To get, or not to get? That...is the question..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BallPythonBabe448

Yea, thats the hard part. But I got a CB baby for free from a reputable breeder, so just because they are cheap doesn't mean they are always ch or wc. Thats what i am going to do, look around at the animals i like, see the cost, and look at setup cost. But its either tomorrow, or never, because this is the only herp show here this year! I am guessing GA isn't big on reptiles....unfortunately. I am most likely going to end up with a crested gecko. I was told by another forum I can have a sub-adult in a 20 high, and that the whole setup would cost me around 30$ and then the gecko would be more. How much do normal cresties go for at shows?

---

Yes, I know all about your BP from Mike. But that was an act of kindness on his part - don't take it to mean that all cheap balls are necessarily going to be quality animals from reputable breeders.

Crested geckos are GREAT animals - very easy to keep & a lot of fun. I've seen babies go for as little as $35 at shows, so you could probably find a well established animal for a reasonable price.

Also keep in mind that it's NOT "tomorrow or never" as you put it. There is nothing wrong with waiting for the right animal & then having it shipped to you. Don't feel like you have to come home with something from this show because it's a one-shot deal...it is exceedingly easy to buy reptiles online, and quite often you'll find a wider variety & higher quality.

Trust me - this is coming from someone who STILL wants to bring an animal home from every herp show we attend. ;) Even with dozens & dozens of crazy, beautiful bloods at my fingertips I find myself eyeing the little import babies @ shows and thinking "one more woudn't hurt," until I remind myself that the $$ would be better spent on new caging or equipment, or saved for that one of a kind animal down the road that I just HAVE to have. ;)

K

Quote:

---

Yes, I know all about your BP from Mike. But that was an act of kindness on his part - don't take it to mean that all cheap balls are necessarily going to be quality animals from reputable breeders.

Crested geckos are GREAT animals - very easy to keep & a lot of fun. I've seen babies go for as little as $35 at shows, so you could probably find a well established animal for a reasonable price.

Also keep in mind that it's NOT "tomorrow or never" as you put it. There is nothing wrong with waiting for the right animal & then having it shipped to you. Don't feel like you have to come home with something from this show because it's a one-shot deal...it is exceedingly easy to buy reptiles online, and quite often you'll find a wider variety & higher quality.

Trust me - this is coming from someone who STILL wants to bring an animal home from every herp show we attend. Even with dozens & dozens of crazy, beautiful bloods at my fingertips I find myself eyeing the little import babies @ shows and thinking "one more woudn't hurt," until I remind myself that the $$ would be better spent on new caging or equipment, or saved for that one of a kind animal down the road that I just HAVE to have.

---

Yea, thats true. So, you think I should go with a crested? I heard their tails fall of easily, is that true? What kinds of baby foods d ot hey like?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BallPythonBabe448

I dobn't think I can get another ball python, I already am getting my 2nd, and unless I could keep 2 in a 20gal. (they would be from good breeders) and 1 in a 10gal., I don't think I can get another one.

Could I house two 4-4 1/2 inch leos in a 10 gallon?

So its either, a ball python(from good breeder) house with my BP from mike wilbanks, or a leo housed with my leo from a pet shop.

---

I don't mean to offend... but it doesn't look like you have enough caging to even be thinking about getting another animal at this point. Do you only have a 20 gallon and a 10 gallon for your BPs? I'm sure you also know you should never house animals together without a good long quarantine period. I don't know if you have a future plan for caging... just thought I'd bring it up. I apologize in advance if you already have something worked out :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BallPythonBabe448

Yea, thats true. So, you think I should go with a crested? I heard their tails fall of easily, is that true? What kinds of baby foods d ot hey like?

---

I think that if you don't already know the answer to those questions you shouldn't be buying one in the near future. Proper care & husbandry info takes thorough research PRIOR to obtaining an animal, regardless of species.

My original point was that a $20 Crestie is probably a better purchase, quality-wise, than a $20 BP.

At this point I honestly think you should wait. ***Granted, what I'm about to say may come across as condescending, but it is not intended that way.*** When you're first starting out in this hobby, it's very easy to want to buy new animals just for the sake of getting something new to add to the collection - impulse buys are even more frequent among people who already have one or two animals under their belts. A lot of the time these purchases are made without thorough preparation or research. These animals require proper care & proper setups - something you're eventually going to have to provide, and it's better to have the enclosure set up prior to getting whatever critter you're putting in it. Do not suddenly start buying more animals than you're able to provide for down the road. New cages, feeding, equipment, potential vet bills, etc. all cost money, and you shouldn't sacrifice any of the above for the sake of buying an animal simply because there's a show tomorrow.

I know being patient can be difficult, but it is SO MUCH MORE REWARDING to take your time, save your money & set up a nice enclosure, then purchase a really SMOKIN', screamer specimen of whatever species you choose to go with. Anyone can get a little brown or grey crestie for $35, but think of how much more you may enjoy the animal if you save up another $35 and purchase a bright flaming orange or yellow one for $70.

I think a lot of us have been at the point where you are now & there are folks here just trying to look out for you.

K

Well, in the caresheets I have read it says nothing about their tails falling off, but someone told me they did easily. And I was just asking what types of baby foods yours prefer, I know they like Banana, Peach, and Apricot, but I was wondering if yours prefered any other kinds.

I have researched prior to this, I was going to get one instead of a leo, but then they had a cute leo at a petshop, and I already had an enclosure, hides, etc, so i got it.

KLG, I hear you on the waiting part. I waited for my baby, Amani for a few years and I finally have her. I am looking forward to growing her up and seeing how beautiful she can become. I love waiting for things, as painful as it may seem, waiting makes whatever you want seem even better once you get it. I got my BP online and she came in perfect condition and is the sweetest snake I have ever known. I didn't get to hold her or personally pick her out, but I trusted Don Hamper to pick a good baby out for me, and he obviously did.

I have also been to a good few shows and just went to look to see what everyone was selling. The only thing I bought at the first show was a little kitty figurine for my teacher. At the second show, my boyfriend bought me a baby White's Tree Frog, Murphy, who is now 3.5-4 months old now and fat as can be. I got him in August.

Not to offend, but it just seems like you've been doing alot of impulse purchasing without thinking about the financial costs to your parents and the future costs of taking care of all of those animals. It seems as though you are buying those just because it is either "cool" at the moment, or just because you can. I mean, you are in what, 8th grade, can't have a job because of your age, but have purchased all of these animals without thinking of how it infringes on your parent's finances. It costs alot to feed that many animals, and you are considering buying more just because you have a chance to go to your first reptile expo. Why not just enjoy the expo for what it is, hold alot of animals, see what you like best, then when you get home, look up info, find breeders online or close to you, and check out their animals. Find a GOOD breeder, not just a Joe Blow who thinks he's a good breeder just because he bred one batch of normal balls.

If you are thinking of getting a crestie, talk to everyone who has them, get all of the right equipment, not just stuff you find laying around the house that "might" work, and know what you are getting into. They may seem easy from what others have said, but it's getting everything set-up correctly and running when it begins to get easy.

Just think about what others have said, and what I said. Being an impulse buyer isn't a good place to start in life. Think about your current animals and how it affects their lives.

Hopefully I didn't offend anyone, but impulse buying really gets my goat, and I felt as if something needed to be said.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by invadertoast

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BallPythonBabe448

I dobn't think I can get another ball python, I already am getting my 2nd, and unless I could keep 2 in a 20gal. (they would be from good breeders) and 1 in a 10gal., I don't think I can get another one.

Could I house two 4-4 1/2 inch leos in a 10 gallon?

So its either, a ball python(from good breeder) house with my BP from mike wilbanks, or a leo housed with my leo from a pet shop.

---

I don't mean to offend... but it doesn't look like you have enough caging to even be thinking about getting another animal at this point. Do you only have a 20 gallon and a 10 gallon for your BPs? I'm sure you also know you should never house animals together without a good long quarantine period. I don't know if you have a future plan for caging... just thought I'd bring it up. I apologize in advance if you already have something worked out :)

---

I am getting a 20 gal. high at the reptile show. I have all the excessories, egg crates, paper towels, water mister, fake greenery.

You already have the vitamin dust and the calcium dust? What do your parents think about you getting another animal btw?

Im in the 6th grade. And we can only have caged animals at this new house we moved to, when i used to have horses, 13 cats, 6 dogs, etc. So, last march my mom decided since we couldn't have all the animals we had before, she would get me reptiles, since they are caged. And I haven't done any impulse buying, I bought my 1st BP after 3 months of researching, then 2 months later a BP is being given to me, and I got a leopard gecko after 2 months of researching, and now I want another lizard, and I have been researching fat tails, and cresteds for 2 weeks.

I am actually buying reptiles to be any but *cool*. Everyone that I know thinks reptiles are disgusting, so it makes me anything but col from buying them. I am buying them because I want to open a reptile rescue when I am older, and I want to breed ball python, and i am getting a degree in biology to be herpetologist

It costs 40$ for 4 months of snake food, and 2$ a month for lizards mealies. And depending on how much baby food cost, it cost that much. It doesn't cost that much.

I would just go to the reptile expo, and just look, but I won't have a chance to go to another expo for a while, and I want to make the best of it, and my mom doesn't want me to buy online again, because its taken like 2 weeks for Mike Wilbanks to receive the money, and she thinks the money is gonna get lost, and she doesnt like that.