Captive bred or captive hatched ball python?

Question

Is there really a difference between the two?
Would a captive hatched ball python tend to be more aggressive, shorter lived?

Answer 1

Yes, there is a difference. Captive hatched ball pythons are imported. People go out into the wild in west Africa and catch gravid (pregnant) females and also find nests. They hatch the eggs, then without feeding or offering water, they package them up and ship them to the United States by the tens of thousands. These snakes often arrive dehydrated, haven't eaten, and may possibly carry parasites. They tend to have more feeding problems than a captive bred ball python. In my opinion, "captive hatched" is just a fancy, misleading term for wild caught imports. I always advise buying captive bred snakes. Most of the ball pythons in pet stores are imports, but breeders are easy to find at reptile expos, and you can usually buy them for less than what you would pay for an import at a pet store. I'm currently sold out, but I sell my captive bred males for $30, which is better than an $80 import from Petsmart.

Answer 2

Ball pythons are pretty chill snakes so you are unlikely to get an aggressive one. The difference between captive hatched and captive bred is that captive hatched are from eggs that were laid by wild snakes taken from the wild to lay their eggs in captivity, there is a chance they will have mites or other parasites as they will not have had the same conditions as captive bred animals. If it is your first snake it would probably be best to shell out the extra money for a captive bred because then you know it will be healthy and eating as captive hatched are not always good eaters. When you buy it ask if you can see a feeding record and what it has been eating, e.g rat pups or whatever. You should look for a snake that reacts to your movements, has black, dry eyes unless it is in shed in which case they will be shiny. Check around the nose for any discharge because if there is any it could be a sign of a respiratory infection so choose a snake with a clean dry nose. Also check the vent located near the tail, this should also be clean and dry. As for the prices and quality, look for a breeder in your area as places like petco and petsmart are notorious for selling sick snakes that die very quickly, you could check out some reptile forums and ask if there are any reputable ball python breeders in your area, some breeders will also ship them to you. Wherever you buy your snake from make sure you do your research on how you need to keep it, remember they are cold blooded so need costant heat and if they get too hot they die so you need a thermostat hooked up to whatever heat source you're using. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Captive hatched/captive bred are the same thing. Born in captivity but imported. Captive born and bred is what you want. Most tend to be healthier, better eaters and you'll have parent history as well as feed/shed records. Imports aren't necessarily more aggressive in this species, but in most, I find the cbb to be more docile than a wild caught individual. Captive hatched is anybodies guess. You always run the risk of parasites from an import as well as related health issues from stress, long periods without water and exposure to many animals. For a more established animal, you might try a local reptile show and see if the breeders there have anything that appeals to you. Most shows these days are ball python shows....there's usually about 1000 to choose from.

Answer 4

Any pet store should sell them. Most of them are born in captivity but the eggs come from the wild. I was just talking to a guy that owns a pet shop about this same thing. Your best bet would be to find a breed so you know that they were captive breed.

Answer 5

if you are looking for a ball python as a pet, you'd do best with one who has been handled since birth. It's a snake. Obviously, a hand held since birth will be the best pet, regardless of whether it's captive or otherwise.



If you are seeking a Ball Python as a pet, get one raised by a reputable breeder as an infant, who has had a LOT of human contact. Ball Pythons are wild animals, and the more human contact it's had, the better, especially if you want to handle it later as an adult. Ball Pythons are typically the best pet snakes to own. They can be phenomenal pets, and VERY human friendly.

Answer 6

There is no difference in Captive bred or captive hatched..

theres a lot of info from people out there who deals and sells thing..

Hell you may get a good dealer that can talk to you more on one on one. www.kingsnake.com Good luck Balls are the best snake to start off with.. and breeding them are more fun. But Bewhere dont buy wild ones most of the time they don't live

Answer 7

there is no difference between captive bred or hatched. what you dont want is a wild caught one. goto a reptile show in your area and you can get a captive bred normal ball python for about 25 dollars. that will be the best way to go for a good pet ball python

Answer 8

Captive bred means both parents were bred and hatched in captivity,and captive hatched usually means the eggs were retrieved from the wild and then hatched in an hatchery.

Answer 9

SNAKES :O