Being fair about PetSmart (and buying your ball python from them)

okay, please dont flame me... but just wanna share my experience.

snake enthusiast in this forum will strongly discourage a newbie from buying their very first ball python from petsmart. im not saying their wrng, infact that is actually true. the petsmart where i got my ball, only got 2 supplies of bp with them.. and the other one is horrible, striking me and all the bystanders for like 20 times in 1 minute.

however, this bp that i got from them was really really really really really docile. he is about to shed now coz his eyes are both 'blueish/gray' and his skin is pale. but never had ever shown aggressiveness on me, not even ones, NEVER EVER STROKE ME!

but hey, when he smell rodents, specifically F/T ones, as how they are fed in petsmart, they change from a very silent lamb to a wild lion. though he doesnt strike everywhere, but his tongue just starts commin out like every 2 secs and moving slowly like, wth where is that scent coming from.

and then i try to hit him with the prey on his body and he will be like, "wth, i felt that! you're dead mr rodent"

then eventually put the snake in front of his head, after waking him up and pissing him for like 10 secs.. then SNAP, TAG, eats the rodent.

so after swallowing the whole thing, i'm just crazy to put my hand in there, i wanna get bit, intentially, i just wanna know how it feels, but NADA. the snake smells my hand and i'm he's like... "i know you, i wont bite ya, i'm just gonna chill here and go back in my hide, thanks for the rodent though, its tasty."

i'm just saying not all snakes from petsmart is good... maybe i just got lucky, like what i said on my previous post, there are only 2 snakes in petsmart when i bought my bp, a super aggressive one and and a super docile one, obviously i got the docile one and i'm very happy about him and is now tempting me to go hop in the petsmart on the city next to mine to probably get my second bp. :D goodluck!!

I live in Alaska, and in general, it is hard to get reptiles up here from breeders down in the states. They just don't want to risk their animals traveling so far, so I know where you're coming from. Most of my other reptiles, Cresteds, beardies, I've had to get from the only pet store, Petco, which killed all of our other awesome small mom and pop pet stores...The family I live with recently got a baby ball python from Petco, and it died a couple weeks later from IBD. People are against places like Petco and Petsmart because a lot of the times the animals are kept in less than clean and proper housing, barely fed, and can be filled with parasites and have diseases.

Last month I got a ball shipped here from LLLreptile and he still looks very healthy, even though he has refused all the frozen/thawed and I can't find any live mice in town, he is decently tame, never struck at me, but is still shy when it comes to fast movements, I just hope he eats soon...

But sometimes I really don't think it's bad to get animals from pet stores, or less than perfect breeders. I would much rather adopt though(our other ball is adopted).

Every Petsmart is different but I would not hesitate to purchase a ball python from the store I work in. Our Petsmart is very clean and we have knowledgeable people (for the most part. I'm educating them). The snakes are fed f/t and handled on a semi-regular basis (not after meals of course) and our snakes are always healthy. They are just really expensive in comparison to a normal from a breeder.

I was at Petco yesterday checking out there ball python. The lady i was talking to was able to answer any normal question i was asking. The snakes tank looked fairly clean and the snake was active hanging around the front of the tank for everyone to see him. The normal price is $80 though, which i guess isnt too bad once thinking how much shipping costs from out of state breeders. But every so often they have a sale of them putting the price down to $40. I wouldnt hesitate getting one from the petco near me. I got a hamster there and had her for a month now with no problems at all. Shes very friendly. I think if the animal does die within 15 days you are able to take it back and exchange it. Hate to look it like that but it does cover there negligance if the animal happened to have an existing problem when you bought it.

To the OP - there is no need to hit your snake with the frozen/thawed rodent in order to "piss them off" enough to get them to eat. Just do a little zombie dance in front of them - if they're already taking f/t prey, that's all that's really needed.

The petsmart that I go to pages me when they know I'm in the store when they have a customer looking at the snakes, in order to answer their questions. They also quiz me when they're not sure about something so that they can share better information.

I was in there Thursday, and they keep female rodents, but accidentally got a male mouse that they segregated into the back. The manager saw me and said "do you want a male mouse? I don't care if you use it to feed your snake, I just can't keep it, since we sell females - and I'm afraid he got my female mice pregnant". I said "sure, if I don't have to buy it". She then told me that happens to them every so often, and she's just going to call me when she gets male mice in and let me just take them - she didn't even write the animal up. She also said if any of the females end up having litters, she's just going to call me to take her and the babies.

She also called me when they'd had a kingsnake there for about 10 months and he just wasn't selling (but getting bigger and bigger) and wanted to know if I'd buy him at a reduced price. At the time, the reduced price wasn't enough for me to buy him. Like I told her - you're basically asking me to take it on as a "rescue", and that's just too high. She said if he didn't sell in the next week at the reduced price, she'd lower it again and call me. An employee was nearby and said - "heck, I'll take him at the next price cut!" I told her "there you go! He's sold!" LOL

It's just a really good crew at my local Petsmart.

The problem is not the snake's attitudes. It's the fact that many are imported, and may have mites or other diseases.

I also would rather support my local breeders, and buy from them instead of a chain pet store.

from my personal xp - petsmart is not near as bad as jacks. I have 3 local jacks pets and every single store has something that makes me extremely mad. The first store has several different types of reptiles together. Green Tree frogs in with crested geckos - chameleons in with green anoles and whites tree frog (hello! the whites WILL eat the anoles!). The next store has half dead anoles..ive told them numerous times about the dead anoles and how there is no way, and they only mist once a day and just a very tiny bit.. the final one made me call their corp office. they had a crested in with anoles and the crested geckos care info said "temp should be 80-90 degrees"..... I went to the girl working and said this was VERY wrong. Anything over 80 is very very bad for a crested. She shrugged and told me it came from the office and she couldnt change it. I called...and was told what they had was correct and it wouldnt be changed..

I have a Petsmart and a Petco within 12 miles, the Petsmart is more like Petstupid in my opinion, I called them looking for a ceramic heat element to replace by night bulb to help with humidity, and I was looking for a Repti Glow 2.0 just for some cool lighting and the guy told me I need a Repti Glow 10.0 for a Ball Python becuase the entire tank needs to be 95* !!!!!!. The Petco in Des Moines (South Side) though is very nice, the girl I do buisness with (I call her my bug girl because she is always there when I pickup crickets) is a Vet Tech. and is very smart, she also loves the animals...and the people I deal with all own reptiles. The animals are healthy, the tanks are always clean and they always have food. Sometimes when I go in there I can see some of the animals being given meds and stuff wich I believe stems from where they came from, they will take an animal to a seperate area if they see something is wrong with it and wont bring it back out until it is better. I have never seen any animals for sale that are in poor condition.
Now as far as anything else goes, as in supplies...unless I need something that cant wait, I will order from herpsupplies.com because their stuff is half the price of a chain store. The UTH I got from there started to malfunction and burned out, I have a new one on the way, but that $40+ UTH from Petco is coming from herpsupplies for $25, and I am changing my nightglow bulb to a ceramic heat element...$40 at Petsmart because Petco dont have it, only $25 from Herpsupplies. I will buy animals from Petco, thats where I got my Crestie but unless its an emergency, I wont buy anything else from them.

A Pet Smart will charge 3 times more for a baby bp than a local breeder at a show. Because Petsmart would most likely be selling imported bp's they may have mites, and a bigger problem might be getting them to eat. These are the reasons that Petsmart isn't the vendor of choice.
That being said, if you already have a bp from Petsmart the world will not end. If you have no local reptile shows or local breeders a chain Pet store may be your only option.

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Originally Posted by dsirkle

A Pet Smart will charge 3 times more for a baby bp than a local breeder at a show. Because Petsmart would most likely be selling imported bp's they may have mites, and a bigger problem might be getting them to eat. These are the reasons that Petsmart isn't the vendor of choice.
That being said, if you already have a bp from Petsmart the world will not end. If you have no local reptile shows or local breeders a chain Pet store may be your only option.

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See, again, it is all on the individual Petsmart. The snakes that come into our store, while sometimes small, are not infested with mites. (haven't seen a single mite yet), are free from respiratory infections, and we usually get a few f/t meals into them before they leave. We have a bp in the back (he can't go on the floor yet because we only put 2 in the tank at a time so we don't overcrowd). He is only 53g but he's eating, so I am confidant he will make a good pet. Not aggressive either. :)

You will have good stores, like mine. And you will have bad stores. You WILL find Petsmarts that do not hire the right people and do not take care of their animals. I actually just saw a video online of a person who went undercover at a Petsmart near her and the care was horrible. Dead and dying animals all over the place, overcrowding, illness, rodents eating each other.

Now, my store knows that if I had the room, I'd adopt any animal that came into the store that needed to be adopted. I've already told them I'll take in any reptile that gets dropped off and find it a good home.

I got my first bp from my local petsmart here in Chicago. At first I had no idea about breeders or anything. Then I learned that you really shouldn't buy animals from big box pet stores. But looking back on it, I wouldn't have done anything differently. The petsmart by me is great. The animals are always well taken care of, clean, and the staff are actually pretty knowledgeable. Most of them actually have some reptiles of their own!

It really just depends on the store and where they get their animals from. If they get imported animals, chances are they will have more problems. If they get them from a local source, chances are they will be just like any other snake you buy from a breeder.

I just wanted to touch in on this a little bit. I've been working at Petsmart for a few months now and I'm basically our reptile guy and we get all of our reptiles from specific breeders that we trust and they have their animals tested for disease and what not prior to doing any business with them. We have a pretty good team who takes good care of them really well at my store and I think someone mentioned it earlier, but I wanted to mention it again that we do have a quarantine room specifically for sick animals and also a new arrival room which is basically another quarantine room for new animals we get to stay in for a while to make sure they are healthy before they go out for display.
We get all kinds of morphs too; our most recent one is a piebald we got last night.

With that said it can be very different store to store some are great and I wouldn't be surprised if some weren't. I've actually talked to a guy at another location over the phone who didn't even know what a 'ball python morph' meant. All of my reptiles I have are from breeders right now, but after working here I wouldn't be strayed from getting one at a good store by anything other than price (Unless there is a sale 😋).

Tucker is a Petsmart refugee. Although he was a little expensive for a normal, he's been great and really launched me and the family back into herps. Even my anti-snake wife now holds them and is actually breeding Crested Geckos herself. Point is, I think if varies from store to store. I've got a good relationship with my local Petco too. Be polite, answer their questions and see if you can't be helpful. It really pays off for everyone involved IMO.

Dave

I got my Ginger from my local PetSmart, and except for some mites, she's been in perfect health.


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got my first ball python at one of those, she's the sweetest snake you'll ever meet as well as in perfect health. they overpriced her a bit, but she was well worth it

Got my second ball from them, labeled as a super pastel but I'm fairly certain that he isn't. Should be an interesting project proving him out eventually though

My biggest problem with pet stores is that there is no bio-security.

Anyone who wants to may ask to handle an animal. That person may already have snakes, and have a mite problem as well. That spreads mites to the snakes at the store. I also have heard of returned live mice refused by a BP. If you buy a live mouse at a pet store that accepts mouse returns, then there is no guarantee that that mouse wasn't in someone else's cage (a possibly dirty cage infested with mites).

Mites are suspected carriers of IBD. You will probably know soon if your BP catches IBD, but you might not know for many months if your boas catch it.

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Originally Posted by SnakeKB

I was at Petco yesterday checking out there ball python. The lady i was talking to was able to answer any normal question i was asking. The snakes tank looked fairly clean and the snake was active hanging around the front of the tank for everyone to see him. The normal price is $80 though, which i guess isnt too bad once thinking how much shipping costs from out of state breeders. But every so often they have a sale of them putting the price down to $40. I wouldnt hesitate getting one from the petco near me. I got a hamster there and had her for a month now with no problems at all. Shes very friendly. I think if the animal does die within 15 days you are able to take it back and exchange it. Hate to look it like that but it does cover there negligance if the animal happened to have an existing problem when you bought it.

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Funny. I never really realized that the prices would be different at different Petcos lol! At our Petco, the normal ball pythons are $59. Every now and then all of their reptiles are half priced, too.

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It has nothing to do with ball python personality that you should stay away from petsmart, its their care of the animals. Totally different animal but, we once bought a pet rabbit from them, he had snuffles, unknown to us. They day we bought him he started sneezing and white mucus from his nose. We asked pet smart for their vet and for a free visit to the vet (petland does pay for animals first vet visit as long as it is within ten days of purchase) but this is not how pet smart works. They refuse to pay for the vet so we took him back. It was super unfortunate. Ten days later we found a healthy rabbit breeder and got one off of them for half the price we bought the one from pet smart.

Pet smart (and pretty much every other pet store) charges outrageous prices. The normal ball pythons at the pet smart here are being sold for $110. I just bought a proven breeder from a local breeder for $40. I know when I produce normals I wont sell them more then $50.

Another reason to stay away from pet smart and other pet stores is because of their lack of knowledge. Noobs get their information from these people and end up coming here with questions......

Whether I get a ball python from a breeder or from a pet store, I am always taking the risk of get one with a bad attitude... that part isn't the problem.

And please don't smack your ball python with a rat... that is so uncool. Your impatience may just pee him off one day.

I will pay a premium for quality. PetSmart type stores have the premium, but give you few reasons to expect the quality.

There is a breeder on line with a normal I want. He is charging $100. Hardly a deal. However, I've watched his videos, seen his husbandry practices and the care he takes, agree with his philosophy, corresponded with him multiple times, etc. To me, all that makes the price worth it. If she is still available when I am set up and ready for her, I'll gladly pay that.

I have NO such relationship with any pet store

Is she an adult


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Yeah, like everyone's been saying, it depends on the individual petsmart- since management and employees are different. The funny thing I found though from working at petsmart is the snakes that come to us tend to either be like you described: striking at everything and everything that moves or super docile and friendly. Usually I say ask the employees, they'll know which is which.

I was in Pet Supermarket a few days ago, they had a ball python who was extremely dehydrated and had partial shed stuck to him. I like that chain stores bring exposure to the idea of getting a snake, but it's so sad when places so clearly cannot care for them. Seeing the snake, you can't help but want to rescue it, but purchasing it just enables them to do the same to a new one. I'm fortunate that where I live (Raleigh, NC) we have a mom and pop-type pet store specializing in snakes. I think that one of the best aspects of buying from a local breeder means if you have a problem or concern about the snake you purchased, you have someone to go back to for assistance. Buying from a chain store means not only are you not sure what you're getting, but also you're not sure what assistance you can receive after the fact.

It absolutely depends on the store. I have gotten 2 ball pythons from Petsmart and one corn snake from Petco. All 3 animals appeared in good health and I haven't had any issue with them being sick or mite infested. The prices seemed fine to me since I got all mine on sale. Even normal prices from a breeder though would probably be about the same with shipping thrown in. Each individual store from both chains is different. Some have been neat(for a chain store) while others aren't incredibly well done.

Ok, I know this is an old thread but I'm new here, and I just bought a (half price, $39) ball python from petsmart last night. It must vary from store to store, because the girl who helped me to set up the snake's kit was super helpful, admitted she was afraid of snakes and still made 100% sure I was able and ready to take on the responsibility of said cuddly creature. The snake (now named Hecate) is the sweetest thing I've ever held, and I'm not usually a snake person. More of a rat person. Hecate was bought as a gift for my fiance (knowing full well I would be the one taking care of her, no worries) and I know he is going to absolutely adore her. The girl was even nice enough to take my panicked phone call right before closing because the snake was curled around the tanks thermometer! (yes i know i'm silly but she was throwing off the tanks readings). She seems completely healthy, I spent all day yesterday going over forums, and care guides, and blogs, (continuing to do so now, obviously). In truth this is a petsmart I would love to work at, I walked around while I waited for someone able to help me with the python and every animal seemed active, healthy, and no cage was over crowded. Not even the fish!!! Which i have never seen at a chain pet store.

From what I understand, quality can vary drastically from one location to another. It, sadly, depends greatly on the management of that particular store. Unfortunately, if you bought your entire set-up there, that day, you're probably in for lots and lots of headaches. First off, they are a business, in business to SELL to the consumer. You will quickly find that most of the equipment they sell there will need to be upgraded because it's junk. Also, are you running a thermostat to monitor your heating equipment? I could be wrong, but I believe most chain store don't even sell them.
You very well could have gotten a great snake, but just because it's not biting or trying to tag you doesn't mean it's healthy. Did you check the animal over for visible health?
Don't be discouraged if you run into some headaches, just be prepared. This forum is great and people are truly here to help. The love of the animals is top-priority, and that shows in the members willingness to share their time and knowledge.
Good luck with your new snake!!!

The only problem Iv'e had so far is the girl sold me the wrong tank clips, it might have been because I was badgering her about the pythons feeding schedule. I did ask about her health, and was told she eats regularly, is very active (proven since I brought her home) and a friendly reptile. I looked Hecate over, she has no weird spots on her, her eyes are clear, the only problem is shes is really quite strong. Which, when i replace the clips, will not be a problem (I hope) =D I really like this local Petsmart, and I don't normally say that about chain pet shops. There was a really nice pet shop in Ohio, by Wooster, but I think they got shut down because the woman running it got overwhelmed.
Edit: Forgot to mention, yes she had me pick out a decent thermometer =D

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Originally Posted by m3gz

The only problem Iv'e had so far is the girl sold me the wrong tank clips, it might have been because I was badgering her about the pythons feeding schedule. I did ask about her health, and was told she eats regularly, is very active (proven since I brought her home) and a friendly reptile. I looked Hecate over, she has no weird spots on her, her eyes are clear, the only problem is shes is really quite strong. Which, when i replace the clips, will not be a problem (I hope) =D I really like this local Petsmart, and I don't normally say that about chain pet shops. There was a really nice pet shop in Ohio, by Wooster, but I think they got shut down because the woman running it got overwhelmed.
Edit: Forgot to mention, yes she had me pick out a decent thermometer =D

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Ok, the wrong clips is an easy fix. Is the thermometer digital with a probe? What about a hygrometer? Thermostat? Temp gun?
Unfortunately, active in the store is not a good indicator. Those animals are stressed from poor husbandry, high-traffic, no hides (a half log is not a good hide for a BP), etc... so they tend to be active because they can't find a spot they feel safe in.
I'm guessing this is a juvenile BP, which means she will get MUCH, MUCH stronger.
What size prey has she been eating? What did they sell you for prey? When did she eat last? Has she refused meals?

She's a lot less than 2 feet long, the thermometer reads both humidity and temperature (when shes not curled around it...) its the one that sticks to the inside of the tank, I've been looking into other potential necessaries and a temp gun did come up, I've actually got a notepad list going at the moment haha. She has a daytime/nighttime lamp, water dish, hidey log, (which she finally decided she liked once she shoved it back against the tank wall) and aspen bedding. The girl told me she was fed yesterday and she eats one mouse a week. She handed me a copy of their feeding schedule, which was helpful, and as for their tanks there she had to dig for the snake to see if she was still in there. LOTS of fake plants, when i walked up i was like "Dang, She sold already." lol They were out of the mice and told me to come back tomorrow (which it looks like id have to do anyway, thanks to those clips) but she said shes been on a diet of frozen arctic pinkie mice. She really is quite a small snake, I have no idea how shes getting the stuff off of her tank. The other thing on my to-get list tomorrow is a heat mat, since they inconveniently forgot to tell me about it. Possibly a different hidey hole since she wasnt too fond of the log. I DID get another container in which to feed her since they recommended i not do it in her normal habitat. Not sure if that was just their way of making me spend an extra 20 or not but meh, if it helps her its worth it.

Sorry for the long reply, she escaped again.

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Originally Posted by m3gz

She's a lot less than 2 feet long, the thermometer reads both humidity and temperature (when shes not curled around it...) its the one that sticks to the inside of the tank, I've been looking into other potential necessaries and a temp gun did come up, I've actually got a notepad list going at the moment haha. She has a daytime/nighttime lamp, water dish, hidey log, (which she finally decided she liked once she shoved it back against the tank wall) and aspen bedding. The girl told me she was fed yesterday and she eats one mouse a week. She handed me a copy of their feeding schedule, which was helpful, and as for their tanks there she had to dig for the snake to see if she was still in there. LOTS of fake plants, when i walked up i was like "Dang, She sold already." lol They were out of the mice and told me to come back tomorrow (which it looks like id have to do anyway, thanks to those clips) but she said shes been on a diet of frozen arctic pinkie mice. She really is quite a small snake, I have no idea how shes getting the stuff off of her tank. The other thing on my to-get list tomorrow is a heat mat, since they inconveniently forgot to tell me about it. Possibly a different hidey hole since she wasnt too fond of the log. I DID get another container in which to feed her since they recommended i not do it in her normal habitat. Not sure if that was just their way of making me spend an extra 20 or not but meh, if it helps her its worth it.

Sorry for the long reply, she escaped again.

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Ok let me try and make this as headache-free as I can for you. You are a new owner so I understand listening to the employee with your first snake, but she sold ya down the river unfortunately....

Those thermometers they sell are analog, and worthless. They are off by as bad as 10-12 degrees all the time. You need a good digital thermometer, and acurite makes a few that measure the humidity as well. They need to be digital in order to be fairly accurate.

A pinkie mouse for even a newborn BP is bordering on way too small. Your snake will be on rat pups sooner rather than later so you need to ditch going to that store and go somewhere that will sell you frozen rats. most petsmarts/petcos have frozen rats at an OUTRAGEOUS price and will not sell you live animals for food.

A light is ok initially but you'll want to look into getting a thermostat (spyder robotics and reptile basics both have good ones) and an undertank heater, one of the stick on ones will work but you NEED a thermostat with any heat source. Like I said those stick on thermometers you have are useless and the temp is most likely way higher than it should be.

As stated above an active BP is generally not a good sign unless its in the evening. They are nocturnal, they shouldn't be roaming their enclosures in the day time ever. "A hiding ball is a happy ball".

BP's like a hide on both the hot side and cool side of their tank. They shouldn't have to choose between safety and thermo regulating. Hot side should be right around 90 degrees, and the ambient and cool sides should be hovering around 80ish degrees.

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Originally Posted by m3gz

She's a lot less than 2 feet long, the thermometer reads both humidity and temperature (when shes not curled around it...) its the one that sticks to the inside of the tank, I've been looking into other potential necessaries and a temp gun did come up, I've actually got a notepad list going at the moment haha. She has a daytime/nighttime lamp, water dish, hidey log, (which she finally decided she liked once she shoved it back against the tank wall) and aspen bedding. The girl told me she was fed yesterday and she eats one mouse a week. She handed me a copy of their feeding schedule, which was helpful, and as for their tanks there she had to dig for the snake to see if she was still in there. LOTS of fake plants, when i walked up i was like "Dang, She sold already." lol They were out of the mice and told me to come back tomorrow (which it looks like id have to do anyway, thanks to those clips) but she said shes been on a diet of frozen arctic pinkie mice. She really is quite a small snake, I have no idea how shes getting the stuff off of her tank. The other thing on my to-get list tomorrow is a heat mat, since they inconveniently forgot to tell me about it. Possibly a different hidey hole since she wasnt too fond of the log. I DID get another container in which to feed her since they recommended i not do it in her normal habitat. Not sure if that was just their way of making me spend an extra 20 or not but meh, if it helps her its worth it.

Sorry for the long reply, she escaped again.

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Yeah, unfortunately, they sold you some stuff you don't need, and didn't sell you some of the stuff you need. Turns out the girl wasn't as good as you thought. A UTH is far better than the day/night lights. BPs don't like light, so there shouldn't be a bright light on her all day to keep her warm. Day Lights are great for cleaning, temporary viewing, etc... but I would switch to a UTH asap, but ON A THERMOSTAT. The UTH's can create extreme hot spots and can burn, or overheat and kill snakes. Depending on ambient room temps, a night bulb or CHE will be better. Lights also drain humidity drastically. Depending where you live, this can be a pain in the butt. You'll need a new thermometer/hygrometer too, a decent one with probes isn't much more at walmart than what you paid for the dial one that is extremely inaccurate. You need to measure the ambient temp, as well as surface temps. BPs spend almost their entire lives on the surface and some like to burrow, so the surface temp is extremely important. A temp gun is very important for this.

Aspen bedding is ok, but you'll prob want to switch when you buy your next bag. Aspen doesn't hold humidity well and molds easily.

I would also grab a kitchen scale from Walmart or something. Get one with a good size plate, you'll probably need to put your snake in a Tupperware or something to get a good reading. Also make sure the display won't be blocked so you can read it.

Next, pinkies are too small for your snake. Depending on the weight of your snake, I'm thinking at least Small Adult mice would be appropriate. When I took my BP home he was 20" and 128 grams and eating Lg adult mice.

Two hides are best, one on the hotspot created by your UTH, the other on the cool side. The logs are too open for them, they prefer to be more secure, so one with a single opening is best, preferably offset, so the snake can be almost completely under cover. You also want one that fits your BP. The tighter the better, within reason. Obviously, the snake should fit comfortably, not be scraping their scales getting in and out, etc...but they do prefer a snug, comfortable fit.

Lastly, return the other container. Feed your BP IN her enclosure.

I guess advice on buying a snake from a girl who is afraid of snakes isn't a great idea. She clearly isn't educated on snakes and is just there to sell. Sorry

In other words, i got screwed on the equipment? (on a sidenote i spent 150$ on equipment alone, Hecate was 39$) The heat mat (under tank heater) is on my list for tomorrow, as well as a heat gun. I'll add a digi thermometer too. Are you sure about the mice though? from what i was reading on the many many care lists it should be the same size as her diameter, and that seems about right for her size. As for nocturnal that makes sense, since its like 4 am here lol I didn't read anything in the care sheets about nocturnal, thank you for that! Been on sooooo many blogs/fact sheets/Python Ebooks my heads spinning haha.


12$ on thermometer, 5$ on clips, 70$ on day/night light kit, 12$ on hidey log, 13$ on aspen bedding, 60$ on 20g Tank forgot that extra 20 for the "feeding tank" :/
ok so make that 172$ on equipment alone. Did i seriously get shafted? She seemed genuinely concerned about the snakes wellfare even though she admitted she was scared of them. She wouldnt even touch her, she lifted her out on a branch so i could take her....

i do have a kitchen scale, i cook a lot, i can go weigh her really quick. shes really quite small though

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Originally Posted by m3gz

In other words, i got screwed on the equipment? (on a sidenote i spent 150$ on equipment alone, Hecate was 39$) The heat mat (under tank heater) is on my list for tomorrow, as well as a heat gun. I'll add a digi thermometer too. Are you sure about the mice though? from what i was reading on the many many care lists it should be the same size as her diameter, and that seems about right for her size. As for nocturnal that makes sense, since its like 4 am here lol I didn't read anything in the care sheets about nocturnal, thank you for that! Been on sooooo many blogs/fact sheets/Python Ebooks my heads spinning haha.


12$ on thermometer, 5$ on clips, 70$ on day/night light kit, 12$ on hidey log, 13$ on aspen bedding, 60$ on 20g Tank forgot that extra 20 for the "feeding tank" :/
ok so make that 172$ on equipment alone. Did i seriously get shafted? She seemed genuinely concerned about the snakes wellfare even though she admitted she was scared of them. She wouldnt even touch her, she lifted her out on a branch so i could take her....

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ya...it probably isn't any real fault of the employee's, but I'm sure she is instructed to sell snake buyers a "list" of things.

the thermometer like I said is junk if its the analog type which since its stick on I'm guessing its a zoomed analog temp/humidity one lol.

BP's don't need light, ever haha. Mine get the light that shines in the window during the day, that's it. They are in a rack system and perfectly content.

The logs aren't great because they don't provide enough security for a BP. They like to be snug inside a hide, tight on all sides. My biggest girl at 1100 grams still shoves herself into a reptile basics medium hide haha. You can make a decent DIY hide out of a solid color plastic dish from the dollar store, cut a half circle into it for her to get into, make sure the edges aren't sharp.

you can buy aspen bedding at tractor supply for 9 bucks, for a BALE, not a tiny pet store bag lol.

she railed you on a separate feeding tank lol, it stresses BP's to be moved to eat, no need to move them, lay a paper towel down on the substrate in their tank and feed them on that.

Don't take this to heart at all, you are a new owner and shes an employee at a huge chain store told to sell that stuff, its not your fault at all.

I would return the feeding tank, and anything else they will take back that isn't essential after you get all the stuff you need from the lists craig and myself provided.



Check out reptilebasics website, you can see the type of hides she'll like, as well as heating options.

Yeah, you got shafted. The girl was just doing her job, and unfortunately, it's you who paid for it. Let's be honest though. I know NOTHING about plumbing or electricity. I won't touch it. Would you trust me to set up your plumbing or electrical job in your house? Prob not.

A UTH is a great start, but PLEASE don't forget the thermostat. The last thing you want is a cooked snake. Also, you'll need the temp gun to get your surface temps dialed in correctly. This takes some time and some tweaking. This is why it's best to have the enclosure dialed in before the animal comes home.

And yes, PredatorKeeper and I are BOTH sure about the size of the prey. The width rule is a ballpark guide but it applies to the THICKEST part of the snake. You'll be amazed at how easily they can eat prey that seems big to a newbie. Another rule is that the prey should be approx. 10% of the snakes body weight at this stage. Your snake is probably over 160 grams, which probably means small adult mice (12-17 grams). BPs generally start on hoppers (8-11 grams) for their first few meals. Pinkies weigh about 2 grams.

Definitely a learning experience.

I very much so appreciate all the support and help from the people here. However....my kitchen scale (which has never been wrong, i use it daily) says she is less than an ounce....i do not see how that's possible even for a snake her size. They said she just ate yesterday too. Like, i just triple checked her weight. It irritated her pretty bad because while i was trying to check her she wanted to go check out my plants.

Because of her weight should i be worried??

grab a tupperware or something she will fit in that fits on the scale. Switch the scale to grams and tare (zero) the scale with the empty container on it. Then put your snake in the container to get an accurate weight in grams.

1. Quote:

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   Originally Posted by m3gz

   Because of her weight should i be worried??

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If she is less than 28 grams...she should probably be close to death. can you get a pic of her? theres no way that's right, fresh out of the egg they are like 65-90 grams....

P.S. We are happy to help. We were ALL new once upon a time, and many of us learned the hard way too. I have learned to do extensive research, put in the due diligence and have the enclosure ready BEFORE I bring the animal home, regardless of what kind of animal. I have a cat, 4 ferrets, 5 snakes, an African Fire Skink and two 55 gallon fish tanks. So they keep me busy and I love spending time with my animals.

Don't get discouraged, it's a learning experience. It can be ironed out fairly quickly and you will have many years to enjoy your snake. :gj:

she weighs 37 and some change, and i just got the crap bit out of me. which is strange, she was sweet as sugar all day. I use my kitchen scale on herbs to be exact, it has never been wrong so far. I didn't really think about it because i was looking for surface flaws but she is scale and bones. let me try to get a better picture of her, the only one i have is of her on my arm and its my avi.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c00a3a1447.jpg

For prey reference

Sent from my SM-J700T1 using Tapatalk

...something must be up with your scale. 37 grams?????? seems impossible

She's probably stressed as heck and that would explain the biting. Prob best to get her in a pillowcase, secured and in her enclosure. Leave her there until you have the right stuff and we will move on once we get there. Don't sweat the scale thing for now. Let's just get her feeling warm and secure for now...

i just tested my scale with a pre-measured 500mg pill, and it was spot on....and i just got bit AGAIN just for putting a piece of cardboard next to her for measure purposes.... my scale is used for measuring even tiny amounts of medicinal herbs...

http://i.imgur.com/GzFNm5R.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xtvSSmB.jpg


i cant tell which ones clearer....sorry....

Does your scale measure in grams?
The mg of a pill has to do with the amount of medicine in it, not the weight of the pill.

mg as in weight, and yes, it goes up to 2lbs from mg-g-lb

Please tell me i did not just go getting attached to an animal i'm going to lose....Her mood shift is worrying too, im not joking when i say she was the sweetest thing ever this afternoon.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by m3gz

Please tell me i did not just go getting attached to an animal i'm going to lose....Her mood shift is worrying too, im not joking when i say she was the sweetest thing ever this afternoon.

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why would you lose her?

Sorry, panicking just a bit, i have an anxiety disorder. And google is most definitely not helping.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by m3gz

Please tell me i did not just go getting attached to an animal i'm going to lose....Her mood shift is worrying too, im not joking when i say she was the sweetest thing ever this afternoon.

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I would, if I were you, go out and get hopper mice. If you can't find them, I would get 3-4 pinks, and have them ready.

Put the snake back in her enclosure, and let her be for a while.

I would start trying to offer some food either tomorrow or the next day. Don't force the issue...if she doesn't want to eat don't pester her, just heat up the pinkie or hopper and see if she'll take it. Then if she does, try another one. I'd feed 2 pinkies if that's all you can get every 6-7 days if she'll take two. You don't want to over feed her but if her weight is correct she is definitely way small.

I cannot view links at work but others who can will chime in on the condition of the snake.

She's defensive striking out of stress. Just let her be for a while.