How can I help this customer?

The max size of ball pythons is 6 feet, with 3-5 considered the average. I believe that's what they were getting at.

Hey thanks Jelly! You actually put up the correct information rather than just telling me I'm wrong.

Ok, now that we are all over the fact i exaggerated the size to try to make this guy go away...

I have heard more than know, only owned BPs, that BPs can be finicky in a number of ways.

I was thinking that perhaps there is another type of snake I can point this guy to as a starter? For example I have heard that corn snakes incubate at room temp... not sure if that is true, but if it is, are corn snakes more easily taken care of over all? Like lower temps wider humidity range?

Like I said I have no idea about other snakes, not even saying I would put another snake in this persons hands, but is there maybe a cheaper to maintain snake out there?

I think you should just be completely straight up with the person, tell them you aren't going to sell them the snake unless he makes an effort to learn more about them. Laddi-da. Problem solved.;P

Just wanted to say that I was once in this guys shoes. Except I emailed breeders asking for informatiom about ball pythons. None of them responded to me...

So I went to Petco and got myself their baby ball python starter kit! 40 gallon tank, red heat lamp, giant water bowl, a half log, a branch, and some aspen. Well when my snake wouldnt eat or shed, I found out that snakes can have shed issues, and that my setup was stressing him out... along with all the other myths.. all from coming here..

I think you have a good opportunity to mentor a new ball python owner and future reptile hobbiest. I would show him my snakes and see if he's still interested, after hearing how I do things. But that's just me. A less-stressful and easy escape would be to tell him the snake sold, or that you don't feel comfortable selling to someone with no experience.

Just a thought, but have you asked him to call and talk instead of texting back and forth? Texting can be terse and I think you'd get a better read of whether this potential customer is educatable - or not - if you talked to him.

I had thought about that Fraido in fact that is what I was trying to imply when I asked them to do some more research and get back to me. I didn't want to put it exactly like that though, I was afraid if it was an obvious ultimatum the person would lose interest more rapidly.

Yes h00b that is exactly the kind of situation I would like to pull out of this. I have also spent time almost always fruitlessly trying to contact bigger breeders and I don't want to turn this person away from the hobby like that.

I definitely do feel comfortable selling to someone with no experience in the add I even offer contact if they have questions about what is required with owning this animal.

The weird part about this is that this person is almost exactly the kind of person I like dealing with but I've never met anyone so... disinterested? before.

Ok, so you would suggest having them over to take a look at some real animals and their setup and let them make the decision as to whether or not they can handle it. Thank you that option was my first instinct but I was afraid it was a bad idea... the whole only my friends actually get to see my collection thing.



Yes bcr another frustration is that this person has only sent me messages when I was unavailable to pick up the phone and call. You know, you can text and type but not talk situations. Then he never contacted me again after I asked him to do some research so I didn't think he was interested last night so didn't try to call him. But yes, I make it a priority to get on the phone with people if for no other reason than to have a quick chat and get a better feel.

Perhaps rather than discount this person from the information I have gotten so far I should wait until tonight to give him a call. Thank you, I'll do that tonight.

Well when I think about it, if someone is clearly lacking necessary knowledge regarding a snake they want, educate them! Makes sense to do so. But if they're aren't interested in educating themselves (doing research), or being educated by someone (pretty well the same thing..) they shouldn't get the snake. But, do what you feel as though you should do, and good luck.(:

You already gave them a link to find information. They probably haven't so much as looked up a caresheet. You can't make someone learn about how to care for the snake. I'd just tell them you don't want to sell to someone with zero experience that doesn't know how to care for a hatchling.

And 8 ft is a bit more than just over-shooting. I would have stuck with 6 ft. It's not like he's going to sue you if someone somewhere says they've got one 6 ft 1inch.

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Originally Posted by Velrys

Ok, so you would suggest having them over to take a look at some real animals and their setup and let them make the decision as to whether or not they can handle it. Thank you that option was my first instinct but I was afraid it was a bad idea... the whole only my friends actually get to see my collection thing.

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Well having a closed collection is totally fine too! If you have one, and you don't want to open it to everyone, you should not feel bad about that. I don't really want just anyone to come in and mess with my collection, but if I trusted the person, or if it was for educational reasons, I may make an exception. I've had only a couple folks come by to check out my snakes, and I trust them. Other folks include house guests who just want to see the snakes, and are too scared to handle them lol.

Right Fraido I totally agree but I think they just have lack of interest in doing research but am holding out hope they would be up for learning from a person. Then the only concern would be their follow through.

Right Wolfy I have the same assumptions but I am certainly up for teaching a person even if they have an aversion to reading.


Ha ha, I have always been up for viewers. My wife is a bio major so she usually brings someone by every month that is interested in taking a look... though funny how they all want to see the snakes but when you ask if they want to hold one they take a step towards the door. But thats my wife's deal she wants to do the education stuff and get people more comfortable and all that. Anyway, the only part that concerns me is someone intending to buy a snake coming by the house then knowing where I live when I tell them I'm not interested in selling (if I end up making that decision).

But, I have asked them to please give me a call so that we can talk about care and housing, hopefully they will show interest and I can get them on the right track. I'd still love to sell this person their first snake I just don't want to sell them their first ex-snake.