Hello from Seattle! :)

Hi all!

I am new to the forums -- sort of. I had an account several (re: 8?) years ago when I still lived in the UK but can't remember what my username was to save my life. My partner and I recently moved to Seattle, and I just got a baby BP from an acquaintance who I would consider to be in rescue condition.

My snakey history is that I've a couple of BPs before, but was always a pet/casual keeper. My beloved Bellatrix was a female spider ball python who I had from hatchling stage to her unexpected death at age 8 in 2017. She was so chilled out and was a great eater. I also raised a lesser pastel female from baby to age 3, when I sold her to a breeder because she was a beautiful and huge but nippy and never really made a good pet.

I recently got a new baby normal after we moved from the UK to Seattle, who is in pretty rough shape. The acquaintance got him from Petco for her son and was keeping him a critter keeper with only an overhead heat lamp, a climbing log, water and no hides. She decided to get rid of him because he had bitten her son and wasn't eating, and asked if I wanted him because I had mentioned I was thinking about getting another snake. I've gotten him in a much better setup now, but I am a little worried because he's dangerously skinny and I'm not sure how much time I have to convince him to eat :(

Welcome to the forums and congrats on your new little ball python. Sounds like you adopted him from what would of been a terrible life for him. Hopefully with the better setup and some hides to go in he will eat for you once he's settled in.

:welcome: Let's hope you can get this rescue BP up & eating then. Pics would help us give opinions, but it's great that you took him in.

Welcome aboard! :)

Here is what he looked like what I got him. I don't really want to fish him out of his terrarium again now until after he (hopefully) eats. My friend got him 3 weeks ago, so it's been at least that long since he last ate.

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ur.com/B9OxHmHhttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...ur.com/B9OxHmHhttps://ibb.co/L04tgLF
https://ibb.co/NnXJnM4


For extra information, I have looked into trying to find *anywhere* in Seattle that would sell live feeders if it does come to that. Apparently the Petco woman told her that he was eating "fuzzies" but did not know or did not specify if these were rats or mice. However, I have not been able to find anywhere in the city that sells them, so will have to try and make this work with f/t.

If he came from Petco, he was likely on f/t (frozen thawed)...hope so, but your're wise to think ahead, just in case.

I think we have a few members here in the Seattle area, I hope they chime in with sources for you.

No, don't fish him out...he doesn't look too bad in that photo...but he was probably eating mouse fuzzies & should have been on mouse HOPPERS to start.

Petco only does f/t. So your snake was used to that. Let's get husbandry correct and he will probably start eating again. Also live is only sold at Petco and little Amazon on aurora.

hello! welcome to Seattle and welcome to BP.net! that BP doesn't look too bad but i'm glad u could take it in. i'm sure it is better in your more experienced hands rather than some uninspired kid.

good luck and i hope u enjoy the forum.

Edit: anyways for live feeders - there's The Little Amazon in the north end of the city as Sunnie mentioned above and Sierra Fish & Pets or Midway Tropical Fish & Pets in the south. Petco and Petsmart sells them too, but they make u fill out a pet adoption form or something (even if u intend to feed off the mice/rat). farther north, there are dedicated reptile shops like Hewitt Reptiles in Everett and Reptile Snack Shack.

Thank you for letting me know which shops have live feeders! I was looking online to see if I could find any, but none that have it listed on their websites. Since we just moved here and live in Downton where it is freakishly expensive to park, we haven't bought a car yet, so the shops that are really far north of the city probably aren't an option but I will definitely check out the city based ones if it comes to it.

I'm relieved to here he doesn't look too bad. My previous babies were little chunkies as I got them from breeders and they were feeding well. He does look significantly skinnier than the old photos I have of them as hatchlings, which was why I was worried.

Then I am the closest store for live feeders to you. Hop on the D line to Interbay Petco. Petsmart doesn't sell live mice for feeders anymore from what I hear. My mice on average weigh about 19g.