should i buy this bp??????

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Originally Posted by Deborah

BP from petsmart are not well started.

I won’t even comment on Petsmart and their vet :rolleyes:

Get your BP from a breeder!

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You are making a broad generalization about Petsmart and I guess all pet stores. There are a few that have knowledgeable, caring people working there.

I'm not an expert by the standards of this forum. My experience with a captive hatched BP from Petsmart (my niece's) is that it was in great health, not stressed and is an aggressive eater while being a sweetheart with all of the children that handle it frequently.

I purchased three BP's from a breeder. All were healthy but a little thin for my taste. All were stressed and needed lots of encouragement to eat. They have all come a long way because of my experience. They would not be where they are today if they were handled by a complete novice. Is that the breeder's fault? Maybe.

My only point is that we shouldn't assume that all pet stores are bad and that all breeders are good.

To the OP - good luck in your search. Try to find someone local that has experience and can help you choose a perfect pet for you.

Not all just petsmart and Petco, being a caring employee is not enough as the caring employees MUST follow corporate procedures and guidelines when it comes to housing and caring about the animals being sold.

I could elaborate a lot more but this would be way of topic.

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Originally Posted by JohnNJ

You are making a broad generalization about Petsmart and I guess all pet stores. There are a few that have knowledgeable, caring people working there.

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The bottom line is, Yes it may come from a chain store , it is a normal ball python. Are you into them for breeding or for a pet? If this is the only snake you you are acquiring at this time, which will be quarantined, by all means buy the snake, give it a healthy, happy, loving home.

Forget about the petstore snake. You can get a heathy Normal, shipped from a breeder for about the same money. Support CB, not CH from the petstores.

DONT BUY IT.. BE A MAN.

i brought 3 ball under pity influence. 1 died the day after, another one, died after 3-weeks. with determination to save the last one & After 2-mths under intensive caring.. They all died. So DONT ok..

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Originally Posted by JohnNJ

You are making a broad generalization about Petsmart and I guess all pet stores. There are a few that have knowledgeable, caring people working there.

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I have one Petsmart that I go to all the time for dog/cat food. They know me as the BP lady. They stop me when they see me come in the door to pick my brain and ask me to sex the most recent ball pythons they've received.

Every last one of them said they wished that they didn't sell BP's, because they have to follow company policy and are having to assist feed EVERY single one of the ball pythons that they get in, and they are only allowed to feed them F/T fuzzy mice, even though the animals can take hoppers or small mice. Even if the animal is starving, they cannot feed it live - instead, they have to stress the animal out and force food down its throat.

They've adopted out 1/2 of the ball pythons they've had since they started carrying them, because they wouldn't eat, even with force feeding (by employees who haven't been trained how to assist feed, much less force feed) and they couldn't sell them. They give my phone number to every one who buys a ball python from them, and even have the BP.net caresheet that we pass out at shows to give to new owners (although covertly, since that's also against corporate policy).

I've even been paged while shopping to come to the front to talk to a customer who had purchased a BP from them the week before and answer his questions.

The point is - this store couldn't have better, caring employees - but they know that their corporate policies inhibit them from caring for these animals like they should be, and that they are selling animals that are not eating on their own while in their care.

If you buy from a REPUTABLE breeder, the animals will be healthier than the animals you'll get from Petsmart or Petco.

With that said, would "I" purchase a snake from either of them? Maybe - if it was a pattern that I just couldn't turn down - BUT, I have the experience to deal with issues. Someone getting their very first snake with no prior experience should be encouraged to purchase a well started, CB animal vs. an animal that is CH and not well started. The employees are well-meaning, but they don't have the practical experience.

Robin:

I agree with what you're saying about your experience with the Petsmart near you. My only point is that your experience doesn't match mine. The BP we have from Petsmart was a better choice for a novice owner than the three we have from a breeder, based on my experience with various pythons.

I have three "big box" stores near me and several smaller pet stores. I would never recommend the smaller stores because of the low quality of the animals and the poor care they receive.

Of the bigger stores on the highway, Pet Goods is the best with Petsmart second and Petco a distant third. Pet Goods is a small local chain (3 stores here) and they purchase their reptile stock directly from breeders or occasionally from reptile shows like Hamburg, PA and White Plains, NY. They feed properly sized live mice or rats and provide very good care.

I have seen Petsmart employees feed F/T hoppers to the young BP's and Corn's. Could they eat larger mice? Yes, but not much larger. On the plus side the snakes don't hang around more than a few weeks. The tanks are too small and they will keep up to three in a tank.

I'm not sure if anyone at Petco knows anything about any of the animals they sell.

My point again:

"ALL generalizations are dangerous, even this one."
- Alexandre Dumas

JohnNJ

went ahead and bought the bp this morning. i put it in my tank which has been running for a couple of weeks with tems and hum good. let it be all day. tried to feed him/her since he/she has not ate for a couple of weeks and he/she took the f/t mice right away. im so happy. i checked him/her out real good before i bought him/her and he/she looks real good. im gonna leave him/her alone for a couple of weeks to get acclimated. after that i will take some pics of him/her so you all can see him/her. by the way is there any way i can tell what gender he/she is without having to probe him/her

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Originally Posted by MUSTANGGTANDGSXR

by the way is there any way i can tell what gender he/she is without having to probe him/her

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There is the popping method, but I wouldn't try it without the help of someone experienced in doing it. Don't sweat it. Take it to the vet and let them probe it.

I see you went counter to most of the advise you asked for...I truely hope things work out for you and the BP.

congrats on getting your new baby.

however most everybody put up lots of reasons not to get it. just because you feel bad for it doesnt warrant getting it, if you are an impulse buyer i wouldnt suggest going into any petstores because %95 dont know what they are doing and if we all went to petstores then all the respectable breeders would be out of business. also the prices that they ask for their snakes at the stores are outrageous when compared to the prices of quality breed snakes.

again i congratulate you and hope you dont catch the addiction.:snake:

ps. i would recomend replacing the reptibark with aspen or another non toxic substrate, you will find plenty of reasons if you search it.