first experience with bp

Yes my very first bp died the other day, I have no idea why. I bought him from petsmart when i got him he was about a foot long when he died he was 2 ft long. i fed him once a month like petsmart said. had to feed him live he would not eat frozen. Petsmart also said I could use sand or pine shavings so I did. When he died I did some research, apparently they cant have sand or pine. Was wondering if there was anything else I needed to know before I got another one. And where I might could get one

Yes, read this: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...s%29-Caresheet

It has lots of good information to get you on the right foot. Also, I would disinfect the current enclosure and clean it thoroughly before getting a new snake.

The care-sheet linked above is very good, I'll also link this thread that will help with proper cage heating:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...t-Thermometers

I am so sorry about your loss. Getting a snake from a pet store can be a very heartbreaking experience. You may want to get your next snake from a reputable breeder next time. There are a lot of good people out there that will sell you a very healthy and well started snake. Sadly, pet stores will give bad advice such as only feeding a baby snake once a month. A baby snake should be fed at least every 5-7 days. The above mentioned care sheet is a very good place to start for information.

Ok thanks guys.. I was so sad when I woke up and he was dead so now my husband and I are looking for another one does anyone know of anyone trustworthy or any good breeders to buy from that will ship I havent seen many people on here that live in Texas :)

Where in tx are you?

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30 mins from Texarkana TX

I know vpi is in texas.

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Wow that's petsmart for ya...im so sorry for your loss...i got my first snake from a pet store (not petsmart) and he died the very next morning ;( so I can kinda relate.....also check out bhbreptiles.com they're pretty good

Welcome to the forum! Thank you for coming here before you got your next snake. There are a lot of great people here who love to talk about snakes.

Good luck!

Oh, and you really must post pics of your new ball python when you get him! Not sure if that's in the rules but it really should be ;)

http://snakesnmoresnakes.blogspot.co...-list.html?m=1

This website has tons of breeders on it rhat will ship

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I sure will post pics.. And where is vpi, do they have a website? and yes i will prob. never buy from a pet store again they have no idea what they are talking about, no offence to anyone.. I am def going to try to buy from a good breeder or find someone who is selling one that has a pretty good temperment

http://vpi.com/
They are located in Boerne. About 30miles from san antonio

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These are all good breeders that are well known to be reliable:

http://jkobylkareptiles.com

http://newenglandreptile.com/nerd/

http://pythonregius.com

Thank you all for all your help. I really appreciate it.. I have def learned my lesson on pet stores:)

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

These are all good breeders that are well known to be reliable:

http://jkobylkareptiles.com

http://newenglandreptile.com/nerd/

http://pythonregius.com

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i have heard nothing but good things about jkobylka reptiles and New England Reptiles (NERD). as far as healthy beautiful bp's go NERD is probably the best place to go. you will pay more but from what i understand their snakes are in perfect health and selectively bread to be beautiful. jkobylka is an awesome dude even if you dont buy off of him watch the videos on his youtube channel very informative and entertaining http://www.youtube.com/user/jkobylka?feature=CAQQwRs%3D His playlist called ProTips is very useful.

as of the last few years i refuse to buy anything from these places petsmart, petco, any chain petstore. i wont even buy items never mind animals i dont want to contribute to them being in business they get so many animals miss treated and killed because of the amount of false information they give out, not to mention they dont take care of their animals they couldnt even if they wanted to because they dont train their employees to care for the animals correctly. all they see is money and thats where they get off selling a normal bp baby for 80 bucks... seriously you can get a perfectly healthy one off any reasonable local dealer for 20-30 bucks who can give you correct advice so that this doesnt happen. Im sorry for your loss, petsmart and petco really are horrible places.

ok thank you. would it still be ok if I buy their feeder mice or pinkie mice? its the closest thing to me to buy live.. And im always up for hearing new things on how to care for my future bp.. I loved my bp but I have looked alot of places and a lot of ppl want like over $200 for a snake I want another one but cant afford that

try looking around on kingsnake.com ball python classified section see if anyones posting from texas and send them a message i think almost all breeders should be sitting on some normal babies this time of year, send them a message and ask even if they didnt mention normals in their post they usually dont because normals usually arent worth shipping but thats why your gonna look for the people posting from texas theres another big ball python classified website too .... cant remember the name, someone wanna help me out here? most breeders wont bother with craigslist, and buying your mice and rats from petsmart is okay but its going to cost you a fortune on those websites you can look at the rodent sections too rodent breeders will charge you a fraction of the price literally.

i buy from a middle man to the rodent breeder and i still get mice at 50 cents each where they are probably like 2 or 3 bucks from petsmart

Just keep browsing most sites have like 25-30$ normals then 30$ shipping.
So about $60

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o heck .50? that is cheap I bought a pinkie from a pet store cost me $5.. yea maybe I should look at places to buy my feed :)

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Originally Posted by PorcelainxDoll

Just keep browsing most sites have like 25-30$ normals then 30$ shipping.
So about $60

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^^^ still cheaper then petsmart/petco haha

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Originally Posted by jfaria1891

i have heard nothing but good things about jkobylka reptiles and New England Reptiles (NERD). as far as healthy beautiful bp's go NERD is probably the best place to go. you will pay more but from what i understand their snakes are in perfect health and selectively bread to be beautiful. jkobylka is an awesome dude even if you dont buy off of him watch the videos on his youtube channel very informative and entertaining http://www.youtube.com/user/jkobylka?feature=CAQQwRs%3D His playlist called ProTips is very useful.

as of the last few years i refuse to buy anything from these places petsmart, petco, any chain petstore. i wont even buy items never mind animals i dont want to contribute to them being in business they get so many animals miss treated and killed because of the amount of false information they give out, not to mention they dont take care of their animals they couldnt even if they wanted to because they dont train their employees to care for the animals correctly. all they see is money and thats where they get off selling a normal bp baby for 80 bucks... seriously you can get a perfectly healthy one off any reasonable local dealer for 20-30 bucks who can give you correct advice so that this doesnt happen. Im sorry for your loss, petsmart and petco really are horrible places.

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Yeah, I got my 1.1 Pastels from Justin back in November 2011... really great guy who goes the extra mile and beyond. He's always the first place I look now.

http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=32&de=939835

^^^ they have 2 males and 3 females $25 each with $50 shipping

(id get a female) :) $75 is not a bad price for an online one ill keep looking a bit


EDIT: thats the best price i found with a quick look through the kingsnake.com classifieds that post is from today and theres a phone number

I know a lot of people have told you to buy a normal online...but if you want something a little more colorful, you can try Shores Enuff Snakes. They are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area (I live near Houston) if you wanted to do local pick up and not have to ship. They have some nice morphs on their website. You can always ask if they have any normals about ready to be put up for sale.

ok thank yall for helping me search :) I have def been looking on and off today between things. I love the sites so far really helpful and read alot of good reviews

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ok what is the website for the dallas/ft worth area thats only about a 3 hour drive for me

ok what is the website for the dallas/ft worth area thats only about a 3 hour drive for me

Here is the link for shores http://www.shoresenuffsnakes.com/. I meet Don at the Houston Repticon show and he was really a great guy, and friendly to my kids as well.

Looks like txcoker beat me to it! If you really want a normal, you can always shoot them an e-mail and see if they have any young ones that they just haven't put up for sale. Their Pastel females are a good price.

ok haha yea i think they did looking at website now.. i just wana buy one from a breeder that way maybe a have a better chance of it staying alive i printed out hte care sheet someone gave me and i will def follow that i am going to take the sand and pine out clean the cage out real good and everything that is in it.. is a 55 gal aquarium to big or is that perfect for big or little snake

A 55 gallon take is big for a ball python (especially a young ball python) It can be made to work but will be a nightmare to maintain proper temperatures and humidity in. And may stress a young BP.

The general rule is 1 square foot of floor space per foot of snake\

I start mine out in a cage that is 24" x 24" x 12". Male BP's can stay in that size cage for life... larger females get moved into a 48" x 24" x 12" cage

24" x 24" x 12" cage:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0455.jpg

48 x 24" x 12" cage:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0459.jpg

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Originally Posted by shelby9189

ok thank you. would it still be ok if I buy their feeder mice or pinkie mice? its the closest thing to me to buy live.. And im always up for hearing new things on how to care for my future bp.. I loved my bp but I have looked alot of places and a lot of ppl want like over $200 for a snake I want another one but cant afford that

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Pinkie mice are too small, even for a hatchling BP (assuming it isn't a tiny runt/twin/etc.). Most well-established hatchlings can take small-medium mice or rat fuzzies by the time a good breeder would be willing to let them go to a new home.

wow see all the pet stores around here were wrong then.. and where can i get a cage like that no one around here really has nothing to do with snakes a lot of people are scared of them my husband and i love them..

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Originally Posted by shelby9189

wow see all the pet stores around here were wrong then.. and where can i get a cage like that no one around here really has nothing to do with snakes a lot of people are scared of them my husband and i love them..

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Almost all pet stores employ staffs that have no clue how to take care of reptiles.

My cages are made by a company called Animal Plastics. They are made out of 1/2" thick PVC sheets. They aren't cheap but a single T8 cage will last a BP (potentially 2 with the divider) their entire lives.

http://www.animalplastics.com

Here is a thread I wrote about them:

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...With-Pictures!

ok i will def look in to it..

I will add a little info as well :) If you buy from a breeder ONLINE or LOCAL ask them to get the snake eating Frozen Thawed F/T it will cut the cost down for you quit a bit. Plus you can order F/T online or form a local Breeder in bulk so you dont have to make a weekly trip to the pet store. If you get a live eater most can be converted to F/T pretty easily once they settle in to a routine. I do have one girl who refues to eat anything but LIVE MICE. But I am working on it she is a rescue and well at this point it is more imprtant to get some food in her rather than worry about switching her to rats and F/T. As others have said I have never fed a mouse pinkie to a Ball Python and have only had one who was the correct size for a rat pinkie. Most hatchling Ball Pythons will eat a rat pup or larger:) I am glad you have found us here in the Forum lots of great people here with a ton of info. I hope your second encounter with a Ball Python goes better for you they are great snakes :D

yea i hope it goes alot better too.. he was so much fun. mine would only eat live

If someone will tell me how to post a pic I'll post a pic of the setup I have that way someone can tell me maybe how I could fix it

How to post pictures: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...with-pictures)

http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/...9189/tank2.jpg


http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/...m9189/tank.jpg

ok, there are a few issues.

1. You really don't want the heat lamp inside the cage. If the BP comes into contact with the heat bulb he/she will probably get burnt.

2. It is best to have the heat lamp offset to one side or the other. this allows for a better thermal gradient (hot side/cool side) *if you are only using the heat lamp to maintain the air temperature and not create a basking site then a centered heat lamp is acceptable

3. You should have 2 identical hides (1 on the hot side and 1 on the cool side) log hides aren't the best, as they have molding issues and don't make BP's feel very secure.

4. Are you using 2 different types of substrate in the same cage? what types?

5. I would be wary of the castle, it looks like there are all sorts of places for a BP to get stuck in.

What are you using to measure temperatures/humidity in the cage? Does the cage have a heating pad?

Checkout this thread: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...t-Thermometers

Ok I am only using the heat lamp I have a mesh top with the locking clips ok yes I have 2 logs my little bp stayed in it all the time but what is the best hide out?? I am using black sand on one side n pine on the other I know no that Im not supposed to use either pet store said it was ok at the time. There is one little hole in castle my little bp would get in and wouldn't get stuck but I see your point of view all I have right now is a thermometer they pet store said I really didn't have to have a humidity thermometer and no heating pad could never find one

ok, pine is better than sand. I would remove the sand and spread out the pine over the entire cage for now. Aspen or cypress is what you are going to want to replace the pine with as soon as possible.

I really like these hides sold by reptile basics:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/da98c371.jpg

http://www.reptilebasics.com/hide-boxes

You want a hide that fits snugly and only have 1 opening (a BP will guard the single opening. if there are multiple openings then the BP can't guard all of them making the BP feel less secure)

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/21819934.jpg

See if you can get this thermometer/hygrometer. They are available at Walmart for $12. They measure 2 temperatures (hot side and cool side) as well as humidity.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...nt/photo-3.jpg

A heating pad isn't necessary, but if you do decide to get one keep in mind that they must be regulated by a thermoSTAT

Place the heat lamp on top of the screen top that way the BP can't come in contact with the bulb/dome

Ok so buy one of those hides that match the next snake I get the best? I will get that thermometer and just put the light so it lights one side of the cage?

You want your cage to look something like this:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...t/79b70eb5.jpg

Pine is not bad for snakes. I have used it for colubrids with no issues at all. I use it for my rats with no issues as well.

So I just got mine she is just over 2 weeks old and a female. I have a couple questions as this is my first and I want to be sure I'm doing everything right.
1. For humidity/heat: I currently have an UTH (heat pad) and I must the cage twice daily. I do not yet have a hydrometer and I was wondering(once I get it) if there are tricks to increase humidity or heat if needed? I didn't think I needed a heat lamp as well as a UTH but that's why I'm asking.
2. I am unsure how to measure if the cage is too small?. I think my hide is too big for her as it isn't "snug" is that okay?
3. As for shedding, I got her a branch and she has a water dish she can soak in. Is there anything else I should do to help her shed?
4. Lastly, she seems to stay in the hide all day (which I understand) but also all night unless I take her out. Is that normal? Is it just because she is young?
Thanks :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Megz

So I just got mine she is just over 2 weeks old and a female. I have a couple questions as this is my first and I want to be sure I'm doing everything right.
1. For humidity/heat: I currently have an UTH (heat pad) and I must the cage twice daily. I do not yet have a hydrometer and I was wondering(once I get it) if there are tricks to increase humidity or heat if needed? I didn't think I needed a heat lamp as well as a UTH but that's why I'm asking.
2. I am unsure how to measure if the cage is too small?. I think my hide is too big for her as it isn't "snug" is that okay?
3. As for shedding, I got her a branch and she has a water dish she can soak in. Is there anything else I should do to help her shed?
4. Lastly, she seems to stay in the hide all day (which I understand) but also all night unless I take her out. Is that normal? Is it just because she is young?
Thanks :)

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1. Is your UTH being regulated by a thermostat? what are you using to measure temperatures with? Go to your local walmart and get one of these, they cost $12 and measure 2 temperatures (hot side and cool side) as well as humidity. The probe will go directly over the UTH on the glass bottom of the tank, and the box will sit on the cool side.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...nt/photo-3.jpg

2. Smaller is better (to a point, most people have issues with their cages being too large. do you know how many gallons the tank is? can you tell us the dimensions of the tank? The general rule is 1 square foot of floor space per foot of snake. You want hides to be snug and secure. if there is a little room then that is ok, but if the snake can't touch all of the sides while in the hide then you might want to put some crumpled up paper into the hide to reduce the open space.

3. Once you get a hygrometer you will be able to tell how much humidity is in the cage. keep it around 60% normally and 75%-80% during shed. that's all that you have to do. Do NOT soak your snake. This removes the oils necessary for shedding and will actually make things worse. Not to mention soaking is extremely stressful to a snake.

4.A hiding BP is a happy BP

I highly recommend not using a heat lamp. They get too hot. I've measured the basking spot with a temp gun well into the 100s. They also dry out the air in the enclosure. You will have to spray constantly. I prefer tubs, heat tape controlled by thermostat, and I use paper as a substrate. Easy to clean, keep temps right and by far easier to keep humidity right. If you really like the aquarium better I highly recommend an under tank heater with thermostat and covering the screen with plexiglass (you can get plexi at home depot or lowes. measure and score it with a utility knife then turn it over and snap it.) If the humidity is too high just drill some holes into it. Just a few at a time until you get it dialed in.

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Originally Posted by Megz

1. For humidity/heat: I currently have an UTH (heat pad) and I must the cage twice daily. I do not yet have a hydrometer and I was wondering(once I get it) if there are tricks to increase humidity or heat if needed?

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Not trying to pick on you but a Hygrometer measures humidity. A Hydrometer measures specific gravity.In my line of work it measures sugar content of wort. I use one several times a day when I check on the fermentation of all the beer. It tells me how much sugar the yeast has eaten and tells me when the beer is ready for filtration and packaging and more importantly, consumption! :D

Thank you both that's really useful to know. I will definitely pick up the things suggested and avoid heat lamps. I'll be sure to get a HYGROMETER ;) as for the hide my friend gote a little skull it says it's decor but can I use it as a hide or will it hurt her cause it is snug. But I was scared that the rough edges might harm her. Also would u reccomend a type of foliage like moss or is tht not needed

haha :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Megz

Thank you both that's really useful to know. I will definitely pick up the things suggested and avoid heat lamps. I'll be sure to get a HYGROMETER ;) as for the hide my friend gote a little skull it says it's decor but can I use it as a hide or will it hurt her cause it is snug. But I was scared that the rough edges might harm her. Also would u reccomend a type of foliage like moss or is tht not needed

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Heat lamps do have a place in this hobby, UTH's do not raise the temperature of the air in a tank so if the room a tank is in gets much below 75 degrees something like a heat lamp is necessary. Anything with sharp edges or have holes that a BP could get stuck in should be avoided, make sure that you have 2 identical hides (1 for the hot side and 1 for the cool side)

Foliage is not necessary, this is how all of my BP's are housed:

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0455.jpg

So do you have a thermoSTAT? what about thermoMETERS? What are your cage temperatures? these are very important. Without a thermostat regulating your UTH it can easily kill your snake.