EMERGENCY HELP!!! - Quiet Tempest, I need you.

[BAMReptiles]

vet visit?

[reggi-BP]

OMG this is one of the most exciting confusing action packed thread ever im not really a breeder but i wish u the best of luck and i cant wait to see what happens i look foward to seeing some beautiful babys

[rabernet]

P.S. When do you guys schedule the first vet visit for the babies? After first shed? After first meal?

I don't take my hatchlings to the vet.

[anatess]

I don't take my hatchlings to the vet.

I don't have experience enough to know if they're healthy and what gender they are.

[rabernet]

I don't have experience enough to know if they're healthy and what gender they are.

Do you have a specialized exotics vet to take them to? It's been my experience that most vets that don't specialize won't be able to sex them for you either (or they'll tell you that they are too young to sex).

Are there any other breeders local to you? They should be able to help you!

[TheReptileEnthusiast]

Do you have a specialized exotics vet to take them to? It's been my experience that most vets that don't specialize won't be able to sex them for you either (or they'll tell you that they are too young to sex).

Are there any other breeders local to you? They should be able to help you!

I second this. Even an exotics vet will not be specialized in BP's. They usually have general knowledge of everything from monkeys and parrots to iguanas. You'll probably leave disappointed. Nobody will have more experience sexing hatchlings than an experienced breeder. They will be able to tell you if they seem healthy as well.

Of course, if they have obvious health problems, do not hesitate to take them to a vet immediately. Time is the most important variable when it comes to saving a sick reptile.

[anatess]

I second this. Even an exotics vet will not be specialized in BP's. They usually have general knowledge of everything from monkeys and parrots to iguanas. You'll probably leave disappointed. Nobody will have more experience sexing hatchlings than an experienced breeder. They will be able to tell you if they seem healthy as well.

Of course, if they have obvious health problems, do not hesitate to take them to a vet immediately. Time is the most important variable when it comes to saving a sick reptile.

We have Dr. Rossi here - he's my reptile vet who has been taking care of all our reptiles (snakes and turtles) for their yearly check-up. He is well known in the herp industry (my impression) having published a few books including "What's wrong with my snake?". He has been great with our pets so far.

I do have Mike Cavanaugh 20 miles away. He's the only other person I know in these parts other than the reptile pet stores. He's taking care of Cheerios though, so he might have his hands full.

[J.Vandegrift]

We have Dr. Rossi here - he's my reptile vet who has been taking care of all our reptiles (snakes and turtles) for their yearly check-up. He is well known in the herp industry (my impression) having published a few books including "What's wrong with my snake?". He has been great with our pets so far.

I do have Mike Cavanaugh 20 miles away. He's the only other person I know in these parts other than the reptile pet stores. He's taking care of Cheerios though, so he might have his hands full.

It's up to you to take whether to take the hatchlings to the vet or not. I think it's basically throwing money away to take a snake that is not sick to the vet but that's your choice. I also don't think there is any reason to take a ball python for yearly checkups.

[Quiet Tempest]

The only time I take any of my snakes to the vet is when there's something wrong that I'm not familiar with or that I can't handle myself. I've found that the vets in my neck of the woods are really not as experienced as their advertisements would lead you to believe. If the babies are alert, aren't acting peculiar, and have all their parts I consider them healthy. If problems arise later on, I'll either get in touch with another breeder or look for more info from others here on the forum before I go to the vet. It's unfortunate, but I look at the vet as a last ditch effort here and a potential death sentence after losing one of my snakes a couple years ago after taking him to a vet that clearly wasn't what he was hyped up to be.

[anatess]

It's up to you to take whether to take the hatchlings to the vet or not. I think it's basically throwing money away to take a snake that is not sick to the vet but that's your choice. I also don't think there is any reason to take a ball python for yearly checkups.

The dog, bird, turtles, and snakes go to the vet yearly. The hamsters, rats, fish don't - they don't live long enough. We have a mini-zoo going on here and I am not qualified to gauge the health of these guys. As in, they might be sick and they still look okay to me. The yearly check-up makes sure we haven't messed up royally. We've only had snakes for 2 years - not long enough to know everything about them.

We're not breeders - just pet owners so hatching 5 eggs is completely beyond my comfort zone. I feel like I'm doing injustice to these guys with all the trouble that I wasn't prepared for. What is really ironic is that the hubby and kids attempted the breeding because I told them I'm not spending $600 for a bumblebee. Hah, if these 5 guys make it out of the egg, I'll be spending over $300 for the vet! Shoulda just spent the $600.

I'm not regretting it though. We all had one heck of an education.