Adopt-A-Snake

Hello Again,
Well as some of you may recall, I moved out to Victoria this passed week and I'm all settled in my new place. I'm looking to finally purchase my first BP and habitat. I scoped out a couple local pet stores and they seem be have all the necessities (substrate, lights, hides...), there is supposedly a rat and mouse producer on Vancouver Island, so obtaining food won't be a problem. The only thing left to find is a BP. I've been looking at picking a pastel but I think adopting an abandonned ball would be better and less expensive. Would anyone happen to know of a BP in need of a new home around Victoria? Or perhaps one whilling to be shipped?
Adoption seems to be the better choice.

Most people can ship or at least find someone to ship. It is typically around $40 for overnight shipping. Since you have no experience with ball pythons, I suggest putting up the money for a well started captive bred (CB) from a reputable breeder. There are too many problems that a rescue can have and it will more than likely be more than a newbie will be willing to work with. It sounds like you are trying to go as cheap as possible on this snake and cheap is not the way to go. If you don't want to spend $60 on a snake, what makes you think you will be willing to spend hundreds of dollars in vet bills if anything goes wrong? Animals are not disposable and cannot just be thrown to the side because you don't want to spend the time or money to give them proper care. For the sake of the animal, wait until you are set to properly care and house a snake. It is a responsibility that is very rewarding, but at times can also be very costly.

Although I'm sure tmlowe5704 meant well, in reading I could see where it could come off the wrong way. I didn't notice that you were trying to be "cheap" merely interested more in adopting one in need of a home as opposed to getting one from a breeder. I agree with him on looking to get one from a breeder to start out with so that you do not end up with one that has any type of problems that someone new to ball pythons may not be ready to deal with, that being said I think the idea of adopting a ball python once you're a bit more experienced is a great idea.

I think what tmlowe5704 was trying to say was just make sure that you're prepared for what could come along. If you end up with an animal that has some serious problems, you may end up running up a vet bill much higher then the cost of the snake itself. Purchasing from a breeder will, although not prevent you from possibly getting an animal with a genetic, behavioral, or other problem, it will greatly reduce your odds depending on the breeder you purchase from.

Welcome to the forum and try to take everything with a grain of salt, sometimes things don't come off quite as well online as they would in person. :-D and I'm sure tmlowe5704 didn't mean to come off quite as harsh at it seemed to me, or hell maybe I'm wrong and it came off just the way it was supposed to lol

Who knows, either way, welcome!

I did not mean any harm or aggressiveness in my post. If it came out that way I apologize. It seemed to me like you were looking for the cheapest way with a snake and was just forcefully, yet in a friendly manner trying to persuade you to buy a started ball python. It does not seem that you know the costs associated with vet visits and treatments and you will more than likely end up spending more on an adopted snake than on a well started pastel. If you search around, you may find a pastel male for $150 shipped to your door. Lots of people are getting eggs and hatching eggs so the 06 stock may be discounted. You will come across someone who is needing to gain some rack space and is willing to part with a pastel male for a little less money.

$150 shipped for a Pastel? Where? I haven't seen any quite that low yet, and I've been looking.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Flagg

$150 shipped for a Pastel? Where? I haven't seen any quite that low yet, and I've been looking.

---

It may not be advertised and it may not be the prettiest one, but you will find em. If you talk with breeders enough you can more than likely talk em down; especially if you find someone who needs rack space.

Oh, so you HAVEN'T actually seen any that cheap then?

by the way tmlowe5704 I didn't think you were really trying to be mean but I saw how someone could take it that way :-D

Oh and that new pastel I got (over on BP pictures) I got him for 150 from a breeder, he's bell line, very pretty IMO. I didn't get him for 150 shipped as I met the breeder when I went up to the raleigh show but still :) you can get them cheaper, you just have to look around alot more!

Now, if I can just find a female pastel who will be ready to breed by this year for 150 ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Flagg

Oh, so you HAVEN'T actually seen any that cheap then?

---

There was one on KS a few days ago. I am going through right now and looking for it.

Well I can see that you think that I am some dumb kid looking for a "cool" pet.
Check my registration date. I've spent two weeks before then and to date, I have spent just about every day researching Ball Pythons. Being a first time owner, I'd like to know as much as possible about my new pet.

In regards to adopting a snake. I thought it would be better to give a snake that has been abandonned a second chance and a better home. Do they not deserve a chance at a better home? It was not the price that attracted me towards adoption, it was the light of a better and loving owner.

Instead of blowing smoke up everyone's arse, do some research on pastel prices and get your facts straight.

*Rant Finished*

Hey Stuwy,


It's not that we always assume everyone is just trying to adopt to save money on the animals - in your own best intrests your first ball python would be better coming fully established with no problems.

It's a sad fact that a lot of the adopted animals will have been housed incorrectly or otherwise have problems and, while we understand the desire to rescue them and improve their lot, it is often a job a new member of the hobby would find extremely challenging and may even put them off altogether.

And yes, you are doing exactly the right thing by researching as much as you can before getting the animal or it's enclosure - and on the enclosure front alone that simple act may have saved you a world of heartache and frustration, not to mention a pile of money.

It is of course your decision and the forum will try and support you with any questions you may have either way.

Python prices vary by an extreme amount both in a short space of time and by locality ( pastels are around $1600 over here for a hatchling male in some places for example) and sometimes the prices quoted become a point of contention more or less by accident.


dr del

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuwy

Well I can see that you think that I am some dumb kid looking for a "cool" pet.
Check my registration date. I've spent two weeks before then and to date, I have spent just about every day researching Ball Pythons. Being a first time owner, I'd like to know as much as possible about my new pet.

In regards to adopting a snake. I thought it would be better to give a snake that has been abandonned a second chance and a better home. Do they not deserve a chance at a better home? It was not the price that attracted me towards adoption, it was the light of a better and loving owner.

Instead of blowing smoke up everyone's arse, do some research on pastel prices and get your facts straight.

*Rant Finished*

---

Your registration date means nothing. I am well aware of when you joned and have read through your posts already. The reason I suggested you get an established ball python is because they can pose enough problems as is and it may take someone with some experience to get them back to normal. An adoption, while very nice to the animal, may not be the best thing for you. I am not saying you cannot do it, but are you ready to possibly spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to get the snake back to health? In your first post, you said that getting a rescue will be less expensive, when in reality, you may end up spending ten fold what you would for a pastel. I have seen experienced keepers here who take in rescue, spend money to make them better, only to have to put it to sleep. Sometimes the damage is not fixable and meds are only like a band-aid for someone who got a bullet to the chest. Who was blowing smoke at anyone? I did not attack you in any manner whatsoever. I even said that they could be found for $150 if you talk to the owner/breeder. This is the time of year when eggs are being laid and hatched so people will drop prices to unload 06 stock. Go out and talk with someone people and you WILL find one for $150. Now before you come here and start accusing people of things and getting defensive, do some more research.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stuwy

Well I can see that you think that I am some dumb kid looking for a "cool" pet.
Check my registration date. I've spent two weeks before then and to date, I have spent just about every day researching Ball Pythons. Being a first time owner, I'd like to know as much as possible about my new pet.

In regards to adopting a snake. I thought it would be better to give a snake that has been abandonned a second chance and a better home. Do they not deserve a chance at a better home? It was not the price that attracted me towards adoption, it was the light of a better and loving owner.

Instead of blowing smoke up everyone's arse, do some research on pastel prices and get your facts straight.

*Rant Finished*

---

Easy there killer..

I applauded you for wanting to give a rescue ball a good home. however your a self admitted new comer to ball pythons and I would have to agree that rescues can offer more hassles than a CB baby and if your not experienced to deal with these problems then yours might not be the best home for them just starting out, even though your heart is in the right place. Rescues are plentiful and will be around when your ready. My suggestion is the same as Tim's and everyone else's. Get some time under your belt dealing with not eating, bad sheds, temper problems, Q-time, maintaining proper setups, feeding schedules..Then go rescue all the ones you want to. As to all your research your probably better equipped than most first timers. However experience is a cruel teacher and if you really have the snakes best interest at heart then learning how to deal with problems with out the expense of an already weakened animal would be down right heroic..

As for the current market placement of pastels and any other morphs for that fact. You get what you pay for. An animal is only as good as its breeder. If you found a quality animal from a good breeder for that price jump on it, its a steal..But be weary.

Well even through all the misunderstandings and such. I'm not one to pass up valuable information. I guess I will just continue my search for a yearling pastel or nice normal and go from there.