What's your snake frustration?

What's your frustration with your reptiles right now? Anything from an escape artist to making a stupid mistake.

My current: for two years now, I've been trying to get a male piebald from a specific breeder. Each year, something crops up at the last second and leaves me unable to get one. Last year, my car decided to die on me. This year, on the same day I received a photo of the beautiful piebald - he's even het lavender - I could have, my dog dug under the fence and got hit by a car. She'll be fine, she just needs surgery. Don't mean this to sound like I'm upset with the dog or anything, I'm not, just frustrated for the second year in a row something cropped up. Now, I can't afford it. I should be able to next month, so fingers crossed that male is still available. I doubt Shadow will be digging under any fences anytime soon, at least - though it's time to get my hands on some bricks to prevent this again

That's my current frustration - what's yours? Just figure this could be a good place to vent a little about any of your frustrations that have anything to do with reptiles

Currently... Day 54 of incubation and I am super impatient, but refuse to cut until 60 days :)

Are the days getting longer, or is it just me? LOL

That I'm not a nurse yet so I don't have my own house and extra cash to expand my collection. Also waiting on two females to take their meals so they can be on their way to me. I'm not a patient person at all, but I've been patiently (and eagerly) awaiting to hear from the breeders on how they're doing. :)

That i don't have enough money to buy all the snakes i want haha

I have 3 frustrations...Two funnier ones, and one rather sad one.

1)Water bowls. Spilled. Every. Night!! I have one male that never fails to spill his water. I finally gave him an absolutely unspillable water bowl, and guess what? He still spills it every night!!!! Grrrr!!

2) They ALWAYS poo the night after I've spent the whole day scrubbing and disinfecting every tub, water bowl, and hide.

3) I have one girl I've had since Feb. and she's never eaten for me and can't shed properly :( I assist fed her once and she took it, but no luck since and still losing weight faast. 2nd vet appointment is in an hour :(

Sorry to hear about your dog OP, glad she'll be okay.

Mine is:

Not enough room! Dustin's been building some new cool racks and I want more space for them and the vivs we'll be getting soon for our bigger guys. We need another bedroom...

I have two stubborn snakes that won't go on f/t for me: they've been my ongoing "projects". They get their live weekly but I wish they'd transition for my personal preference.

I'm waiting for a breeder to make some baby boas available that just dropped. He hasn't gotten back to me with some questions I have but the wait (a month or so before he said they'll be ready) is making me impatient :P

Daybreaker, thanks. If she wasn't going to be okay, I'd be more concerned about her. Seeing as it's 'only' a few broken bones, she'll heal up just fine so I'm not too worried about her.

Zuma22, sorry about your girl! I hope you figure out what's going on with her and get her squared away quick as can be!

Not having the money to upgrade/add a couple more OMG RIGHT NOW or having the space to get ALL the species I want (though I could probably get another ball or hognose, or even a rosy or kenyan boa D:... just no big boys) xD I was warned it's a bug, and it is!

Slightly related, I'm working on getting my license, and I want it NOW so I can start volunteering with a reptile place which will help the fix a little xD


Also, I have too much fun feeding Tali, and I hate waiting for her feeding days to come back around because I wanna see it again NOWW.

Main frustration: Throwing away a perfectly good rat because either my snakes aren't hungry or just being stubborn about want live food. That's like ordering a hamburger for yourself and just tossing it in the trash.

TheSnakeGuy, I so understand that. My female corn is very picky and somedays she just won't eat. My male refuses to move up a size so I have to keep him on smaller, so when she refuses, he gets hers too - works out great. For some reason, none of mine will touch frozen so I have no choice but to do live

My little girl finally starts eating like crazy after 2 months of not eating and now my other two pigs go on strike. Throwing away rats. :mad:

My corn snake like to get tangled up in my hair and I can't get him out! I have to lay on the floor until he slithers out himself! xD

Oh so many. :P

Waiting for my latest purchase to get here - should be Thursday. :banana:

Two hatchlings from the 1st of June still haven't eaten on their own yet.

The new rack I built is full allready. :O

Kat_dog, mine does that too!! And I have to do the whole laying down to wait too! What is with corns and finding every knot they can?! My ball has never thought knots were fun, but to my corns? That's the best thing in the world!

Going to a show and seeing how cheap certain morphs are going for these days. I'm seeing male pieds for under $450 and male bees for under $300. Kinda makes me sick when I think about how much I paid for mine a few years ago...

I have this big, gorgeous, beautiful female ball python I've been trying to breed for the last four years. Got her from a coworker who took her in years ago from a guy who dropped off this sickly, scrawny snake that his son "spent a bunch of money on, supposed to have some gene or something" but the guy couldn't remember what it was and the son never came in. So years ago, my coworker saves this snake, nurses it back to health, ends up giving it to me a couple years later because I like ball pythons and I can try breeding her to see what this mystery gene could be.

Year one, she won't breed or lay eggs despite being the biggest tub of lard of a 4 foot snake. 2000+ grams and she's barely 4 feet long, she's so freaking fat. Put her on a bit of a diet.

Year two, she lays eggs, first time with maternal incubation, I mess it up completely and the eggs all shrivel up and die.

Year three, she lays eggs, I decide to incubate them...incubator malfunction. All the eggs cook.

YEAR FOUR (this year) - she copulates with my males repeatedly, behaves like a snake skank with her tail in the air, cloaca all over the place, locking up with all four of the males I put in with her (at this point I don't even care what the combo is I JUST WANT BABIES).... she started locking up last November, stopped locking up in March, never ovulated no nothing no eggs AGAIN this year.

Sigh. TRY AGAIN NEXT SEASON I GUESS.

-Jen

Waiting on eggs to hatch at my breeder of choice, and collecting the funds for what hopefully is a two snake purchase in september. :)

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 4

I have a few

Wife convinced me to get a baby BP. I'm being super impatient because I can't wait yo have a full grown snake (Ollie is my first snake ever)

Number 2, None of the local feed stores carry anything but Feeder hoppers. I need to start feeding him rats, but I need to get a freezer. Promised wife no dead animals in our fridge.

Which comes to number 3. I DESPERATELY want a better enclosure for him. He's in a glass zoo med tank, but its beginning to be too small.

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Originally Posted by MisssMariee

Kat_dog, mine does that too!! And I have to do the whole laying down to wait too! What is with corns and finding every knot they can?! My ball has never thought knots were fun, but to my corns? That's the best thing in the world!

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I really have no idea! My friend's corn does it too! But he's full grown, so it's harder for him to get stuck :P

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's thought "I'll just lay here and wait for him to untangle himself" xD

greenacid, none of the local stores had anything in any size feeder i needed so I had to take all the fuzzies they had today - 5. My ball had to get 2 mouse fuzzies, my male corn got 2 fuzzies, and my female 1. And they're all small fuzzies. I had to pick fuzzies, pinkies, or full grown mice. Not allowed dead animals in our freezer either.

Kat_dog, me too! I was worried I was the only one who had to deal with that corn snake tick! And I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees laying down is the best option either haha, then he takes his sweet time coming out on his own!

When the days my pickier girls want to eat, I accidentally heat the water too much and cook the rat.

That I know what I want to get next, but all my money for the next year should really go to racks and an incubator instead. Despite this, my Paypal BillMeLater account refuses to stop taunting me by raising my available limit by $1000.

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

That i don't have enough money to buy all the snakes i want haha

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THIS!!! So far my two haven't caused me any problems but I want so many more lol.

We really need a Ball Python Keeper Anonymous here apparently to help with our addictions :P

My normal likes to play Martha Stewart at night and rearrange his hides, almost every morning I have to put them back lol.

The duct tape I use with my thermostat does not like to stay on and will fall off >:( and usually when I don't realize it, so I check on Tali and HOLY MOLEY it's 100 degrees. ugh. Its gotten better (I figured out I have to gradually turn it up not just set it at 95... so put it at 80, then up to 85, then 90, etc. THEN it works), but it freaks me out D: It'll stay consistent for a LONG time, and then the duct tape will fall and I'll have to start over. What else works beside duct tape??

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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGuy

Main frustration: Throwing away a perfectly good rat because either my snakes aren't hungry or just being stubborn about want live food. That's like ordering a hamburger for yourself and just tossing it in the trash.

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This is the one reason I love my boa, if my balls skip a meal I give it to her. I have my boa on a feeding schedule were she eats the day after my balls, if they skip a meal, the rat goes to her. Have never had to toss a rat since getting my boa.

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Originally Posted by sunshinenorcas

The duct tape I use with my thermostat does not like to stay on and will fall off >:( and usually when I don't realize it, so I check on Tali and HOLY MOLEY it's 100 degrees. ugh. Its gotten better (I figured out I have to gradually turn it up not just set it at 95... so put it at 80, then up to 85, then 90, etc. THEN it works), but it freaks me out D: It'll stay consistent for a LONG time, and then the duct tape will fall and I'll have to start over. What else works beside duct tape??

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I've found electrical tape is working great on mine, and if that gives you hassle: Electrical tape with Duct Tape on the ends of the Electrical Tape!

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Originally Posted by sunshinenorcas

The duct tape I use with my thermostat does not like to stay on and will fall off >:( and usually when I don't realize it, so I check on Tali and HOLY MOLEY it's 100 degrees. ugh. Its gotten better (I figured out I have to gradually turn it up not just set it at 95... so put it at 80, then up to 85, then 90, etc. THEN it works), but it freaks me out D: It'll stay consistent for a LONG time, and then the duct tape will fall and I'll have to start over. What else works beside duct tape??

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Foil tape, just make sure not to put it on the probe directly.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/aluminum-foil-tape

My frustration is my baby corn who just won't eat!!!

Centex - my girl used to be like that. I just gave her a live pinkie, smallest I could get, put her in a shoebox w/ breathing holes, and put her in a cabinet. It was pitch black, and she had no problem eating after about 4 hours. Had to do that for the first three times, now she doesn't care less

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Originally Posted by MisssMariee

We really need a Ball Python Keeper Anonymous here apparently to help with our addictions :P

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Can we pleeaase start one?? I know I really need the help. My collection has nearly quadrupled since May....

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Originally Posted by MisssMariee

We really need a Ball Python Keeper Anonymous here apparently to help with our addictions :P

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Yes we sure do. Hi,My name is Tammy and I'm obsessed with balls LOL. :D

I thought up another one. Every piece of electronics always has an LED glow that can't be turned off. I have black duct tape flaps rigged to the front of my herpstat, and over the switch on my surge protector. My rack is in my bedroom and I wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise. It only covers most of it. Soon my room will be full of residual blue glow.

Artemille - I made a flap out of some heavy black cloth I bought at Joann's. It's working well for me!

Lol, you guys think we should start a Ball Keeper's Anonymous?

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Originally Posted by MisssMariee

Artemille - I made a flap out of some heavy black cloth I bought at Joann's. It's working well for me!

Lol, you guys think we should start a Ball Keeper's Anonymous?

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Like blackout curtains!

That would certainly drape more than a layered rectangle of duct tape. I feel like I should have realized this, but I bought the thermostat during a time I was covering just about everything in black duct tape for one reason or another...

Mine is a 1000g Super Stripe female who has hit the 1000g wall and decided no more food. So close to breedable....

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Originally Posted by Artemille

Like blackout curtains!

That would certainly drape more than a layered rectangle of duct tape. I feel like I should have realized this, but I bought the thermostat during a time I was covering just about everything in black duct tape for one reason or another...

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Lol, I used to need sound to sleep at night so I'd leave my TV on at night but drape a black blanket over it - because I guess the radio wasn't good enough for me or something? Either way, that's the only reason I know how to do it right! It works great, and you can secure the top with tape or hot glue or whatever you want and you can lift it up like a flap and it works great!

Right now..totally selfish but my male is deep in shed..my female is just starting and our corn snake started about 2..3 days ago. That means hands off for me. Ugh. Makes me wanna handle them even more just because I can't..lol

Also, I have "I need a morph" on the brain...BAD. I spend a great deal of internet time coveting other people's snakes.

Ooh..how can I forget water spots on the glass. There's just no good way to mist a tank and they bug me.

I keep checking out photos of that snake I was gonna get it and it is just frustrating me more and more and it's getting depressing!! He's so beautiful and everything I wanted in a piebald and now he'll probably be sold by next month! D: I was planning on getting a piebald male from this breeder as my first snake but then Snakey happened then Popcorn then Manda Bell and I'm determined it be next, and I swear if I don't get him....

Also, the pet store was out of my size feeders this week so all my snakes had to eat smaller than usual, poor babies D: it's their own fault for not accepting f/t though...

Well, about an hour and a half ago, my pastave pottied on my bed. She ONLY, and I mean ONLY, goes to the bathroom when she's taken out of her tub! She's such a brat!

I also realized all my snakes have personality disorders. The pastave is a brat, the bee is a derp, my big girl is a paranoid schizophrenic, and my little normal girl is bite-happy. Yep... the family's all here! :rolleyes: Done with these snakes, man, I'm telling you.

Also, I don't seem to have an unlimited amount of money for more snakes, and I consider that a frustration. ;P

Sux about the pied. I'd be bummed too.

*glares at dog* the snake is so fresh, he's not even listed on the breeder's site yet! Maybe, just maybe, I'll get really lucky and he won't sell fast...

Seems to me, the whole 'not getting the snake you want' is a common issue for us addicts! :P

3 of my snakes who baaarely ever eat and are growing sooooo slow.

And just not being able to already have all the morphs I want.

Sent from microwave via Tapatalk ll

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Originally Posted by MisssMariee

*glares at dog* the snake is so fresh, he's not even listed on the breeder's site yet! Maybe, just maybe, I'll get really lucky and he won't sell fast...

Seems to me, the whole 'not getting the snake you want' is a common issue for us addicts! :P

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Well, hopefully he won't. Deposit an option?

The man keeps telling me "no". Just not fair, I buy him gun after gun and accessories and all I want is one more no legged pet. <a pewter>but noooooo, he just can't seem to wipe that word from his vocab.

I think it's time to go on strike. :mad:

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Originally Posted by Gemini

Well, hopefully he won't. Deposit an option?

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The breeder does accept deposits, but the dogs surgery took literally every penny from this paycheck so I can't even give a down payment until the first week of September *sigh* (and I just want to restate, I don't actually blame the dog. If she was seriously injured, it'd be another story but she's not major injuries so I can whine about her)

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Originally Posted by MsMissy

The man keeps telling me "no". Just not fair, I buy him gun after gun and accessories and all I want is one more no legged pet. <a pewter>but noooooo, he just can't seem to wipe that word from his vocab.


I think it's time to go on strike.

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I told my guy no more of x unless I got what I wanted. Worked well!

My coral albino girl decided she wanted to go for a stroll, but due to the last time she did that, I've been keeping the fatty male BP's tub on top of hers. So instead of an escape, she scraped up her nose and the bottom of her jaw, and it got a bit infected. At least the vet visit was quick and easy, and they even gave me a bit of a discount (plus way more ointment than I could possibly use on two little scrapes, gotta find out the shelf life on that, it'll be handy to have around just in case). And of course this is the girl who's breeder's been on me for updated pics of, and I just finally found the charge cord for me camera xD

Lotus, isn't that the way it goes? You don't find the camera until either the snake is in shed or found some way to hurt themselves. Love that fun lol

My snake frustration (not really with my own snakes) is there are morphs I want and can't have because they cost way more than I'm willing to pay (be willing to trade... if my snakes were old/big enough and breeding...), and because right now there are a lot of odd expenses that keep coming up, preventing me from being able to reasonably justify the purchase of even an inexpensive snake (I'd really like to get a butter, or a calico even, and as inexpensive as those are, I can't justify it right now - for some reason all three of our vehicle registrations are due within the same three months, and the DMV is requiring smog checks for 2 of those, and the dog decided to get sick, I think she ate chicken poop and got some kind of minor bacterial infection, but after puking for a week the vet decided she needed $300 worth of medical tests, couldn't find a cause, and ultimately prescribed a 2 week course of $150 antibiotics! :O besides the other random and regular odds and ends that come and go... bills, daycare costs, car repairs, food, etc). Oh well. Just trying to patiently wait it out.

Mine are 2 racks that I hate. They were free pretty much and needed them for the space. But almost every tub is a super tight fit and the side and back are not fully enclose, therefore allowing a lot of light to come in.

I hope that the next batch of babies I hatch will generate enough revenue to replace these annoying things.