Thinking about getting a ball python. Warnings? Tips?

Thanks martin XD made me laugh :)

If my parents dont have to see the snake too often and I get it when it is a baby, the size wont be as visually intimidating. :) maybe? Like how we don't notice how fast something/someone grows when we spend a lot of time around it. that kind of logic :)


What size container would you suggest for a male boa? and what kind of decor and bedding is best?

That's what I figure. Any type of doctor, be it for humans or animals, will need knowledge of medicine, vitamins, and how to stock, read long and difficult med names, be able to deal with difficult people, and use a computer. I doubt I will have a problem with people. Aside from the owners who obviously should not have the animals. Like my parents for example. The dogs actually are my parents so they have the official say in what happens to them, one puppy had mange and an infected cut on one paw. We noticed it at a really early stage where we could have taken her to a vet and maybe have her treated and eventually back to being healthy but NO, "Oh, lets give it a few days and see if it gets better.". Puss starts oozing from sores on her legs, her legs are almost completely bare of fur, her paw is swelled visibly larger than the others, she becomes lethargic, stops eating, hides a lot and does not come when called even when bribed with treats. I take progress photos every couple days, talk about her a lot and how bad it is getting, offer to pay for the vet bill. Their response? "It is so gross, I don't want her in the car." SHE WAS NOT GROSS 3 WEEKS AGO. Finally my dad gets his gun and puts her down. All that suffering she went through just to be killed and it all could have been avoided if they had listened to me. This is not the first time an animal has died because the family member of mine that owned it would not take my advice... If someone is rude to me, I can take it and stay calm. if someone is totally arrogant and thinks they know better than someone that has GROWN UP AROUND, STUDIED, AND SPENT LOTS OF TIME RESEARCHING animals kills an animal because they failed to care for it properly cries and "Oh, my poor baby was sooo sick!" "I don't know what happened!" "I thought he was fine.".... that ticks me off. Although, I feel horrible right now. My female leopard gecko is hurt and sick and I am not even sure why. She could have been bullied by other geckos, burned by a heat lamp, be suffering from some kind of deficiency and I don't know what it is! The others she was living with are just fine. They have all recieved the exact same care, the exact same heat and lighting, exact same everything but only she is hurt and I can't even afford too take her to the vet right now. The only exotic vet I know of anywhere near me is at petsmart and they are intensely expensive so I have to help her with what I can get at a pet store or make myself. In the past 4-5 days she has improved tremendously but is not near healthy yet. Still pale, still bleeding and black spots in her mouth (mouth rot?), still gunk making her eye stick shut. I feel horrible because I HATE it when an animal is sick/hurt from poor husbandry and this might be a case like that.

All those different animals animals so often! It sounds really exciting :)
A woman that works at the hospital I want to apply at has worked with an animal rescue and says they take volunteers. It will not pay the food bills of my animals so I will have to work volunteer hours in around my work and school schedule but I think that would help a ton when filling out applications for college and jobs.

Don't worry! I always appreciate all the help I can get! At work, everyone from the district manager to the grumpy store manager, to the most shy employee likes me as far as I know. I am definitely a people person and can usually get on most people's good side (even if I can't stand the person XP ).

To be completely honest, I think inexperienced people see snakes that are four/feet and they may as well be 8 feet. In my experience there is tiny: less than a foot, medium:1-3 feet, large: 4-8, monster: 8+. Your parents won't know 7 feet from 10 feet if they have seen it grow up, they just know it's huge. But it'll be huge at 5 feet for them. That being said, do keep in mind safe handling such as keeping another person around for 8+ foot snakes.

I think ball pythons are wonderful if you are willing to put the effort and time in.

No treats. Some people give quail as treats to some snakes. That's more common with boas. I feed my ball python frozen/thawed.

And you should be proud of your animal. Snakes are truly amazing and I am proud I get the chance to own one (or five).

About your gecko, talk to the forums that deal with them. Listen to some knowledgeable members. You might even need to think about advising your own vet about what to do.

First things first figure out what you want out of the cage. tank looks nice but is harder to mainain poper temps and hummidity levels can be a basterd. i dont know this from experiance but thats a big prob i hear about. the option i went with dosnt look as nice but is easier for beggeners like you and i. humidity much easier to maintain. also if you dont care about looks right away or are on a budget and cant affored $300 or more for a get up plus the snake a tub with locking lid can be bought at walmart for $7. i spent $12 on accurite doule temp gauge and hummidty sencor. heating pad was $20 a rehostat was $50. bought a cat dish for watter for like $3 hides were cardbord and free and cage it self was $8 and some time spent drilling a couple holes. size im not sure off. but i have a 20l witch should be good for up to a year. this gives me time to get the cool looking stuff.

i plan to get him a tank type cage eventualy but since he was a hatchling when i got him and he would outgrow his cage quickly i decided on a smaller rubermade tube. iv had him a mounth or so now and i am verry happy i got him. he loves the rubermade cage since its more inclosed in the depth prostion but long enough to give him room to roam around witch he dose frequtitnly