Need a little advice...

well here's the deal guys, short and simple. went to the petshop to get snake food today, browsed the herp section as usual, and spotted the most adorable baby bci. it's unsexed, and isn't even for sale yet because it's so young (like a couple of weeks old). i spoke to the owner, and told her if she'd find out its sex i'd consider it. it's 100 bucks (20 a week bc she loves me), and would someday make a wonderful mate for smoke. but when i considered the responsibility of owning one bci, never really thought about a 2nd. i could afford to house and feed it, but i need advice on whether or not you guys think i'm getting in over my head... any input is greatly appreciated...

oh yeah, the bci is from the same father as smoke, and the mother is smoke's aunt, so you know it's a beaut. (lol, just made myself laugh)

:)

I guess if you can house it properly then all you have to worry about is food and vet visits. Hec it does not matte what we think. If you can afford it for a very long time then go for it. I would take it to a Vet before I buy it though; if the store owner would allow you to do that.

this lady wouldn't sell me a sick snake. i've been to her home, seen her pets. she keeps bp's. good lady.

not to mention, she said if it did turn out to be a male that she'd personally take me to the breeder's house to exchange it for a female. can't beat that.

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but i need advice on whether or not you guys think i'm getting in over my head... any input is greatly appreciated...

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I think you are getting over your head. But you can go ahead and purchace it and send it to my address. :lol: :mrgreen: j/k

If you can handle it......Go for it!!

I would def get it then :D

hey thats a great idea, buy a snake and give it to ironhead! im all over it!

lol...

If the expense and room aren't considerations - what's left but your time? I can hardly see you thinking of taking care of your herps as a chore, bro, you clearly love 'em - I don't think she (or eventual she if you need to go exchange) could ask for a better home.

I wouldn't do it simply because if you are planning on breeding them, IMO they are too closely related. I'm not a big fan of inbreeding.

good point. but they would be some killer looking bci's, and if temperment had anything to do with genetics, they'd be sweeties.

and smulkin, you are right. but i'm still a young buck, and got a lot of movin' around left to do. i know for a fact i'll never live in a dorm, nor an apartment where pets are banned simply because of my love for them. but 2 large snakes such as bci's could get tricky.

to be totally honest, i'm not quite sure why i posted this thread. that bci (or another female) will be at my house within 30 days, i know it. i always scratch my itches.

Junkie! :P

Considering the life expectancy of the bulk of our favorite folks it's inevitable we'll all have to clear the hurdle of moving - but I get your point on the selection available to you if you are renting vs buying and how that affects your rights to keep what you'd like. If a place is "no pets" then you'd have to look elsewhere regardless of a single addition - but most places have those restrictions in effect to counter property destruction (furniture and carpets from cats, dogs, roaming ferrets etc) and are generally more lenient towards "kept" pets in enclosures. Of course it's been a while since I lived in VA . . . How are those restrictions where you are now? In any event just don't get all smitten over someone who can't handle your herps!

And I think you posted because you were thinking rationally and responsibly - weighing in factors some people would remain oblivious to and run out and burn that bridge before they crossed it.

lol, smulkin i love the way you think.


the laws in va, as far as i know, don't restrict many herps at all (mostly venomous species). not to mention, i break enough laws not to really care ;). I currently am living in the basement of my parents house, and they are totally cool with my reptile facination. they love the responsibility i've shown towards them, and the only reason i even got a job (started just last month) was to support my "family". imo, there's nothing more rewarding than coming home from work and checkin up on the herps, doing the daily spot cleans and water changes.

anymore opinions?

Get the thing already! :lol:

lol, calm down buck, i just posted tonight. was hoping to get a few replies from some of the members that know me personally.

I have not gotten another BCI yet because I have too many critters as it is (according to my wifey). Eventually it will happen, but I think another large snake would put me over the top right now as far as the time I have to devote to them.

I guess I would say that as long as you are confident that you will be able to properly care for two large snakes, and are financially secure enough to provide for their long term care, go for it. What are your plans for your life in a year? Five years? If you don't have any, or are unsure, I would wait on any more large snakes.

With all that being said, the snake addict in me says......GET IT! LOL

I'll play a little of the devil's advocate here...

Just because you can get a snake...does that mean you should? There's no doubt in my mind that it would be well cared for. I'd be happy to see any creature be lucky enough to be adopted by you. :) But there will always be another cool snake (or other critter) out there just waiting for you to spot it. You can buy this snake today, but then what about the beautiful bp you see tomorrow? And then the perfect mate for Paco the day after? And who knows what you'll see at the NVRE show with us in May (You ARE coming, by the way!!!).

All I'm trying to say is that there will always be new animals you run into that you'll want to own and you need to be able to say "no" even if sometimes you don't have to.

But if I were in your shoes.....I'd probably buy it anyhow!

lol, i'm so torn.