Worse BP Owned, Baddest Purchase

So we love to share our stories, pix and admiration for our BP’s. what about the flip side? i was just wondering if anyone out there had ever owned or bought a BP to only regret it. this could be a BP with a bad temperament, bad investment or u just fell out of love with it after some time. Whatever the reason may be.

Me, I’ve been good with this. sure i have some fussy eaters but i haven’t regretted any purchases yet. they all fit into my collection and plans.


Edit1: ok, if i had to choose one - i guess i didn't need a second GHI Mojave. esp. a fussy live mouser boy.

Edit2: and i guess, my newest girl came to me sick. she's absolutely stunning though and i don't regret the purchase. i just have to love her more and nurse her health.

I was just talking to a co-worker with about my new bp and this topic came up. He said he tried a bp for a while but ended up getting rid of it because it was super aggressive. I just got my first bp, she is a 7yo rescue and so far it looks like I won't have that problem at all. If she does though I plan on spending the time to attempt to correct the issue.

I'm happy with all my BP purchases. OTOH about once a week I want to throw my garter snakes (one WC in the driveway and one store-bought but still native to this area) outside to fend for themselves.

I don't have a "worst or most bad" BP purchase, but if I had to choose it was getting a BP in the first place. They're not for me, there's lots of gorgeous BPs out there, but the species is just not for me. 😊

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I pick my snakes way too carefully so I haven't had this happen.

This doesn't really apply since I don't own her anymore, but my 2nd ball python was a black pastel female who I literally got within 30 days of getting my first snake ever (Cake), and this was just last June 2015. I made an impulse decision on wanting to breed for albino black pastels (even though I could've gotten a black pastel het albino or just a black pastel albino) without waiting/thinking on it, and just got her! Needless to say, I realized I wouldn't be getting albino black pastels with an albino and a black pastel within a few years, and I didn't have a personal attachment with the morph, so I sold her only 3~4 months later to smoothscales on this forum. :D She's now being paired with their spinnerblast and hoping for a clutch soon.

My first ever experience with a ball python was a very bad one. I had bought a hatchling from a young girl that worked at a local pet store. She sold me the normal for $50. At the time I was naive and stupid so I thought this was a great deal.

I was so new and didn't know anything about these snakes. I had a 20 gallon long tank and only had a heat lamp. I had no UTH at all. I had fed the snake about three times and it had eaten those three times only. A short time after the snake went off feed and then I found dreaded mites on the poor thing. I tried everything to get that snake to eat and to get rid of the mites. I hadn't even discovered this forum at that point. I wish I would have.

So do I regret having had a ball python in the beginning, yes, I do. I was ignorant as hell and did not know a thing about ball pythons back in the day. I was very lucky to have found this forum later on and I have learned so much from the experienced members on here. I ended up giving the snake a better home with someone who knew what they were doing and I feel bad for the way I came into the ball python keeping hobby. I love ball pythons and I always will.

I would definitely get more snakes if I could accommodate them but I am not able to do that. Winters are harsh out here in PA and we are prone to losing power for days. I also just don't have the space to take on any more animals. If I ever acquire a house of my own and more room, I would most definitely have numerous snakes.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

I'm happy with all my BP purchases. OTOH about once a week I want to throw my garter snakes (one WC in the driveway and one store-bought but still native to this area) outside to fend for themselves.

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lol that's funny.

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Originally Posted by Fraido

I don't have a "worst or most bad" BP purchase, but if I had to choose it was getting a BP in the first place. They're not for me, there's lots of gorgeous BPs out there, but the species is just not for me. 😊

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lol that's funnier! (is that a word?)

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Originally Posted by Ax01

lol that's funnier! (is that a word?)

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I think so.. 😂

My worse were an het that did not prove and a "female" that turn out to be a male :rolleyes:

Not a BP but here's a story for you - in 2000, after being in the hobby for about 2 years, I decided I wanted to breed corn snakes. I bought a 1.4 group from someone online. Raised them up for about 3 years to find out all 5 were males. I bought 3 others during those years from someone reputable. I ended up keeping one female from that second group (still have her) and selling the rest. It was very disappointing but a good learning experience - Buy from reputable people and double check sexes when they arrive.
:D

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Originally Posted by Fraido

I don't have a "worst or most bad" BP purchase, but if I had to choose it was getting a BP in the first place. They're not for me, there's lots of gorgeous BPs out there, but the species is just not for me. 😊

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This pretty much sums me up lol. I have loved snakes since I was little and, admittedly, knew very little about bps before I made my purchase. I still love the little guy but I am definitely looking into more active species. I bought a beardie this year to compensate for my "pet rock". :)

:P:P

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Originally Posted by cron14

This pretty much sums me up lol. I have loved snakes since I was little and, admittedly, knew very little about bps before I made my purchase. I still love the little guy but I am definitely looking into more active species. I bought a beardie this year to compensate for my "pet rock". :)

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Funny, I got a BP for the exact reason they are not for you. I can't stand, for example, dogs and cats. They want attention all the time and I don't want them in my face. With a BP I can care for it, look at it, and occasionally play with it. Admittedly I would like to play with her a little more than a single BP will allow but that's why after only a few weeks I'm already planning another.

The other BPs I've owned were adults when I got them. Had some minor feeding issues but not bad. I fed 100% live back then. I gave them away when I had to deploy when everything kicked off in 2001. None of them were bad purchases. I wish I had known some things back then that I know now. I didn't use thermostats. I just kept them in big tanks with UTH and heat lamps. Humidity wasn't an issue. I was already monitoring humidity pretty close because of all the guitars I had in the house. Didn't really have any health issues that were apparent. I got to see them a bunch over the years after that but I never stayed stateside long enough to get them back. My worst purchase was a Burmese. I had no business getting something that would grow so big. I knew how big they got but was way less than honest with myself when it came to being able to house her when she got big. I ended up giving her to someone that was more equipped to take care her. I was lucky to be able to give her to someone more experienced than me. I'm not going that big again. lol I'm def getting another boa sometime next year though. Pretty excited about that.

No bad BPs, but my corn snake is a real stinker. She strikes at us all the time, but when you try to grab her she speeds into her favorite tunnel, so you have to dig her out. Shes tagged everone in the family at least once, but the question is why do i keep her. She is really beautiful, and she does a lot of funny stuff, but most important i love her, she was my first ever snake.

My cinnamon het pied girl (Belle) has been ornery from day one. She likes to hiss and make false strikes (the nose bump kind) and she's a fussy eater. I think she's just high strung and temperamental. She scares easily and gets stressed out by the smallest things.


Not sure if I entirely regret the purchase though. Cinnamons are one of my favorite morphs and Belle is a great example. Really beautiful snake. I've been able to get her calm down a bit with regular handling, so I don't think she's a lost cause as a pet. I may yet be able to get her to be a good lap snake. I'm sure she'll be a good breeder either way.


I've gotta admit I thought about selling her once or twice, but I could never go through with it.

My last purchase from the Pomona show. Not that I regret the purchase because I got a deal on him because he was hostile, but in all the years of keeping animals in general, he is definitely the meanest. lol

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Originally Posted by Bennie1986

:P:P

Funny, I got a BP for the exact reason they are not for you. I can't stand, for example, dogs and cats. They want attention all the time and I don't want them in my face. With a BP I can care for it, look at it, and occasionally play with it. Admittedly I would like to play with her a little more than a single BP will allow but that's why after only a few weeks I'm already planning another.

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I get the whole, "Why do you like snakes?", all the time. When my sister got a new puppy and was complaining about how much work they are, I explained how easy it is to keep snakes. (once you have the correct environment set up) I do love dogs but care wise its not even close so I don't blame you :gj:

I got a small group of normal females that I regret getting. They had all just laid, so the plans I had for them that season were all bust, and honestly, they have mostly been a drain. I should have started with more morph females. I also bought a female normal who was so mean that one day she broke her own neck striking the side of her tub because I walked past the door of the snake room. I had tried everything with her to tame her, or calm her. I even blacked out her tub but was getting struck when opening it because I couldn't see where she was lurking. She was a good eater though.

Probably regret getting so many BPs in the early years, when I could have gotten just a few higher quality animals.

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Originally Posted by Bennie1986

I was just talking to a co-worker with about my new bp and this topic came up. He said he tried a bp for a while but ended up getting rid of it because it was super aggressive. I just got my first bp, she is a 7yo rescue and so far it looks like I won't have that problem at all. If she does though I plan on spending the time to attempt to correct the issue.

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Thats a shame he got rid of it. My guess is maybe deep down he was a bit scared of snakes? Generally consitent handling of aggressive ball pythons should get them to a level where they can be handled. To say nothing of the fact that its fairly easy to avoid a bite anyway. My Killerbee yellowbelly male can be a bit aggressive, likes to snap at me when im cleaning or working in his enclosure. I personally get a kick out of it lol

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Originally Posted by Fraido

I don't have a "worst or most bad" BP purchase, but if I had to choose it was getting a BP in the first place. They're not for me, there's lots of gorgeous BPs out there, but the species is just not for me. 😊

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Just curious what dont you like about them?

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Originally Posted by Bennie1986

:P:P

Funny, I got a BP for the exact reason they are not for you. I can't stand, for example, dogs and cats. They want attention all the time and I don't want them in my face. With a BP I can care for it, look at it, and occasionally play with it. Admittedly I would like to play with her a little more than a single BP will allow but that's why after only a few weeks I'm already planning another.

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EXACTLY!!!!!! i have a pitbull and oh man sometimes i just want to stangle the thing lol(thats facetious i do not advocate animal abuse) hes just so high energy and has to constantly be touching me lol. My BPs however such low maintenace and they dont even want to be handled. I take them out sporadically for just a few minutes and we're each happier that way haha

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Originally Posted by OTorresUSMC

Just curious what dont you like about them?

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Just their "pet rock" kinda thing, and their tendency to go off feed.

Oye, my tale of woe as briefly as i can tell it: I was 7, i loved snakes and finally convinced my parents. We went to the pet store and they guy told us that a BP was the perfect snake for a 7 year old and his parents who knew nothing about snakes - oh, and by the way, it was the 1988 or 89, so Google was called World Book Encyclopedia, and whats more; we lived in the middle of nowhere and had no public library - i dont remember the exact setup the guy sold us, but it was wrong, the poor thing never ate, got mouth-rot, and moreover it turned out the store was importing WC's illegally with no veterinary checks whatsoever, so not once but twice in a row (b/c we thought the first one was just bad luck) we got sick/dying snakes riddled with parasites (external and internal) who even after numerous vet visits, applying ointment and injecting antibiotics ended up belly up in my bedroom for me to find as i came home from school.
This is why i waited more than 25 years to get another snake - and its a boa ;)

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Originally Posted by Fraido

Just their "pet rock" kinda thing, and their tendency to go off feed.

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Fair enough lol
For me those two things aren't that bad when you own ten.:rolleye2:



I don't like to think of it as the worst or bad purchase but i feel i could replace my pastel het pied and killer bee with something for interesting. They're lucky i don't want to get rid of them. My pastel girl has always been a crappy feeder but she's been eating well lately and has never looked better. And the bee is just a big gorgeous yellow mama i couldn't get rid of them well not before i breed them anyway.

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Originally Posted by Fraido

Just their "pet rock" kinda thing, and their tendency to go off feed.

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Going off feed can definitely feel kind of frustrating for me...
...Looking at my one albino male. LOL

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Originally Posted by EDR

Fair enough lol
For me those two things aren't that bad when you own ten.:rolleye2:



I don't like to think of it as the worst or bad purchase but i feel i could replace my pastel het pied and killer bee with something for interesting. They're lucky i don't want to get rid of them. My pastel girl has always been a crappy feeder but she's been eating well lately and has never looked better. And the bee is just a big gorgeous yellow mama i couldn't get rid of them well not before i breed them anyway.

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I have a killerbee yellow belly male i plan on breeding. For now just to my pastel butter ghost female is the plan but im hoping to grab something in the YB complex like a gravel or ashpalt to breed him to also. Highways and freeways are amazing. Especially with pastel.

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Originally Posted by EDR

Fair enough lol
For me those two things aren't that bad when you own ten.:rolleye2:

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I just like my snakes to be uber-adventurous and want to cruise around when I take them out, that's all! 😁

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

Going off feed can definitely feel kind of frustrating for me...
...Looking at my one albino male. LOL

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😂 It's probably one of the most popular topics here.. most of the time it's a newbie and their husbandry isn't quite up to par, but there's definitely a lot of picky ball pythons out there! Maybe I'll get one again someday, something really special. 😜

regarding pet rocks, i can empathize; even my boa feels a little sedate at times. I'm pretty sure my next snake will be another boa (sticking to what i know while i'm still a nube) but this nasty little voice in my head keeps whispering, "carpet, carpet, carpet..."

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Originally Posted by OTorresUSMC

I have a killerbee yellow belly male i plan on breeding. For now just to my pastel butter ghost female is the plan but im hoping to grab something in the YB complex like a gravel or ashpalt to breed him to also. Highways and freeways are amazing. Especially with pastel.

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For a first pairing that ain't bad at all. You could get some pretty cool stuff. All het ghost as well. Gravel and asphalt sound like interesting ideas. Highways and freeways are awesome go for it. Should mention this was a while ago that i almost considered a pastel fader highway but the price was too high like over 3 grand.:rage:

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Originally Posted by dkatz4

regarding pet rocks, i can empathize; even my boa feels a little sedate at times. I'm pretty sure my next snake will be another boa (sticking to what i know while i'm still a nube) but this nasty little voice in my head keeps whispering, "carpet, carpet, carpet..."

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Pardon me for the thread drift, just want to address this:

I honestly don't know which I like better, Boas or Carpets. But if you wish to hone your snake handling skills go with a Carpet. Overall and generally speaking, they are faster and more deliberate in their movements, a bit flighty. Just a different kind of fun! Get a young one and grow with it. :)

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Etta, Coastal Carpet