When you buy a normal (wild type) ball python, ask for the records that show the snake is free of the diseases that spread silently through collections, that a reptile vet has examined it, and that the snake in the papers is the snake in front of you. Those records, checked carefully, protect both your new snake and any reptiles you already keep.
Which records does Everybarn recommend for a normal ball python?
Everybarn recommends that sellers keep these records on file:
- Fecal exam clear
- Cryptosporidium PCR negative
- IBD (arenavirus) PCR negative
- Nidovirus PCR negative
- Exotics vet exam on file
- Hatch record on file
- Photo ID on file
- Genetics report for recessive claims
A normal with no het claims does not need a genetics report. Everything else on the list applies to every ball python.
What does each record tell me?
Fecal exam: A fecal parasite exam looks for worms and protozoa. Parasite load is the most common problem in newly acquired snakes, and it is usually treatable once found.
Cryptosporidium PCR: Crypto is a parasite that causes regurgitation and weight loss. It is incurable and spreads through a collection, so a negative test matters most if you already keep reptiles.
IBD (arenavirus) PCR: Inclusion body disease moves silently between boids and has no cure. A snake can carry it without symptoms for some time.
Nidovirus PCR: Serpentovirus causes chronic respiratory disease and can spread through a rack in weeks.
Exotics vet exam: A reptile vet documents respiratory health and body condition. The exam should name the clinic and the date.
Hatch record: Breeder-issued lineage and hatch date back up the snake’s age and origin, and any genetic claims.
Photo ID: Ball python patterns are individual. A vet-signed photo record ties this specific snake to its papers.
Genetics report: If the seller claims the snake carries a recessive gene, a lab report or a proven breeding should back it. Otherwise a het claim is only a bet on the parents.
How do I check the papers myself?
Every seller on Everybarn has their identity verified before a listing goes live. Papers are the seller’s own documents, kept on file for you to review; nobody at the marketplace checks them with the clinic, lab or registry that issued them. So:
- Match the snake to the photo ID by comparing pattern details on the head and along the back.
- Match the hatch date to the snake’s size and the seller’s description.
- Check that each test report names the lab, the sample date and the snake’s ID.
- Contact the issuer named on the document yourself, using contact details you look up independently, if anything is unclear.
- Ask your own reptile vet to look over the records before you commit.
How recent should the tests be?
A test describes the snake on the day the sample was taken. Ask when each sample was collected and whether the snake has been housed with new animals since. A recent test on a snake kept apart from new arrivals means more than an old test on a snake in a busy collection.
What should a good test report look like?
A useful report names the lab, the date the sample was collected, the test performed, and the result, and identifies the snake by name, ID number or photo. A report with no date, no lab name, or a result that does not name the snake tells you very little. If a seller shows you a summary in their own words, ask for the original report.
Do I need tests if I only keep one snake?
If this will be your only snake, the disease tests matter less for spreading illness, but they still matter for the snake’s own health and for any snake you add later. A fecal exam and a vet check are worth having for every new snake.
What should I do if records are missing?
A missing record is a question, not automatically a deal-breaker. Ask the seller whether they can arrange the test before sale, or agree a price that reflects the gap. Whatever the papers say, quarantine a new snake away from your other reptiles for a good while, and book your own vet check.
For more help planning, see our free tools.
Drafted with the help of an AI model from an editor’s brief, then reviewed and approved by The Everybarn Editorial Team before publishing.
Sources
- Everybarn ball python records checklist. The records the marketplace recommends a seller keeps on file for this breed, and why each matters.