best age to buy

Anyone have any suggestions as to how old the snake should be? Just started to look around and wondered if anyone had any suggestions.

That depends on your experience level and what you feel comfortable with. A new keeper may want to start with a baby so that they aren't intimidated by the size and get to learn as the snake grows. You have more control over the snake's health if you get it younger.. usually you don't really know what happened to the snake before you got it if you get an adult.

I think the best time is when their baby's, that way you raise them and you don't have to worry about past treatment and or husbandry.

Wow, you guys arw quick. Thanks.

There is nothing like raising up a young un' .....get a well established captive born and breed young ball python...that is the best way to go IMO ;)

Watching your baby grow up is the best! =D

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Originally Posted by Shelby

That depends on your experience level and what you feel comfortable with. A new keeper may want to start with a baby so that they aren't intimidated by the size and get to learn as the snake grows. You have more control over the snake's health if you get it younger.. usually you don't really know what happened to the snake before you got it if you get an adult.

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The flip side to that is a lack of experience may cause some owners to miss certain things about raising up a baby...

For example, a customer at work (i work at a pet store) asked why their ball was so much skinnier than the ones we had for sale. I asked them what they were feeding, how often, how long had they had it, etc....turns out they bought the snake at another place and they told them to feed it a fuzzy once a week. So the customer proceeded to do this for the next year or so that they had it.

It may seem obvious to most of us on here that as snakes grow, so should the prey they eat. Some people just miss that completely.

My point is that obtaining a more established individual snake can be much "easier" for the casual hobbyist.

Personally, I like to get them as babies and watch 'em grow!

Well, if you have half a brain you should be able to figure out that a bigger snake eats a bigger meal. Silly people..

Work at a pet store that specializes in reptiles, and then hear some of the statements, stories, and professed truths customers make about reptile husbandry. I've banged my head on the wall in the back room so many times its not even funny.

Here's one: A customer came into the store with a box. In that box, was an emaciated rat on the verge of death. He wanted to return it. I asked him what had happened because we'd never sell a feeder in that condition. Turns out that the rat had been living in the enclosure with the snake for the past 2 weeks and he had been feeding it Kraft Singles, cause you know, rats like cheese. He also asked what to do about his snake that now has the end of its tail eaten up. Just another day at work....

i used to work at a petstore and as one of the few places which gives accurate information... we got alot of people coming in with misinformation about stuff and ocmplaining about the info they got at ____ store. it's so sad really that people expect the 'seller' to give them all the info... when in reality, it's their job to learn about their pet!

pet peeve shared and i'm done now.
*steps off soap box*

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

Here's one: A customer came into the store with a box. In that box, was an emaciated rat on the verge of death. He wanted to return it. I asked him what had happened because we'd never sell a feeder in that condition. Turns out that the rat had been living in the enclosure with the snake for the past 2 weeks and he had been feeding it Kraft Singles, cause you know, rats like cheese. He also asked what to do about his snake that now has the end of its tail eaten up. Just another day at work....

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LOL! Wow, that guy must have been great at life.

Sometimes it's not about owners not caring. Sometimes it's about getting bad information and not double checking it or having internet access. The folks that had Kyna (once called Punkin) didn't realize she should go up in either prey size or prey number over her growing life. She ended up at 18 months barely bigger than our 6 month old. A consistent schedule of slightly larger prey or multiple prey over many months now has her up to a more appropriate size for a now just over 2 year old snake.

They had been told by a local pet store they frequented that a single small mouse was just fine for their snake for it's entire life or they would make it fat. Yes they should have checked this and yes Kyna ended up small for age but she was in fact a very loved snake. They were just led to believe what they were doing was just fine. Once the young woman got online and realized what was up, she immediately sought a home for Kyna that might more appropriately care for the snake.

So for Kyna anyways, she really wasn't willfully abused or neglected and not everyone has access to the vast store of wisdom online and do depend on somewhat sketchy pet store info. I still am thankful that Kyna's past owners entrusted her to us!


~~Jo~~

I'm not as optimistic...I think most people out there are just plain dumb.

Maybe in some ways I'm too much of a "pollyanna" sometimes but I do realize not everyone is as blessed as we've been to have access to some wonderful experienced folks and some of the best breeders out there to guide us along. In the end, I guess I'm just happy when anyone figures out they just aren't equipped to manage a pet they have and make the right decision to voluntarily seek a better situation for it.


~~Jo~~

Hmmm..... Joanna a pollyanna? The snarky witch has a split personality with the cutesy pollyanna? *shock* :O *faint*

LMAO!!! ;) :D

LOL I know funky isn't it....I'm half witch, looking for a cause to get in a snit over...half naive child who still believes in everyone's basic goodness. It's a wonder Mike can put up with me most days. :P


~~Jo~~

I've purchased both youngins and adults and I like them both.

Mine was 4 months when I got her - and growing :D

Just "taken on" an abused adult anerythistic (sp?) corn - it is equally as nice in disposition - but of course a lot bigger.

On the subject of daft pet shop employees - I went into the pet shop I don't normally go into because the normal one was out on the size of crix I wanted for my baby rankin dragons. Well - this shop was out of small crix too - so I asked if they had some small locusts. After waiting 5 mins for the "locust catching expert" (aka "the only employee not terrified of handling bugs" probably) the "expert" came back and rounded up 30 small locusts - only they were just one size down from being adult sized locusts (and far too big for my babies). "Well they're the smallest ones in the enclosure" came the miffed reply while she took them back. Meanwhile one of the onlooking "scared of bugs" employees stared googly eyed at the locusts and asked what they were ... :clueless: