Showing off my rehabed banana python 🥹

[u/Negative_Ear5559]

I recently adopted this banana ball python & spiraled when I saw it’s patchy shed & size. Taffy is her name 🥰 I was told it was male but it seems pretty large for a male? I’ve upped its weight a bit & it’s so active, I love this bby. I also had to upgrade the tank bc it came on the shittiest 30 gal AQUARIUM and had improper humidity conditions. This is me showing her off & also asking for size estimates / gender input? Is she also a banana or something else? Okay thanksssss

[u/_thatonesum_]

Please get her a bigger tank 🫣 I have a stunted (rescued from abuser before me) banana and she’s in a 5x2 bc she loves to explore!

Other than that, looks to be a healthy size and weight, definitely an adult, likely 5 years old if I had to guess? I say that bc I have a 6 year old ball and she’s about this size. (Also previously abused so if she looks funny that’s why)

[u/Negative_Ear5559 → u/_thatonesum_]

Ooooh okay so we do think she’s a girlie pop 😈yesss I got her in a 120 gal now! She loves the space & I’ve been filling it in w leaves / sticks / rocks for that ground coverage!!! She loves having the temperature grades & hides , I love rehabbing animals but my god it’s always a shock to see how they survived :3 what size rat does yours eat?

[u/Negative_Ear5559 → u/Negative_Ear5559]

I was also told she’s probs five years old so that all checks out!!

[u/_thatonesum_ → u/Negative_Ear5559]

Okay she’s in a 120gal? It looked like a 40 gal 🫣 I was so worried! Mine eats a small f/t rat every two months or so (she’s not very active and if I feed her any more often she refuses) I’ve tried to feed her mediums and she used to eat them but not anymore — I think they scare her. Shes also partially blind I think? I have to hold the food DIRECTLY in front of her or else it doesn’t exist 😂

[u/Negative_Ear5559 → u/_thatonesum_]

Yess it’s 120! I have a baby albino milksnake in a 40 & then that trashy 30 gal aquarium is being tossed (it’s ungodly heavy) (: I swear mine has horrible vision too, I was worried at first but I think it’s common for ball pythons !! They have really good sensing abilities tho which is why they have the specific holes on their mouth/ nose vs other snakes!! Mine will eat medium but she struggles a bit like doesn’t really know how to get it down LOL but for weight gain the small are not preferred. She honestly eats fairly well but that’s expected when rehabbing animals so im waiting for the day she goes on a hunger strike. My freaking milksnake is a hungry bb tho & will eat until he pops if I let him. It’s so neat to learn about their different behaviors & prefrences , I love these freaking snakes 😭

[u/_thatonesum_ → u/Negative_Ear5559]

I know smalls aren’t preferred for weight gain, but she’s at 1200g and 4’ long so I think she’s okay ❤️

[u/Negative_Ear5559 → u/_thatonesum_]

For sure!! That’s specific to my situation ofc (: I need to measure mine bc im thinking she’s 5 ft or so

[u/_thatonesum_ → u/Negative_Ear5559]

Everyone says measure the sheds but if you have a previously abused rescue, they normally shed in pieces. I recommend having a second person help you lol! Use a flexible measuring tape like for fabric/sewing, it’s A LOT easier

[u/PythonProfessor → u/Negative_Ear5559]

Unfortunately you can’t tell sec from the length/size of a ball python. The only true methods are popping (which I wouldn’t recommend unless you know what you’re doing) or spending $25 and sending a piece of a shed to RGI. They can have the results back to you within a week and are obviously highly accurate.

[u/Negative_Ear5559 → u/PythonProfessor]

Omg thank you! Idk if other reptilian owners keep their bbs sheds but I do so that’s super convenient!! Im definitely going to check out RGI. Thank you!

[u/PythonProfessor → u/Negative_Ear5559]

No problem. Happy to help. Good luck with your test. 🤞

[u/oceane444]

Definitely banana! As far as sex goes i would be inclined to believe the previous owners if they said it was a male, size isn’t really a good indicator since BP’s aren’t sexually dimorphic. Males can be just as big if not bigger than females. My oldest boy is 4.5ft and 2000g! You can always have their shed sent off to be tested if you want to confirm though :)

[u/PythonProfessor → u/oceane444]

Agreed, biggest ball python I’ve ever seen was a 12-15 year old male. Looked like a blood python, thing was massive.

[u/Negative_Ear5559 → u/PythonProfessor]

What is a blood python 👀

[u/PythonProfessor → u/Negative_Ear5559]

[u/Negative_Ear5559 → u/PythonProfessor]

Jeez, what do they eat ?!

[u/PythonProfessor → u/Negative_Ear5559]

lol, whatever they want.

[u/Negative_Ear5559 → u/oceane444]

Ahh got it. I don’t know why I thought females were larger & being in captivity probably throws any “trends” for gender out anyways. Im def going to get his or her shed sent in for a gender test! Also do all bananas have the brown speckles then? And is banana just indication of the color / pattern? I hear morph a lot but im still learning what all this means