after i pick up my bp...

[MikeG]

should i take him straight to a vet to get checked out or should i wait about a week to let him get used to his new home and me more (don't want to stress him out too much that day)? Ive looked him over at the store multiple times and couldn't see anything that looked strange or any signs that he was sick.
The place im getting him from was very clean so im not concerned about him not being healthy...just seeing what all your opinions were.


Thanks!

Mike~

[LadyOhh]

If you can and want to, take him in immediately.

Won't hurt to get an overall idea of his health and wellbeing from a Vet.

[Toronto Python Gurus]

well first of all i suggest you learn as much about ball python care as you can before gettin him but thats a given, there are a few obvious signs to look for health wise, is he/she retaining any shed? do you notice any scale rot? does the snake have any kinks in his/her back, does he/she look dehydrated, etc ... etc.. if you already have a ball python then you should know what to look for(not sure if u said u had one already) another thing is a vet can get kinda pricey even just for a check up so unless you notice anything seriously wrong with the snake then i dont think it is necessary IMO and if there is anything wrong with the snake maybe you shouldnt be purchasing it in the first place, if u are worried about the snake and dont mind payin for the vet bill then there is no harm in gettin him/her checked out not to mention if it is ur first snake u can always take it to the vet and talk to the vet about proper care and what to look for next time you purchase a new snake. . . hopefully this helps and there are alot of websites and books out there are ball python care and what to look for when purchasing a new ball python just check them out and good luck!!

[anatess]

My suggestion is - depending on your finances...

1.) if you have the finances to get a full vet check, then go ahead and get him checked out right when you get him - the stress of going into a new place and a vet check can be combined into one stress period instead of getting him acclimated, then getting him all stressed out again by taking him to the vet.
2.) if you have limited finances, then get the bp, wait until it poops and then take the poop to the vet for a fecal. Then you just observe your bp to see if there seems to be something not quite right physically. If you don't have much experience with snakes then you might want to get the book, What's Wrong With My Snake by Dr. Rossi (not sure of the title, but you should be able to google Dr. Rossi and snakes and get the proper title).
3.) if you have super limited finances, then just do the observation and have a completely reactive vet care. Might still want to invest in the book, though. Maybe somebody else out here has a better book to recommend.

Just my $.02.