeks, right?

[S.R. Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed all of the information in the book. I do think, however, that more pictures would be helpful for those unfamiliar with the subject matter, like those doing research before choosing to purchase a ball python.

[Hayley Shaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for the beginning snake owner. It's very handy if you want to see what's causing your snake to be sick. It's fairly handy in all other aspects of ball python owning and breeding.

[Olesya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very interested in snakes at the time, this book has a good amount of information, and facts on ball pythons.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paso a paso muy pronto tendre mi ejercito de serpientes (?)