Why do some people return their ball pythons?

I've been doing tons and tons of research on ball pythons lately and although I've never owned one, I am very convinced that I want one, that I can handle the care requirements, that a ball python would make a good pet for me, etc. etc.

However, I of course keep hearing stories of people who receive their first ball python only to return it shortly after. I don't want to be one of those people. I would feel very guilty if I had to give up an animal for any reason. I know someone who had to give up a recently-adopted cat and it was super rough on her. I think the cat-human bond is typically stronger than the bp-human bond, but I still imagine myself being heartbroken in that type of situation.

So...what are the reasons some newbies give up their ball pythons? One story I hear pretty often is that they didn't do their research on how to care for the animal, and then they got overwhelmed when they couldn't care for the animal properly. I've also heard of people who thought the snake was aggressive/bad-tempered when really the poor thing was just stressed due to some husbandry issue. But I've done my research, and having done so much research, I doubt my husbandry will be too far off when the time comes--and I've also heard stories of people who did their research beforehand, did everything correctly, yet simply decided that keeping a ball python wasn't right for them after they got one. I guess I'm wondering what about having a ball python wasn't right for them? And how do I know if I'll turn out to be one of those people?

Never heard of anyone giving up their ball python. I think in the pet trade in general people make impulse buys without thinking it through.


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I've heard stories like this too, sometimes there is an issue, sometimes there is a gender identification that was mistaken, and sometimes people just want to the snake to impress someone or to do a photoshoot so they can look cool. I wish people would take the responsibility.... and let me tell you, be prepared for mistakes when you get your ball python, sometimes things work good but then you get the snake and something breaks or doesn't work and you need a new one. but remember that we'll be here to help you if you need it, and I'm really happy to see more right minded people getting into the snake community, ball python's are really fun and I know mine has surprised me in many ways, good and bad, the bad being the incident when he forgot humans weren't bathrooms. :rolleyes:

I think impulse purchases are one of the big problems. People see a BP in a shop, no research, purchase a "snake kit" and head home only to find the snake won't eat, they have a bad shed, they don't come out during the day, etc etc. So they return it or rehome it because the snake isn't what they thought it would be.

I'm a huge advocate of local, small, reptile stores, with educated employees who can educate a potential keeper. Education on the front end, in my opinion, is what fixes most issues on the back end.

Hi, Nice avatar,

I think the main reason is poor research or bad advice to get a quick sale, leading to the new buyer not providing the right environment so the snake wont feed or has problems that overwhelm the new keeper..

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Originally Posted by BeansTheDerp

and let me tell you, be prepared for mistakes when you get your ball python, sometimes things work good but then you get the snake and something breaks or doesn't work and you need a new one.

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I definitely expect to make some beginner mistakes lol, just like with any new thing. But I hope with the amount of research I've been doing that those mistakes won't be too severe and that I'll be able to correct them when they happen.

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Originally Posted by Ascended

Nice avatar

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It took me a few tries over the past few minutes to get the cropping right on the image lol. I'm not sure which version of it you saw, but I think what I have currently is as good as it's going to get.

I bought my Ball from a family that bought it for their kid. Their kid quickly lost interest so they sold it. I think many times people buy a snake for the cool factor and think it is going to be something more than it is. They buy it and then realize they bought a pet rock that likes to hide most of the time during regular human hours.

So as long as you do not mind a pet that is not excited to see you and hides from you most of the time you should be alright.

Second I think people get into it and like you said didn't do their research. Then they realize they need more equipment and don't have the means or just don't want to do things right so they get rid of it.

I bought a Central American Boa recently and the seller told me he refused to sell to several people that were asking questions that clearly showed they knew nothing about the snake or snakes in general. He liked that I could easily show I knew what it needed by asking all the right questions so I was the lucky one that got her. Not all sellers would do that.

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Originally Posted by hihit

I definitely expect to make some beginner mistakes lol, just like with any new thing. But I hope with the amount of research I've been doing that those mistakes won't be too severe and that I'll be able to correct them when they happen.

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It is not a bad idea to buy the setup and get it all squared away before you get a snake. Anytime I have a new setup I try to give it a few days to get it dialed in. Then you can just add the snake when you get it.

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Originally Posted by hihit

I definitely expect to make some beginner mistakes lol, just like with any new thing. But I hope with the amount of research I've been doing that those mistakes won't be too severe and that I'll be able to correct them when they happen.

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This is a good place to ask any questions you have and research, and to solve any problems you come across by asking. :)
its helped me

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Originally Posted by KMG

I bought my Ball from a family that bought it for their kid. Their kid quickly lost interest so they sold it. I think many times people buy a snake for the cool factor and think it is going to be something more than it is. They buy it and then realize they bought a pet rock that likes to hide most of the time during regular human hours.

So as long as you do not mind a pet that is not excited to see you and hides from you most of the time you should be alright.

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Honestly given that I'm usually pretty busy during normal human hours and that I'm a bit of a night owl myself, I see this as one of the reasons why a ball python would be a good pet for me.

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Originally Posted by KMG

It is not a bad idea to buy the setup and get it all squared away before you get a snake. Anytime I have a new setup I try to give it a few days to get it dialed in. Then you can just add the snake when you get it.

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I would definitely get the setup ready beforehand if possible, especially since I want to go for a bioactive setup and I'd need to give the plants time to get their roots secure so the snake doesn't plow them over as easily. Luckily I have years of plant dad experience and an entire childhood collecting bugs (I think I even kept a tub of backyard isopods once) to help me with the non-snake aspects of that kind of setup.

One issue I can think of is that pet store personnel (& also some old books in libraries) routinely tout BPs as perfect "beginner" snakes because they're usually docile, stay a nice size & they're pretty.

BUT- that's only half the story, as they are NOT the easiest beginner snake to keep, because they're shy & can easily refuse to feed (more so than many other kinds of snake), they need higher temperatures in order to do well (eat & stay healthy), those temperatures also require some expenses like a good thermostat for safety, & when they're frightened, they still might bite you, especially if you don't yet understand their "body language" & normal habits of a snake.

So I'd say that most of the reasons that people lose interest in a BP & want to return or re-home it is that they failed to really research it first- or they have unrealistic expectations & want a pet they can interact with frequently without negative repercussions (BPs hide all the time- & if handled too soon, they may not eat, etc). And unfortunately far too many people don't budget for everything they actually need for a new pet- the cost of the tank or enclosure, the heat & t-stat, etc.- no one should buy any kind of pet if they can barely afford the animal, but you'd be surprised how many do just that. They have an old tank someone gave them- with no heat- & they run to the pet store & "impulse-buy" a BP because they think it's cool & the store mostly just wants to make a sale.

Unfortunately, there's all kinds of people in this world- many don't buy pets for the reasons you think they do. They may see someone with a pet snake & think it's cool, but have no real interest once they find out they need to learn things to take proper care of it. I once took in a BP from a guy who admitted he was afraid to even hold this BP he'd had for a while (his girlfriend liked it) & the only reason he got it was because he hates mice & loved to watch it kill them...:rolleye2: When it comes to pet stores, many kids clamor for a pet & swear they'll take care of it, but when parents aren't really involved with it's care, unfortunately most kids just aren't responsible enough to do so on their own- & if the snake survives, eventually the parents want to re-home it.

And I can't tell you how many snake owners have told me they want to get rid of a snake because it's "mean"- and they "know this because the snake chases them thru the glass when they walk by"- they actually think the snake wants to eat them, not realizing that snakes just go after motion when hungry, & don't identify prey (or us!) by vision alone. In every case, those unwanted "mean snakes" never bite me, & even when I explain the issue to the owner, they're usually too afraid to take a chance of keeping it, because "other (misguided) people" keep filling their heads with nonsense (horror stories about how that snake is going to get them).

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

they want to get rid of a snake because it's "mean"- and they "know this because the snake chases them thru the glass when they walk by"- they actually think the snake wants to eat them, not realizing that snakes just go after motion when hungry, & don't identify prey (or us!) by vision alone. In every case, those unwanted "mean snakes" never bite me, & even when I explain the issue to the owner, they're usually too afraid to take a chance of keeping it, because "other (misguided) people" keep filling their heads with nonsense (horror stories about how that snake is going to get them).

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That is how I got my beautiful Dum. My buddy and I went to an expo and he picked her up. I helped him get everything set up and all was good until the snake put on some size. Then he started telling me "it comes at me!" I tried to explain he was dealing with a hungry Boa but it didn't matter. Before long he started asking if I knew somebody that wanted it and offered it to me. I told him I was good at the moment. Some more time goes by and he was ready to flat out give her away. At that time I said "ok."

He brought her to me at work and I took her out of the tub right away to check her out. He jumped way back and was visibly afraid of her. This was funny because he is a big ol' corn feed country boy you would think could handle a 4.5 ft Ground Boa. I handled her a bit and then put her back in the tub without issue. I had her for awhile and then one night when I was giving her water she tagged me GOOD! Hit me like a missile on my left hand that was just hoovering outside the cage. Of course made me bleed and actually caused a bruise over the next week, but like all my other bites I had no damage. I sent him a picture of my bloody hand and he flipped and said something like "See! Told Ya!" I just laughed because I know that if you keep snakes long enough you are going to get tagged and having been tagged many many times I was not worried about it. So in the end I got a beautiful snake for free that was one on my list of wanting. It was only win win for me.

Out of the snakes I have owned only my big Blood, Carpet, and ETB have not tagged me......well and my new Boa but she is in shed and settling in so I have not done much with her. All the others, including my Ball, have tagged me at some point. For snake bite pics check my gallery. I have a few before and after rinsing pics to show how bad they may look but how little damage is actually done.

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Originally Posted by KMG

That is how I got my beautiful Dum. My buddy and I went to an expo and he picked her up. I helped him get everything set up and all was good until the snake put on some size. Then he started telling me "it comes at me!" I tried to explain he was dealing with a hungry Boa but it didn't matter. Before long he started asking if I knew somebody that wanted it and offered it to me. I told him I was good at the moment. Some more time goes by and he was ready to flat out give her away. At that time I said "ok."

He brought her to me at work and I took her out of the tub right away to check her out. He jumped way back and was visibly afraid of her. This was funny because he is a big ol' corn feed country boy you would think could handle a 4.5 ft Ground Boa. I handled her a bit and then put her back in the tub without issue. I had her for awhile and then one night when I was giving her water she tagged me GOOD! Hit me like a missile on my left hand that was just hoovering outside the cage. Of course made me bleed and actually caused a bruise over the next week, but like all my other bites I had no damage. I sent him a picture of my bloody hand and he flipped and said something like "See! Told Ya!" I just laughed because I know that if you keep snakes long enough you are going to get tagged and having been tagged many many times I was not worried about it. So in the end I got a beautiful snake for free that was one on my list of wanting. It was only win win for me.

Out of the snakes I have owned only my big Blood, Carpet, and ETB have not tagged me......well and my new Boa but she is in shed and settling in so I have not done much with her. All the others, including my Ball, have tagged me at some point. For snake bite pics check my gallery. I have a few before and after rinsing pics to show how bad they may look but how little damage is actually done.

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:rofl: Nice pick-up- I've always loved Dums!

And for sure, getting tagged by pet snakes just goes with the territory. Mostly avoidable and rarely any concern, but if you keep dogs, you get nipped in play or scratched...if you have a cat, same thing; if you have a bird, they can take a chunk out of your hand, & horses, heck they can just kill you accidentally, or step on your foot, or nibble your fingers (oops, sorry, yuck-yuck). Nearly all other pets do FAR more damage than snake teeth, but it doesn't take much before most people's nerves to turn to Jello over a few little snake teeth in their hand. :rolleyes: More snakes for us, KMG! ;)

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

:rofl: Nice pick-up- I've always loved Dums!

And for sure, getting tagged by pet snakes just goes with the territory. Mostly avoidable and rarely any concern, but if you keep dogs, you get nipped in play or scratched...if you have a cat, same thing; if you have a bird, they can take a chunk out of your hand, & horses, heck they can just kill you accidentally, or step on your foot, or nibble your fingers (oops, sorry, yuck-yuck). Nearly all other pets do FAR more damage than snake teeth, but it doesn't take much before most people's nerves to turn to Jello over a few little snake teeth in their hand. :rolleyes: More snakes for us, KMG! ;)

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I was about to say something similar. From what I've heard so far, getting bit by a bp sounds like getting scratched by a cat--relatively minor and largely inevitable if you're around that type of animal for any length of time. It doesn't mean the animal hates you or is aggressive, they just have sharp things on their bodies that they use instinctively.

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Originally Posted by hihit

I was about to say something similar. From what I've heard so far, getting bit by a bp sounds like getting scratched by a cat--relatively minor and largely inevitable if you're around that type of animal for any length of time. It doesn't mean the animal hates you or is aggressive, they just have sharp things on their bodies that they use instinctively.

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My Ball tagging was was the least eventful of all my bites. No running blood like my Dum, GTB, or Bloods. My BRB was not bad either. The one I hope I never get trashed by is the ETB. She's got some teeth!

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Originally Posted by hihit

I was about to say something similar. From what I've heard so far, getting bit by a bp sounds like getting scratched by a cat--relatively minor and largely inevitable if you're around that type of animal for any length of time. It doesn't mean the animal hates you or is aggressive, they just have sharp things on their bodies that they use instinctively.

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Choose a non-venomous snake bite every time, they have FAR fewer germs than cats do. I've never had a snake bite get infected, but sure can't say that about cat scratches. ;)

If you fail to read what your snake is thinking & get tagged (sooner or later it's bound to happen), definitely don't take it personal. It's an honest mistake on their part, either they're fearful or mistaking you for incoming prey. Nearly all bites are preventable by us, just by paying attention, & giving your snake clues they can relate to about what is coming toward them. Give them your scent by blowing air across your hand in their direction, or by dangling an empty sleeve you've worn near them, or use the sleeve or a snake hook to gently touch them, & give them a moment for their perceptions to "sink in". Everyone's happier that way- they don't enjoy fearing the unknown any more than we would. ;) Never forget that snakes mostly do NOT identify us or anything else just by using their vision -as we generally do!

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Originally Posted by KMG

...The one I hope I never get trashed by is the ETB. She's got some teeth!

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:snake2: Yeah, I hope your luck holds. :snake2:

I've had some really random bites. I think my body hair got my GTP and BRB to bite me. When I first got my GTP almost every time he was on my arm he would calmly be climbing around and then slowly tag me. Not like he thought it was food but more like he was telling my arm hair to stop tickling him. After awhile I guess he learned it was nothing to worry about because he hasn't done it in a long time. My BRB was only once but very similar.

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Originally Posted by KMG

I've had some really random bites. I think my body hair got my GTP and BRB to bite me. When I first got my GTP almost every time he was on my arm he would calmly be climbing around and then slowly tag me. Not like he thought it was food but more like he was telling my arm hair to stop tickling him. After awhile I guess he learned it was nothing to worry about because he hasn't done it in a long time. My BRB was only once but very similar.

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Hmm, if I really thought that I reminded any of my snakes of a rat, I'm not sure I'd be admitting it here? :rofl:

(Snake thought-bubble :snake:: Furry...but tastes terrible!!! Must remember, must remember...hold out for the good stuff! )

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Originally Posted by hihit

I've been doing tons and tons of research on ball pythons lately and although I've never owned one, I am very convinced that I want one, that I can handle the care requirements, that a ball python would make a good pet for me, etc. etc.

However, I of course keep hearing stories of people who receive their first ball python only to return it shortly after. I don't want to be one of those people. I would feel very guilty if I had to give up an animal for any reason. I know someone who had to give up a recently-adopted cat and it was super rough on her. I think the cat-human bond is typically stronger than the bp-human bond, but I still imagine myself being heartbroken in that type of situation.

So...what are the reasons some newbies give up their ball pythons? One story I hear pretty often is that they didn't do their research on how to care for the animal, and then they got overwhelmed when they couldn't care for the animal properly. I've also heard of people who thought the snake was aggressive/bad-tempered when really the poor thing was just stressed due to some husbandry issue. But I've done my research, and having done so much research, I doubt my husbandry will be too far off when the time comes--and I've also heard stories of people who did their research beforehand, did everything correctly, yet simply decided that keeping a ball python wasn't right for them after they got one. I guess I'm wondering what about having a ball python wasn't right for them? And how do I know if I'll turn out to be one of those people?

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The same reason(s) why anyone gives up a dog, cat, bunny, pet rat, hamster, and I keep or kept all of these plus reptiles. In the rescue world, it's not uncommon to find surrendered or abandoned dogs due to age, illness or behavior issues (Usually for the puppies growing out of the cute stage). Cats are surrendered because mainly of litterbox issues like peeing on furniture, which can be treated medically (ie urinary disease) or addressing the behavior/stress from the environment. Hamsters are given up usually due to lack of the child's interest and the parent don't want to clean the cage anymore. Bunnies are dumped in parks because they chew, can get aggressive during puberty stage (That's why neutering/spaying is so important for buns), poops a lot.

In light of all the above, the most common reason that encompasses them all including pet reptiles is life changes, like moving. Some people are forced to give up their pets, while others really don't want to put in the effort to find a pet friendly place to live.

So if you really want to know to prevent what can potentially happen to you, it is to find a permanent, long term place to live where you won't be harassed or forced to give up your pet(s). Being a homeowner helps greatly but not everyone can find affordable housing nowadays, it should be a goal to strive for. Settle down with a job or career that does more than living from paycheck to paycheck. That means finishing school (if you haven't), learn how to budget for personal and pet emergencies, and stay focused on your goals.

Pets of all species are not a right to own. If you can't take care of yourself, don't get one. Ball pythons or not. And specifically for ball pythons, if you are not willing to feed it live (if you have to) or do the work, don't bother. I don't recommend anyone who is a stressful worrier to get one. Go for something more relaxing to care for, like a rat snake. Keep in mind, just because you can have one doesn't mean you should. Take care of yourself first, and the rest will happen when it's time.

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Originally Posted by Cheesenugget

In light of all the above, the most common reason that encompasses them all including pet reptiles is life changes, like moving. Some people are forced to give up their pets, while others really don't want to put in the effort to find a pet friendly place to live.

So if you really want to know to prevent what can potentially happen to you, it is to find a permanent, long term place to live where you won't be harassed or forced to give up your pet(s). Being a homeowner helps greatly but not everyone can find affordable housing nowadays, it should be a goal to strive for. Settle down with a job or career that does more than living from paycheck to paycheck. That means finishing school (if you haven't), learn how to budget for personal and pet emergencies, and stay focused on your goals.

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Owning a home isn't possible for me just yet (I'll still be in school for approximately 5 more years because I'm going for a graduate degree), but apartments that aren't pet-friendly are definitely out of the question for me. Even if I don't get a ball python, I already have a fish tank that I love, plus I don't see myself going too long without finding a cat... I've always lived with some type of animal and it would feel incredibly weird not to.

I love ball pythons, but when I was initially researching snakes, what discouraged me from getting a ball python was that they may have eating issues. I knew that would stress me out, and I wasn't willing to feed live, so I ruled them out pretty quickly (despite seeing like, the most gorgeous, lovely ones at expos). But again, lots of them do fine... I just didn't want to deal with that element. There is a big variety in the rat snake/corn snake group that are good, too. My fiance's Japanese rat snake is like, the ideal beginner snake (eats perfectly, friendly, knows the difference between my hand and food), although I did see another on here (a female Japanese rat snake) where she was aggressive. A lot just depends on the individual, I guess, like with any other animal.

I volunteer for a rabbit rescue, and I think people give up pets basically because they did not think ahead. Because it is socially acceptable to treat animals as objects (as opposed to like, children, who rarely are abandoned), people have more freedom to just dump them. Also, because they are sold in a store, as objects, they inherently get designated as that, in the minds of the dumb people who buy them. In addition, people just don't know anything about animals in general, and think they could live on their own in the wild. My iguana was dumped outside in Wisconsin (fortunately in August) and my rabbit (who is big and white and would be immediately eaten by an eagle) was found as a stray. Honestly, people are just irresponsible and ignorant. However, I can tell just because you are here asking, and are able to form full sentences, that you are not like that, lol.

So, I know above I said I had ruled out bps because of the eating thing, but I think you could go a long way to mitigate this by finding a breeder (or a rescue) and asking whether it is eating frozen-thawed or live. Rescues near me often have normals and some morphs as well, and you could get the instant gratification of getting a non-tiny baby snake, too, who is already an established eater (if the rescue is responsible and not putting one up for adoption too soon).

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Originally Posted by hihit

Owning a home isn't possible for me just yet (I'll still be in school for approximately 5 more years because I'm going for a graduate degree), but apartments that aren't pet-friendly are definitely out of the question for me. Even if I don't get a ball python, I already have a fish tank that I love, plus I don't see myself going too long without finding a cat... I've always lived with some type of animal and it would feel incredibly weird not to.

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Student housing can be tricky, but I don't think it will be impossible, because many designate any pets in a container (like your fish) as the same, and they wouldn't care. When I looked for apartments with my adult iguana, there was only one place I can remember that said heck no (the quote was something like "everyone thinks their pets are wonderful" when I told her that he cannot destroy stuff), but the other 10 or so places I applied to didn't care. This was also because I think they thought he was small, and in an enclosure--not a free-roaming adult. But, my apartment landlords loved him once I moved in. "I am moving and can't take him with" is such a common excuse that rescues hear, and I am convinced these are people who just don't try, and use moving as an excuse. As long as you down have a literal tiger as a pet, or maybe a crocodile, I am optimistic for you, just based on my own experience. I am unsure how strict your student housing would be, though.

Also, since you're moving to Gainseville, check out Hernando Reptile Rescue if you want to consider adoption. They would be about 2 hours south of you, but they usually have a few ball pythons for adoption.

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Originally Posted by hihit

Owning a home isn't possible for me just yet (I'll still be in school for approximately 5 more years because I'm going for a graduate degree), but apartments that aren't pet-friendly are definitely out of the question for me. Even if I don't get a ball python, I already have a fish tank that I love, plus I don't see myself going too long without finding a cat... I've always lived with some type of animal and it would feel incredibly weird not to.

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Good for you. All you have to do is get to the finish line. I'm not sure if you are currently living at home with your parents. Living on your own is going to be drastically different. After you graduate, you will need to secure a job that can cover all your expenses including monthly student loans, plus extra for yourself and pet expenses. Not knowing what you are majoring in, it's going to be tough out there. Work experience + degree will give you a better chance in the job market. If you have to rely on your parents to help you financially, then you are not in a good place to take care of anything else at that time.

Cats are great companions, I'm a crazy cat lady so yeah lol. However, lots of people are starting to understand that caring for a cat can be just as expensive as a dog. For example, like I previously mentioned, cats #1 health concern is urinary disease. Male cats can get obstructed and can't pee which is fatal if not treated asap. So like all pets, make sure you live somewhere not too far from a vet and an emergency clinic. Urinary obstruction can costs hundreds to thousands of dollars to treat, not including the possibility of surgery to help him pee better. I once spent over $2k on a male cat because he was blocked, twice. And urinary obstruction can happen suddenly and several more times for the rest of the cat's life.
Female cats don't get this due to their anatomy but they do get UTI's. Some don't have causes that can be explained. Antibiotics and pain relief are not cheap. Cats overall get very stressed out if they are moved too much. They don't like changes, some don't tolerate well at all with changes, and this stress can be so bad that their bladder become inflamed, infected and peeing issues start to come up. That is why finding a place where you and your cat can settle down is important, not just for you but also for your cat's health.

Lastly, cats don't drink enough water which contribute to their urinary problems. They get their hydration from the food they eat, so feeding a canned diet (70% water) vs kibble (10% water) is important, and not the cheap corn-made brand too because these are obligate carnivores. The better the quality of canned food you can get, the better it is for your cat's health but it will costs more. For example, I feed my 3 cats Wellness canned food plus a little kibble on the side. It costs me more to feed the cats than 2 large dogs.

I get it though, having a pet companion can bring you so much joy. But remember this, you can always get a cat, dog, etc. They will always be available in the shelter so there is no rush. The worst thing you can do is to adopt a cat, finding out later that you have to move and your new roommate or family is allergic to cats, and you will end up heartbroken. Finish school, start your life, get your budget together, move out and then see how you feel about all this later.

P.S. on the topic of ball pythons, finding a place to live close to or accessible to a reptile vet is a must before getting any reptiles.

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Originally Posted by Cheesenugget

In light of all the above, the most common reason that encompasses them all including pet reptiles is life changes, like moving. Some people are forced to give up their pets, while others really don't want to put in the effort to find a pet friendly place to live.

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Or worse, renters try to sneak their pets into the rental unit and then hide them from the landlord. That's a good way to end up with an eviction on your credit report, which will make it harder to find a future rental, if you don't find a safe place for that pet to go within a few business days. That's how I ended up with one of my retics.

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Originally Posted by Ascended

Hi, Nice avatar,

I think the main reason is poor research or bad advice to get a quick sale, leading to the new buyer not providing the right environment so the snake wont feed or has problems that overwhelm the new keeper..

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^ THIS^

Some pet stores still just sell the snake and tank / RUB plus a heat mat but no thermostat !!

Plus they sell those useless £5 stick on plastic dial thermometers ( normally ExoTerra ones)



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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Originally Posted by hihit

Owning a home isn't possible for me just yet (I'll still be in school for approximately 5 more years because I'm going for a graduate degree), but apartments that aren't pet-friendly are definitely out of the question for me. Even if I don't get a ball python, I already have a fish tank that I love, plus I don't see myself going too long without finding a cat... I've always lived with some type of animal and it would feel incredibly weird not to.

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It's heart-breaking to have a pet you have to give up because you're renting/leasing. More & more rentals are saying "no" to pets not because they hate animals but because of inconsiderate previous owners causing damage. The more responsible you appear & sound, the better your chances. Pet snakes seem perfect since they don't make noise, chew, or dig up the carpet.

The problem for landlords with pet snakes is that they scare other tenants (or the landlord themselves), not that they cause literal damage. And they can escape & cause the building to be unrentable until found, so you can't blame landlords entirely- they have a point. Another problem with reptiles is the increased risk of fire that insurance companies object to- the lights & heat are not always set up safely, so the companies give the landlords no choice. Some even object to fish tanks, because they can leak & cause serious damage. And cats are great at spreading fleas in apartments, making the whole building need to be fumigated- been there, seen it, wasn't my cat but a neighbor's. And they fumigated without warning, & I was in class, so my pet hamster died as a result.

And college room-mates can be a different sort of nightmare- even IF pets are allowed, many ppl fear snakes, & sometimes they do get loose. You might have a good room-mate for a while, but then they're gone & you need to find another. Please try to think of all this before getting a pet- I KNOW how hard it is not to have a pet for a while, believe me- I'm the same way. But think twice while you'll have to be renting or sharing a place to live.

I'm an admin on a large Facebook group dedicated to Ball Pythons, and without going into rant mode I'll just say it can be a pretty rough world out there for a pet snake.

Surrendering/rehoming/giving up Ball Pythons is sickeningly common. So much so that two big reptile rescues that I know of are now refusing to accept any more surrendered BPs because they are just flooded with them.

These are the most common reasons I see for getting rid of Ball Pythons. There are others, but these crop up most frequently. As in daily. But I promised I wouldn't rant:

Purchased for kid. Kid loses interest.
Purchased for kid. Snake is fearful/defensive. Family decides it's 'mean'.
Kid buys snake. Parent hates/is terrified of snake.
Purchased because so many recommend them as a great beginner pet. Snake spends the majority of its time in its hide and only comes out late at night. Family decides that's no fun.
Purchased because so many recommend them as a great beginner pet. Snake refuses to eat. Family decides that there's no solution and/or that recommended husbandry adjustments are too expensive.
Purchased because so many recommend them as a great beginner pet. Buys 'kit' recommended by pet shop. Learns that 'kit' is mostly useless, virtually everything in it needs to be dumped, and there's lots of new stuff they need to buy. Decides it's all too expensive/too much trouble.
College student purchases. Can't afford to keep it properly.
Student moves and can't have reptiles in new place and/or new roommates hate snake.
Renter purchases snake before checking lease requirements and either discovers that pets are prohibited, and/or their landlord objects to a reptile pet, and/or tries to hide snake from landlord.
Snake gets a respiratory infection, scale rot, or suffers a burn due to bad husbandry. Owner decides veterinary care is too expensive.
Keeper develops relationship with new significant other who hates snakes.
Significant family disruption (divorce, death in family, etc.) with nobody available who's willing to care for snake.
Snake owner caves in to one of the current problems in the Ball Python world: "There are so many beautiful morphs, and I can keep these snakes in racks, so I want all of them!". Snake owner buys many snakes in a short period of time, becomes overwhelmed and gets rid of snakes.

All through undergrad and grad school I had snakes and other pets, so I know it's possible to make it work as a student. But I also know that it was often wickedly difficult and that when I was living on a student budget I sometimes had to make some very tough choices in order to provide good care for my animals. I'm nobody special but at the same time, it requires a particular sort of person and unwavering dedication to handle some of the challenges of keeping pets in the years before you can have your own home.

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

...Surrendering/rehoming/giving up Ball Pythons is sickeningly common. So much so that two big reptile rescues that I know of are now refusing to accept any more surrendered BPs because they are just flooded with them...

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Sounds very similar to what happened with green iguanas that pet stores used to love selling to unsuspecting pet buyers. :tears:

BTW, that was a perfect (& rantless :)) post on this topic- it should probably be required reading in its entirety for everyone considering a new BP.

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Originally Posted by TofuTofuTofu

Student housing can be tricky, but I don't think it will be impossible, because many designate any pets in a container (like your fish) as the same, and they wouldn't care. When I looked for apartments with my adult iguana, there was only one place I can remember that said heck no (the quote was something like "everyone thinks their pets are wonderful" when I told her that he cannot destroy stuff), but the other 10 or so places I applied to didn't care. This was also because I think they thought he was small, and in an enclosure--not a free-roaming adult. But, my apartment landlords loved him once I moved in. "I am moving and can't take him with" is such a common excuse that rescues hear, and I am convinced these are people who just don't try, and use moving as an excuse. As long as you down have a literal tiger as a pet, or maybe a crocodile, I am optimistic for you, just based on my own experience. I am unsure how strict your student housing would be, though.

Also, since you're moving to Gainseville, check out Hernando Reptile Rescue if you want to consider adoption. They would be about 2 hours south of you, but they usually have a few ball pythons for adoption.

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Thanks for the advice! I probably won't be in university-owned student housing, more likely just a regular apartment in the area. In any case I'm definitely going to ask about the details of the pet policy for the places I'm looking at. Most of them only explain about cats and dogs on their websites--which I'm happy when they allow cats lol, but it's not helpful information for non-cat/dog pets.

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Originally Posted by Cheesenugget

Good for you. All you have to do is get to the finish line. I'm not sure if you are currently living at home with your parents. Living on your own is going to be drastically different. After you graduate, you will need to secure a job that can cover all your expenses including monthly student loans, plus extra for yourself and pet expenses. Not knowing what you are majoring in, it's going to be tough out there. Work experience + degree will give you a better chance in the job market. If you have to rely on your parents to help you financially, then you are not in a good place to take care of anything else at that time.

Cats are great companions, I'm a crazy cat lady so yeah lol. However, lots of people are starting to understand that caring for a cat can be just as expensive as a dog. For example, like I previously mentioned, cats #1 health concern is urinary disease. Male cats can get obstructed and can't pee which is fatal if not treated asap. So like all pets, make sure you live somewhere not too far from a vet and an emergency clinic. Urinary obstruction can costs hundreds to thousands of dollars to treat, not including the possibility of surgery to help him pee better. I once spent over $2k on a male cat because he was blocked, twice. And urinary obstruction can happen suddenly and several more times for the rest of the cat's life.
Female cats don't get this due to their anatomy but they do get UTI's. Some don't have causes that can be explained. Antibiotics and pain relief are not cheap. Cats overall get very stressed out if they are moved too much. They don't like changes, some don't tolerate well at all with changes, and this stress can be so bad that their bladder become inflamed, infected and peeing issues start to come up. That is why finding a place where you and your cat can settle down is important, not just for you but also for your cat's health.

Lastly, cats don't drink enough water which contribute to their urinary problems. They get their hydration from the food they eat, so feeding a canned diet (70% water) vs kibble (10% water) is important, and not the cheap corn-made brand too because these are obligate carnivores. The better the quality of canned food you can get, the better it is for your cat's health but it will costs more. For example, I feed my 3 cats Wellness canned food plus a little kibble on the side. It costs me more to feed the cats than 2 large dogs.

I get it though, having a pet companion can bring you so much joy. But remember this, you can always get a cat, dog, etc. They will always be available in the shelter so there is no rush. The worst thing you can do is to adopt a cat, finding out later that you have to move and your new roommate or family is allergic to cats, and you will end up heartbroken. Finish school, start your life, get your budget together, move out and then see how you feel about all this later.

P.S. on the topic of ball pythons, finding a place to live close to or accessible to a reptile vet is a must before getting any reptiles.

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I don't want to give too many details about my exact situation because it's kinda private info, but I do feel confident enough in my overall life/financial stability that I think I could care for pets. I'm currently living in an apartment at my (undergraduate) university, will be moving back in with my parents in a few days after I graduate, then moving in August to an apartment near my new (graduate) university. I'm not getting any more pets until all that moving is done (transporting my plants and fish from NY to FL is already gonna be enough of an ordeal), but after that, I should be living in the same spot for at least 5 years.

For the record, I study mathematics (I'm not planning on being a teacher lol, yes I get asked that a lot), which I think is decently employable. I'm going to try to pick up a few other employable skills as well, such as programming in Python--pun very much intended.

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Originally Posted by Bogertophis

And college room-mates can be a different sort of nightmare- even IF pets are allowed, many ppl fear snakes, & sometimes they do get loose. You might have a good room-mate for a while, but then they're gone & you need to find another. Please try to think of all this before getting a pet- I KNOW how hard it is not to have a pet for a while, believe me- I'm the same way. But think twice while you'll have to be renting or sharing a place to live.

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Luckily, I have enough money to be able to afford my own (within a reasonably low price range) single-bedroom apartment. After living with roommates these past 4 years, I've thoroughly decided against having other people in my home, pet considerations aside. Most of my roommates weren't terrible, I'm just a hermit lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Caitlin

I'm an admin on a large Facebook group dedicated to Ball Pythons, and without going into rant mode I'll just say it can be a pretty rough world out there for a pet snake.

Surrendering/rehoming/giving up Ball Pythons is sickeningly common. So much so that two big reptile rescues that I know of are now refusing to accept any more surrendered BPs because they are just flooded with them.

These are the most common reasons I see for getting rid of Ball Pythons. There are others, but these crop up most frequently. As in daily. But I promised I wouldn't rant:

Purchased for kid. Kid loses interest.
Purchased for kid. Snake is fearful/defensive. Family decides it's 'mean'.
Kid buys snake. Parent hates/is terrified of snake.
Purchased because so many recommend them as a great beginner pet. Snake spends the majority of its time in its hide and only comes out late at night. Family decides that's no fun.
Purchased because so many recommend them as a great beginner pet. Snake refuses to eat. Family decides that there's no solution and/or that recommended husbandry adjustments are too expensive.
Purchased because so many recommend them as a great beginner pet. Buys 'kit' recommended by pet shop. Learns that 'kit' is mostly useless, virtually everything in it needs to be dumped, and there's lots of new stuff they need to buy. Decides it's all too expensive/too much trouble.
College student purchases. Can't afford to keep it properly.
Student moves and can't have reptiles in new place and/or new roommates hate snake.
Renter purchases snake before checking lease requirements and either discovers that pets are prohibited, and/or their landlord objects to a reptile pet, and/or tries to hide snake from landlord.
Snake gets a respiratory infection, scale rot, or suffers a burn due to bad husbandry. Owner decides veterinary care is too expensive.
Keeper develops relationship with new significant other who hates snakes.
Significant family disruption (divorce, death in family, etc.) with nobody available who's willing to care for snake.
Snake owner caves in to one of the current problems in the Ball Python world: "There are so many beautiful morphs, and I can keep these snakes in racks, so I want all of them!". Snake owner buys many snakes in a short period of time, becomes overwhelmed and gets rid of snakes.

All through undergrad and grad school I had snakes and other pets, so I know it's possible to make it work as a student. But I also know that it was often wickedly difficult and that when I was living on a student budget I sometimes had to make some very tough choices in order to provide good care for my animals. I'm nobody special but at the same time, it requires a particular sort of person and unwavering dedication to handle some of the challenges of keeping pets in the years before you can have your own home.

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Very thorough response. Thank you for this.

It's funny, in so many ways, my ball python is the easiest pet I've had:

• Once I got his enclosure well-balanced when it came to temp and humidity, that requires very little adjusting.
• Eats once every 10-14 days, and I got him from a reptile shelter when he was 8, so they'd already established that he was a great eater which makes him super easy.
• Regular water top-ups and washing out his water dish.
• I usually take him out once a week or so and let him run free for a couple of hours in a bedroom I have that's secure with no holes in the walls or anything (to let him at least sort-of utilize natural behaviours like stretching out, exploring etc).
• Otherwise...he spends most of his day hiding in his rock.

But in some ways, he's been extremely challenging. This has mainly had to do with my lifestyle, admittedly, but there are things I definitely found more difficult:

• Very, very few places I've lived have allowed reptiles. In fact, every apartment I've rented/owned since I got him (4 places) have has strata/rental agreements that allowed "cats, dogs and caged mammals" but do not allow reptiles as pets. My assumption is that this is because people are terrified of snakes ending up in their walls. I've simply done what most people do and ignored the rental/strata rules, then hidden my snake's existence from landlords/building managers, but this certainly carries a lot of risks in itself so it needs to be considered carefully. Finding housing in my province is a massive challenge for renters, and for buyers too, and the proportion of "no pets allowed" rentals has soared in the last ten years, so it's rarely an option to "just find a pet-friendly place." Often there are so few affordable housing options here that it's between having pets and being homeless for many, unfortunately.
• Moving, if you do it often, becomes a big headache. Because of my schooling the past four years, I've needed to do a lot of moving from town to town. My husband's work kept him about a 14-hour drive away from me for the duration of my schooling, so whenever we had a month-long break off school in the summers, I'd drive the 14 hours and stay there for the month. This means I've had to move my poor snake more times than I can count. Moving a 40-gallon terrarium on my own is not possible, so every single move or visit home meant rallying a friend of mine to come help me load the heavy glass tank down the apartment stairs and into my car. It's been frankly a bit ridiculous. But I realize that almost no one moves as often as I've had to the last few years, so this is a unique complaint that most people don't have to deal with.
• If you go on vacation or on a trip, or are in the process of renovating/moving, finding a friend willing to look after your snake (meaning put their hands into a snake enclosure to change their water) can be very difficult, as the prevalence of fear of snakes is enormous. Finding a friend willing to thaw a frozen dead mouse and feed it to your snake is even harder lol :P So if you don't have friends nearby who are cool with being up-close with snakes, and you don't live in a city large enough to have a store/breeder/something that boards snakes, anticipate that finding help might be a struggle.

I'm so happy I got my BP, and I love the guy to bits, but I find it's never the day-to-day care that presents me with challenges, it's always the logistical things! For someone with stable housing, who doesn't plan to move much and who has people/boarders willing to help you look after the guy if you need them to, none of this will be a big stressor. But it's an important consideration when taking on any pet, especially something considered to be "exotic" like reptiles!

I've had everything handed to me because of every excuse known to man. Fish because they didn't realize the upkeep( no mary, you can't keep a betta in a small bowl and it magically not get filthy bc everything poops, or so the book says!). Reptiles because they moved, get in a relationship that freaked about it, they had a kid so they can't have them bite, roommate got a cat, new landlord said no, why is it so expensive(when they started out wrong, bought wrong again, and again).
Update of them all: goldfish in a 150 gallon pond with turtle(Quasimodo), betta (pretty fish)in 10 gallon aquarium, tortoise(brother thought to keep outside in co) and Chameleon (bought for a 4 yr old)was given to educational program, unplanned litter of puppies adopted out but 1(now duped Honey and my recent family addition), birds given to education programs, it doesn't sto there either
Really wish people were more reliable or came up with plan b that wasn't, well then not my problem anymore.