Need help Pythons keep dying

Ok Ill briefly explain whats going on I recently purchused a ball python for my son along with a 20L tank, rock hide and a rock drinking bowl and us asphine for bedding. the first python we got was fine for few days then started acting real sluggish and dyed I took that snake back to the petstore we got him from and they gave us another before the new snake went in we steralized everything. this snake just did the samething My son real wants another snake but I don't know whats happening to these snake and dont want to keep killing snakes. Anyone have any ideas on whats going on? It has to be something on my end because they both died. Please any advise would be great..

Do you have proper heating for them? they need a heat gradient 90 warm side 80 cool side they need a hide on each side and they shoudnt be handled for the first week teo allow them to adjust to their new home ...im sorry you keep losing them.. GL

PS also you should check the condition of the other snakes that are housed in the pet store...im assuming their housed together could be a disease
Hope i helped

okayy..... one of the first things that you did wrong was buy from a pet store. NEVER buy from a pet store most of the reps and animals hav diseses. buy from a reputable breeder(i reccomend bhb).

and you should really look at these articles and videos they will include almost anything you need to care for bps, so you can see if you did anything wrong, and correct it
YouTube - Ball Python Care Video

YouTube - Snake Tips: Ball Python Care

http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/s...all-python.php

or just type in "Ball Python Care sheet" on google

Hope this helps!

I noticed you didnt say anything about a heater, do you have at minimum a heat lamp but best thing is a under tank heater with thermostat.

First of all, what are you cleaning the tank with? How are you heating the tank and controlling it? If you could post pics of the set-up, that would help.
Also it is possible that if the snakes are housed together at the pet store, one may have gotten sick and passed it on.
One last question. Have you been using any bug bombs or pesticides in the room you keep the snakes?...


Rob

It's possible that the pet store just has really weak and/or sickly stock. It's not uncommon for pet stored to bring in imported babies that aren't started properly, and right on the edge of starvation or dehydration and possibly infected with parasites as well...then throw them into display tanks and wait for unsuspecting customers to buy them and take them home. Poor snakes don't have a chance.

OR....there's something contaminated about the enclosure or room the snake is in. Your typical husbandry mistakes won't kill a snake that fast, unless its in a glass tank in a window full of sunshine....the tank could heat up like the inside of a car when the sun shines in and kill the snake that way.

What is "us asphine" that you mention for the bedding? There are some beddings sold in pet stores that are toxic to snakes, but again, I don't think they would kill a snake that fast. Any pesticides or chemicals or any other outside influences you can think of? What are you using to heat the enclosure and what are the typical temps the snake is experiencing in there?

My advice....research the source of your ball python carefully. I'm confident you can care for one just fine....but you want to make sure you get a healthy, hearty specimen to begin with. Also, be sure to check out our care sheet and set up the enclosure BEFORE bringing a new snake home....make sure it's running properly and maintaining the right temps and such before you put a new snake in.

http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=59

Good luck!

looks like everybody was typing the same thing at the same time... :rofl:

Ill save myself some typing and say "what they said."

Pet stores can have extremely neglected and unestablished snakes. I would stay far away from that petstore and contact a breeder directly who can give you

1) a healthy, established and feeding animal.
2) correct husbandry information because the pet store obviously doesnt have a clue.(Not your fault, most petstores dont know and just offer very basic, outdated and/or generic even poor advice)

My first snake came from a pet store as well loaded with parasites and illness. Never purchased another snake from a store again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bamf64

okayy..... one of the first things that you did wrong was buy from a pet store. NEVER buy from a pet store most of the reps and animals hav diseses. buy from a reputable breeder(i reccomend bhb).

and you should really look at these articles and videos they will include almost anything you need to care for bps, so you can see if you did anything wrong, and correct it
YouTube - Ball Python Care Video

YouTube - Snake Tips: Ball Python Care

http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/s...all-python.php

or just type in "Ball Python Care sheet" on google

Hope this helps!

---

Of course, you forgot to mention our very own caresheet here:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59

I watched the first video and two things I don't agree with - he plans to have 3-4 ball pythons in his 40 gallon eventually and he recommends changing the substrate every six months. With all the urine that he can't possibly get up - once a month would be more appropriate.

To the OP - I suspect that since both animals came from the same source, they were already sick. I would completely throw out the equipment and housing that you were using for these two and start over with a tub set up for a more economical solution and purchase a ball python from a breeder, either to be shipped to you or find a breeder that is local to you.

Edit - ok - the second video is very well done - I didn't see any glaring errors in that - he did a good job!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rabernet

Of course, you forgot to mention our very own caresheet here:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59

I watched the first video and two things I don't agree with - he plans to have 3-4 ball pythons in his 40 gallon eventually and he recommends changing the substrate every six months. With all the urine that he can't possibly get up - once a month would be more appropriate.

To the OP - I suspect that since both animals came from the same source, they were already sick. I would completely throw out the equipment and housing that you were using for these two and start over with a tub set up for a more economical solution and purchase a ball python from a breeder, either to be shipped to you or find a breeder that is local to you.

---

oh my!!!! How could i forget???!?!?!!? its the best one out there!

No doubt pet stores are awful . Today I was in petco and could not help but check out there little guy:weirdface . They said he /she had just shed but he looked like dried up jerky with patches . I felt so bad for the little bugger .:tears: Must be why he is 1/2 off now that they have destroyed him . Sorry to hear about your snakes that is a bummer . They sell everything there and yet still can't manage to get it right . Tsk Tsk

If I were to purchase a ball python, unless I came across a really good deal with a really good looking animal, I would have to say I would purchase from either Tim(Bailey & Bailey reptiles) or Shawn(Exotics by nature)

There are plenty of great breeders if you are just looking for a nice normal. You could always post a wanted ad in the classifieds here.
I would go that route before purchasing from a pet store. Good luck!

I am lucky here that my local pet shop is ran by a breeder and he specializes in reptiles in his shop, other than something like that I would stay far away from pet stores, just like everyone else on here has said. I am sorry to hear of your troubles, but if you get one from a reputable breeder I feel your experience will be wonderful. My kids absolutely love their snakes, and so do I.

Thanks for all the replys. To answer some of you questions the bedding was ll natural shredded aspen bedding, there was only one hide and it was on the side of the tank the uder tank heating pad was but it didnt have a thermostat so I dont know what the tank temp is. We are going to try again but afer reading your replys and some other threads were gonna revamp the setup to better care for the snake. I don't know if the pet store will even give me another one but after what you all said notsure if I should even go that route. What do you think? If a breeder who do you recommend? Thanks again all of you.,

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by guardian00002

Thanks for all the replys. To answer some of you questions the bedding was ll natural shredded aspen bedding, there was only one hide and it was on the side of the tank the uder tank heating pad was but it didnt have a thermostat so I dont know what the tank temp is. We are going to try again but afer reading your replys and some other threads were gonna revamp the setup to better care for the snake. I don't know if the pet store will even give me another one but after what you all said notsure if I should even go that route. What do you think? If a breeder who do you recommend? Thanks again all of you.,

---

Without a thermostat your UTH's temps can reach upwards of 120*. Far to high for the snake, could also be the problem you are having. I recommend atleast a dimmer switch from Lowe's or Home Depot if not an actual thermostat. You have to have something to regulate the heating pad. Good luck with your next snake!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by guardian00002

Thanks for all the replys. To answer some of you questions the bedding was ll natural shredded aspen bedding, there was only one hide and it was on the side of the tank the uder tank heating pad was but it didnt have a thermostat so I dont know what the tank temp is. We are going to try again but afer reading your replys and some other threads were gonna revamp the setup to better care for the snake. I don't know if the pet store will even give me another one but after what you all said notsure if I should even go that route. What do you think? If a breeder who do you recommend? Thanks again all of you.,

---

Don't go to that petstore again - it's likely their animals are sick.

Where are you located, we can probably recommend someone nearby you.

I don't see why they would be living at the petstore if they had this terrible disease. I would guess the snakes probably are getting cooked. Get a thermostat before you get another snake.

In general, it's better to buy from a reputeable breeder, or from a REPUTEABLE pet store. The word reputeable is the most important one. There are bad breeders, just as there are bad pet stores. There are many more bad pet stores than breeders, though.

Fauna's BOI is one place to go to check out breeders. Local breeders and herp societies can probably tell you if any of the local pet stores have the OK. In the Omaha area, I can vouch for Too Many Feathers pet store. The owners have some rough-looking animals in, but these are generally animals that people have given to them, which they are vetting and nursing back to health. They make sure all of their ball python hatchlings feed before they put them up for sale.

The local PetCo also has decent, clean cages and healthy-looking herps. Apparently their reptile person knows what he/she is doing. The ball pythons are probably captive-hatched, but they are fat, well-hydrated, and have shed well. I would not hesitate personally to buy from either store, if they had something I wanted so badly I was willing to pay that price for it.

Pet stores run the gamut from absolutely awful hell-pits to decent, clean establishments with healthy animals. Obviously if you get a snake from a pet store, and it dies, and then you get another, and it dies, either their snakes are sick, or you're doing something wrong.

The most common mistake is improper heating. Thermostat-controlled heat is not optional.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tbowman

I don't see why they would be living at the petstore if they had this terrible disease. I would guess the snakes probably are getting cooked. Get a thermostat before you get another snake.

---

If the snakes were getting burned, it would be obvious. Belly burns are UGLY

Well If all of the snakes in the store are sick I don't understand how they would only be dying when the person brings one home?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tbowman

Well If all of the snakes in the store are sick I don't understand how they would only be dying when the person brings one home?

---

I highly doubt that when someone goes to check out with a snake they're going to say "Oh btw, alot of our snakes have been dying here so if this dies, it's not your bad." And if the snake is sick to begin with, the stress of moving and getting acclimated to a new environment would be the straw that breaks the camels back.

This'll be mildly inappropriate, but I did laugh a tiny bit at the title of this thread...

Anyway.

As it seems to be that the question has been answered and quite of suggestions have been made, I will simply agree that buying from a petstore isn't the best idea when it comes to purchasing an animal and, obviously, snakes are no exception. I, myself, should have bought Atticus and Onyx from a reputable breeder, but a person can't be faulted for something that they can learn and apply to future experiences.

When I picked up Onyx, he had mites (something I didn't notice until AFTER I had taken him home). It wasn't the end of the world, because he is now mite free, but it was a factor I should have considered when I bought him, because now Atticus has mites. Of course, you can attribute that to me not quarantining Onyx properly, but it's definitely something that is an issue at a lot of petstores (mites).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Elise.m

I highly doubt that when someone goes to check out with a snake they're going to say "Oh btw, alot of our snakes have been dying here so if this dies, it's not your bad."

---

I never said that. Does a snake have to be burned for it to die from being to hot?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tbowman

I never said that.

---

But it actually made sense... a shopper wouldn't know if the snakes were "living there," because they may have already disposed of the dead ones. :( I don't think you can really SEE most reptile diseases, so the snakes on display could appear perfectly healthy - but they may not disclose if others have died recently.

Anyway, to repeat what everyone else said, the OP should try a reputable breeder next. Check out Kingsnake and Fauna classifieds online, or simply click on one of the sponsored links here (like 8BallPythons or Ralph Davis). Good luck!

KS & Fauna:
http://market.kingsnake.com/index.php?cat=32
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...play.php?f=499

Quote:

---

Does a snake have to be burned for it to die from being to hot?

---

If the only heat source is an under-tank heater, then I imagine it would have to be burnt. The only way it could die from ambient heat is with a lamp, or possibly being left in direct sunlight... unlike a dog/cat, they would be unlikely to die of heat-related suffocation.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by guardian00002

Thanks for all the replys. To answer some of you questions the bedding was ll natural shredded aspen bedding, there was only one hide and it was on the side of the tank the uder tank heating pad was but it didnt have a thermostat so I dont know what the tank temp is. We are going to try again but afer reading your replys and some other threads were gonna revamp the setup to better care for the snake. I don't know if the pet store will even give me another one but after what you all said notsure if I should even go that route. What do you think? If a breeder who do you recommend? Thanks again all of you.,

---

8ballpythons.com

A snake can die from overheating without burns. I hope you get your husbandry all worked out so you can get a healthy snake for you and your child to enjoy!

The caresheet here at BP.net is a great one, and welcome to the site.