Beginner Question

Hi all. I purchased my first snake (a young female ball python) over nine months ago. Unfortunately, less than a month later she died from IBD. We're ready for another snake, but I want to try my best to ensure something like this doesn't happen again. Now, I've heard you're not supposed to buy a snake from chain stores or breeders, so I'm on the forums to see what other option there is (or if buying from one of the two is okay, why?).

Thanks for reading, can't wait to get another snake!

Sorry to hear about your first snake! :(

As long as it's a reputable breeder, there's no problem buying a snake from a breeder. There are some breeders out there that don't take proper care of their snakes, but for the most part, I would probably consider buying from a breeder to be the safest option. Check the Fauna Classifieds BOI (Board of Inquiry), and the Inquiries/Feedback section on this site (http://ball-pythons.net/forums/forum...iries-Feedback) for feedback on different breeders. There are plenty of good breeders! You can check Kingsnake.com classifieds, Fauna Classifieds, and the Reptile Report Marketplace to find snakes for sale, and you can also see if there's a reptile show local to you.

Also, before you get a new snake, it would be a good idea to make sure you sanitize the tank and any equipment that you might have saved from your first snake.

Hope that helps!

If you have had IBD in your house, you need to wait at least a full year minimum before you get any other snakes to make sure your house is safe for your new snake. Did your vet confirm it was IBD?

Always buy from reputable breeders. Look at Fauna Board of Inquiry(BOI) for buyer reviews of sellers to weed out bad breeders.

Thanks guys. No, it was never confirmed but we were told to wait at least 6 months and to sanitize the tank.

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Originally Posted by Aurora

Hi all. I purchased my first snake (a young female ball python) over nine months ago. Unfortunately, less than a month later she died from IBD. We're ready for another snake, but I want to try my best to ensure something like this doesn't happen again. Now, I've heard you're not supposed to buy a snake from chain stores or breeders, so I'm on the forums to see what other option there is (or if buying from one of the two is okay, why?).

Thanks for reading, can't wait to get another snake!

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i wonder where you heared that :)

generally, what people say is: chain stores are very bad, wholesalers/flippers are very bad, good breeders are good, very good breeders are very good, shady breeders are shady, and at reptile shows you can get all of that and it depends on who you buy from at the reptile show.

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Originally Posted by Pythonfriend

generally, what people say is: chain stores are very bad, wholesalers/flippers are very bad, good breeders are good, very good breeders are very good, shady breeders are shady, and at reptile shows you can get all of that and it depends on who you buy from at the reptile show.

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LOL I love the explanations here... too good ;)

OP I agree with all of the previous comments. Just wanted to throw that out there!
Sorry to hear about your experience :( I hope it didn't sour anything for you.

All the best!