Should i buy this?

[Sauzo]

Ok let me start off saying that I know pet shops like Petco and Petsmart are not the best places to buy animals but I have found a really good deal on a baby piebald BP. I talked to the manager and she told me the snakes is a 6 week old female. She has been cleared by a local herp vet that I know who is the only one in Washington state certified for herps only. They did a fecal and said she is clean. She is pretty chunky, alert, clear eyes, mouth,nostrils and vent. The catch is she hasent voluntarily eaten in 3 weeks. The have only tried frozen mice. My question is this Friday on black Friday, she will be half price at $200. Is it worth the chance? I know BPs can be shy and I'm sure in a pet shop atmosphere it isn't the best. I have and have had lots of reptiles so I'm not new to it. I just have never a baby ball python not want to eat. And my red tail boa will eat even if she isn't that hungry, she is my garbage disposal lol. Do you all think with a nice quiet cage with hides, heat etc, she will come around? And is 3 weeks ok? Oh they force fed her carnivorecare one time a week for the past 2 weeks. She notices the mice they dangle at her but just doesn't strike it. I just don't want to invest in something that pretty much has no chance of recovery. Thanks all.

Also if it matters, she is pure white with the normal head and 1 normal spot on her back down by her vent and another normal spot about the middle of her. Rest is pure white.

[Sammiebob]

Honestly I would go for it in a heart beat. If she absolutely won't eat anything, not even live, you could assist feed her as a LAST RESORT but try EVERYTHING in your power. Leave it in her cage, wiggle it, brain it, etc. But $200 for a female pied is a fantastic deal. I would snatch her right up if I were you.

[Eric Alan]

I'm with Sammiebob. I don't even know why you're on the fence. In that environment, it's incredibly difficult to get BPs to eat reliably. I'm sure once at home in a more comfortable place she'll be a bottomless pit. Enjoy her!

[Cumminsman]

I would cut my left leg off to find a nice little female pied for a good deal! You just have to promise to post pics once you get her home!

[pythongal]

I'm assuming you're referencing PetSmart, as my store has a pied for $399 that will be half off on Black Friday.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I got a male pastel from there that hadn't eaten for the store, and didn't eat for me. The problem is, the power wings aren't geared to deliver the ideal settings for each species to thrive. Ideally, each pet is to be there only for a short while so they are merely surviving.

Once I got the conditions for mine just right, he ate a live mouse yesterday.

Point being, pretty much all pet stores are the same. Of course getting an animal from a breeder pales in comparison, but animals from pet stores that check out healthy are just as good of companions as any.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Sauzo]

Pretty much what I was thinking too. Now to be at PetSmart on Friday to hopefully snatch her up. They had her pulled off the shelf and put in the back with xtra heat etc to try and get her to eat so hopefully if anyone was interested, they will think she was sold I noticed her there 2-3 weeks ago when I was buying my bearded dragon her T5 UVB so heres to hoping she stays till I get there. Thanks all for the responses.

[C2tcardin]

Go for it, I would be all over it. I had a couple of picky hatchlings this summer that I was able to get going by feeding live hopper mice, then finally about a month ago I was able to get them to take f/t rat fuzzys. The Fire is now over 215 grams and the Super Pastel is at 233 grams and they are eating rat pups.

[Sauzo]

Nice. Yeah I got a red tail boa that I feed rats to so figure it wont be much more to add a mouse to the python. Did you need to feed her live to get her going? Or did fresh killed work? I prekill my rats for my boa but I buy them live so she gets the freshest

[Rob]

Asking a bunch of snake addicts if you should buy a snake.....I think you know the answer your going to get lol

[Sauzo]

Lol yeah I know, it was mostly a question of should I chance it with a "problem" feeder. I know its a pet shop environment etc etc but in all the snakes I've had, I have never had a problem feeder, knock on wood. Just want to know what im getting myself into. I got time atm but the idea of force feeding a snake doesn't sound fun. Plus with her being only 6 weeks old, im concerned with how long they can go without food. I know adults can go months without food and be fine. I just don't want to get myself into something that is going to require a $300 vet visit. I just had a $250 vet visit for my bearded dragon so not really looking to see my vet again this soon lol.