Gained 100+ grams in 2 weeks :]

I've threads about my bp being well underweight. Poor thing was prob under 250 grams at over a year old when I got him. I put a pic of about 6 months ago. And now an updated pic. I've switched him to rats finally these past 2 weeks! A little Big but he got em down :]
I can finally see him beefing up.

He has gained over 100 grams these past 2 weeks! He was about 340 grams two weeks ago and now weighs in at 450 grams! :] Yay!

I cant wait to see what he gains over the next 3 weeks. Then Im off to college. Cant wait to see what he looks like I come home and visit after 2 months!! :]]]]

Heres the pics:
Skinny Xander right after I got him.
http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...shel11/085.jpg

Now him nice and plump and longer! :] after 6 months. Now I know why ppl reccomend rats over mice!
Im def sticking with them!

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...el11/032-1.jpg

http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/z...el11/010-2.jpg

Yeah he didnt look too healthy before. Get him at a pet store?

lookin good now :gj:

I actually got him at an exotic store. Where they breed a lot of snakes. Morphs and what not. It has a pretty good rep. But shortly after I got him I discovered he had mites bad! They swore up and down their other snakes didn't have them. IDK where else he wld of got them. And then they preached to me how i wasn't spose to be handling him for a couples weeks. Well If I hadnt handled him his mites would've gotten worse!!! Oi vey!
Cldnt believe he was spose to be over a yr old. Idk if they underfed him or what.

I saw their baby spiders and pastels the other day and they were plump lil things. So maybe mine was a runt :/

AHH I wanted to buy that pastel so badly!!! But im going to college :[[[[[ Waiting sucks.

I could swear the first picture looks like he is only 4 months old. Looks like a chubster now! GJ on getting him some weight.

Nope they said he was well over a year old! :O
haha Im sure soon he'll be a fatty. But Ill still love him.
Darn thing peed on me and my bed today! :P

Pastels and spiders have a profit margin, normals arent extremely desirable :( So it's possible they underfed him so as to not put resources to an animal that wouldnt end up making them back the money they put into him.

Also, did you hit his cage with some PAM? Personally I do a d-miting on all new animals I get (no matter how much rep someone has, it doesnt matter, it's part of my QT process and I would suggest anyone getting an animal from me or anyone else do it as well) as well as whatever container they came in. I've never had a mite problem, RI, or anything bad nor do I ever want to nor do I think anyone should ever let themselves be at high risk for one. Not trying to preach, just my :twocents:

Anyway, glad he's looking good for you now and hope he perks up and becomes a great little pet :gj:

No PAM but I used tiny pieces of a pest strip. And Natural Chemisty Reptile Spray.. And many times staring at his body and getting & killing anyone I saw. I'd check my hands too. Pits/chin/under scales everything. Nuked his cage everyday. And finally they dissapeared!!! So hes been mite free for many months. Thank goodness!!!!! Stubborn lilo things!

The owner was actually very resonable price wise he was selling a super bright/hot pastel female for 130!!! AAHHH It clda been mine lol

I think I heard someone say sometimes ppl underfeed them to stunt their growth so they appear smaller and more desirable to buyers longer.

That is true, but to those of us who know BPs and know how they should look we see a triangular body and weep. Well, okay, maybe just me. But it's a sad sight and I see it at pet stores frequently. However an exotics store should know better :( Just because many people like smaller starting snakes doesnt mean they should sacrifice the snakes health just to make a sale a year later.

I know it really is horrible. :[ Poor snakes. It's hard to grasp that a reputable store would do that. And to let the snakes have mites on top of it! Underfed and mites is so unacceptable! Where are the regulations for owning exotic stores. No one would let a pet shop abuse their puppies or kittens. Yet is accepted in a Reptile shop. Too many ppl see the snakes as evil beasts that will kill you any chance they get and feel they have no place in this world so it becomes survival of the fittest. Who cares if the pet shop or petsmart is making their snakes suffer? They do absolutely nothing to prevent it or rate the conditions of a reptile store. :[

haha sorry for the rant, but even peta doesnt support reptile abuse :[

Thats it someone needs to start a reptile group like peta. Against reptile abuse and to enforce pet shop regulations and fight the laws against snakes. There are more Dog attacks each year than snakes killing ppl. WTF

Ahh im done. Someone rlly shld start a group. I feel as if Ive had an epiphany lol

I wan't to go around and steal all the snakes that are being treated horribly.

Hahah oh no Next on Animal Hoarders >>> Ball pythons!!! That would be a cool episode.

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Originally Posted by Generationshell

Hahah oh no Next on Animal Hoarders >>> Ball pythons!!! That would be a cool episode.

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Lol, yes it would be.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Generationshell

I know it really is horrible. :[ Poor snakes. It's hard to grasp that a reputable store would do that. And to let the snakes have mites on top of it! Underfed and mites is so unacceptable! Where are the regulations for owning exotic stores. No one would let a pet shop abuse their puppies or kittens. Yet is accepted in a Reptile shop. Too many ppl see the snakes as evil beasts that will kill you any chance they get and feel they have no place in this world so it becomes survival of the fittest. Who cares if the pet shop or petsmart is making their snakes suffer? They do absolutely nothing to prevent it or rate the conditions of a reptile store. :[

haha sorry for the rant, but even peta doesnt support reptile abuse :[

Thats it someone needs to start a reptile group like peta. Against reptile abuse and to enforce pet shop regulations and fight the laws against snakes. There are more Dog attacks each year than snakes killing ppl. WTF

Ahh im done. Someone rlly shld start a group. I feel as if Ive had an epiphany lol

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I believe that is part of what USARK does

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The US Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) is a science and education based advocacy for the responsible private ownership of, and trade in reptiles. We endorse caging standards, sound husbandry, escape prevention protocols, and an integrated approach to vital conservation issues. Our goal is to facilitate cooperation between government agencies, the scientific community, and the private sector in order to produce policy proposals that will effectively address important husbandry and conservation issues. The health of these animals, public safety, and maintaining ecological integrity are our primary concerns.

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But reptiles are still a small industry in comparison and humans care more for mammals and birds than reptiles, fish, and amphibians. It's just part of modern mainstream human culture at this point. There are areas in the world that still worship snakes and other reptiles, but they are few. It's sad how the things people dont understand are instantly hated, perhaps one day mankind will grow up, but with American education standards and the populace's IQ as well as the propagation of false concepts like race, I doubt that day will come, especially under the current rule.

Please dont take this to offense its jus a opinion.
Plus Im very glad ur BP is good and healthy now.
But letting him soak in the same area u wash ur mouth, clean bacteria of ur hands n face that wouldnt be a ideal place to let him soak.
Just from the pics of wat is surrounding the sink "toothbrush, used ear swabs, hair." should be glad mites is all he has.
I wouldnt run off blaming the store right away in this instance.
Ur animal will reflect his or her environment even if u dont see the
things that can cause it harm.

But once again glad ur BP is doing good and hope u have many more years with it in good health...

Oi Vey Well I respect your opinion but I havent bathed him in the sink for months. I just did that for ppl to see him in the same environment for comparison to the pic 6 months ago.

He is in great health and hasnt had mites in months btw. :cool:

250 grams at a year old that sounds way under feed to me glad to see he is packing on weight and found a good home where he can eat

yeah my blood python is doing the same thing since switching from mice to rats i swear every time i look at my girl she looks bigger but mine i know is still a lil less then a year old

PETA is for ending the relationship between humans and animals permanently, not stopping animal abuse. They believe animals are better off dead than being kept by humans--even dogs and cats.

So no, we do not need any more groups like PETA, for anything.

We have USARK and PIJAC to help promote the welfare of captive reptiles.

wait till he takes a big poo if its only been a week :gj: :D

Nice gains. I got my underweight 3 year old a month ago and switched him to rats right away. He was 360g (June 27) when i got him and now he is 530g as of yesterday. They gain quickly once on a proper feeding regimate.

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Originally Posted by xloyal

Please dont take this to offense its jus a opinion.
Plus Im very glad ur BP is good and healthy now.
But letting him soak in the same area u wash ur mouth, clean bacteria of ur hands n face that wouldnt be a ideal place to let him soak.
Just from the pics of wat is surrounding the sink "toothbrush, used ear swabs, hair." should be glad mites is all he has.
I wouldnt run off blaming the store right away in this instance.
Ur animal will reflect his or her environment even if u dont see the
things that can cause it harm.

But once again glad ur BP is doing good and hope u have many more years with it in good health...

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Dirty bathroom or house would not cause mites. The pet store probaly had them as they need a host to live. They can only live on the blood of a reptile. The snake may have not ate at the pet store due to being stressed by all the store traffic and streesed from the mites! Good job and I hope he only gets bigger for you!

I'm very relieved that there are organizations like USARK and PIJAC To be the voices for reptiles. :] Now I must visit their sites. :gj:

It is possible that my bp was stressed at the pet store and didn't eat but I'm not sure if thats probable considering he is the least picky eater ever. He has eaten live mice, pre killed, and F/T and took the rats right away. He even switched to F/T very easily. And eats everytime. Thats my boy haha I guess I got Lucky.

I really hope he poops soon cuz he hasnt in almost 4 weeks. He didnt do it last shed. And I want him to hurry up because Imma leave for college soon and I really dont want him to shed and poo right after I leave. :)

truth be told I am ashamed to have the bp community saw my dirrtty bathroom. I don't want that to reflect on the opinion of my husbandry. I really did it for comparision and usually bathes him in a tubbaware with holes in the lid. ahhh I feel like a bad mom :[

He will probaly not poop too often as his body is using every bit of the prey item for energy to gain weight! He eats will because he was starved! Keep up the good work!

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Originally Posted by seeya205

Dirty bathroom or house would not cause mites. The pet store probaly had them as they need a host to live. They can only live on the blood of a reptile. The snake may have not ate at the pet store due to being stressed by all the store traffic and streesed from the mites! Good job and I hope he only gets bigger for you!

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Jus to let you know mites "DOES NOT ONLY LIVE ON REPTILE BLOOD" trust me i did extensive research on mites for quarantine of my own BP's. Mites live off various things but many live freely in the soil or water, but there are also a large number of species that live as parasites on plants, animals, and some that feed on mold. Thats including humans by the nails and hair folicles on any mammal for that matter and even your bed..

So please dont think your reptile can only get mites from reptile to reptile encounters or just pet stores think again. Not a opinion this time, this is fact check it out on the (WWW) then you will know what I am talking about a dirty house and bathroom might not be the reason but gives plenty of reasons mites can live there :)

Greg J.