First Snake on Saturday!

[Luvyna]

I support getting the snake you want the most. If well cared for, they can live a long time and you want to make sure it's the one you really want You have clearly done your research, set up and tested an appropriate enclosure before getting the animal, and overall approached getting a new pet in a responsible way. I think you'd do great as a BP owner, and of course if you run into any problems, our community is here to help.

When people say BPs aren't a great beginner snake I think that only applies if someone isn't going to put in the time and research for setting up a good enclosure and learning how to deal with typical ball python problems like their feeding. Since BPs don't naturally live outside of Africa, it takes a little more work to accurately simulate the environment there. Corns and kings are native to North America so they can be more forgiving of husbandry mistakes since their temperature and humidity requirements are closer to what is natural in most places in NA. It looks like you already have a good understanding of that though, so I think you'll be fine.

Congrats on being ready to bring home a new noodle, I can't wait to see your new pet!

[QuesadillaWizard]

Luvyna - Thank you so much for the kind message! I'm so excited! New snake will be a surprise for everyone, even me! I've honestly felt a LITTLE pressure to get a BP from friends of mine who really love them. I love them too, but there are so many snakes to experience!

[NewmanLovesSnakes]

Mmmm
$$!’llo





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[Bogertophis]

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Bogertoph - Howdy! I think I've heard of that python! Isn't it called the children's python too? Or is that a different small snake?

No, but a Children's python is very similar & close relative, slightly smaller than a Spotted python. My spotted python was a rescue, actually, from a guy who didn't want a snake that WOULDN'T eat live. He was fed up with her (she was a yearling) & actually talked about euthanizing her (only not in kind terms), but I talked him into
sending her my direction instead...& she never refuses food, always f/t. She's a wonderful (easy) pet, that often likes to bask on driftwood, & is always very alert, but
not a hand-biter at all. These are captive-bred in the U.S.- you don't have to send off to Australia for one, but you may have to look a little harder as they aren't as common as BPs, corns & kings. They need a somewhat warmer cage than a corn, king or rat snake, & a humid hide* will ensure they shed well. I like that she doesn't hide all the time. *this species is apparently found in coastal areas, not desert. Mine is a "granite phase", not that it mattered one bit to me, & she has really nice iridescence too.

BTW, the name "Children's" came from the last name of the man who discovered them...it does NOT mean they are toys for children, lol...

[QuesadillaWizard]

Bogertophis - Wow! She sounds like a really cool pet. When you say she likes to bask on driftwood, does she need a special light? That's one of the only things I didn't grab in my stocking-up expedition since all the snakes I've had my eye on don't require bulbs, just UTH. I did a quick google on them--very intense but very cool looking snake!

I'm so glad you were able to save her.

[pretends2bnormal]

Congrats on your upcoming snake! Glad to see so much preparation has happened before your new friend comes home. (Way too many people just don't and that makes me sad...)

In many cases, snakes are like Lays potato chips... you can't have just one! So if you're inclined, you can always get a 2nd snake later down the road of another species if you have 2 (or more) you're really liking. (This coming from someone who now has 19.... shhhh)

BPs are pretty great, even as first time snakes for owners who read up on them and know what to expect and are flexible enough to change things around if something isn't working for your individual snake (i.e. tank isn't working, so try a tub. Or try a smaller tub, etc.).

Something else to keep in mind, you can always order frozen feeders online in bulk and have them shipped. There are a number of companies who do this with good prices and the quality is often better than pet shops. Shipping doesn't even necessarily make the feeders more expensive as many local breeders and stores charge significantly higher prices. Big Cheese Rodents and Cold Blooded Cafe both have flat rate shipping ($29-32 if I remember right) and pretty good rodents.

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[QuesadillaWizard]

pretends2bnormal- Howdy there! Thanks so much! Haha you should have seen me preparing for getting chickens. I was reading books, drawing coop blueprints, etc...

Speaking of--does anybody have any favorite books on snake keeping?

I'll look up those rodent suppliers. The shipping does sound a little expensive BUT it could save me a lot of trouble down the line if something happens where I can't make it to an expo! I'm willing to learn about the new expenses of this hobby. I've spayed so many cats by now, it shouldn't be so bad XD

I'm so grateful for the warm welcome I've received today from everybody!

[Bogertophis]

Bogertophis - Wow! She sounds like a really cool pet. When you say she likes to bask on driftwood, does she need a special light? That's one of the only things I didn't grab in my stocking-up expedition since all the snakes I've had my eye on don't require bulbs, just UTH. I did a quick google on them--very intense but very cool looking snake!

I'm so glad you were able to save her.

So am I... She is housed in a glass tank*, with UTH under a third of the floor, and I use a red or black bulb (dimmed) in a metal dome fixture over her driftwood, which is parked on top of her warm & humid hides...sort of multi-levels* for her to choose, which she does. She has an unheated hide & water bowl on the other end. She is a very good climber & I've also used a wide home-made "ladder" tilting at an angle for her to climb & lay on...she makes herself comfortable with whatever she has. She's a funny little snake. (you could also use a CHE for overhead heat...whatever you use, it must be regulated)

*she's in a taller 30 gal. type glass tank...eventually I might move her to a 40 gal. but she's fine for now yet...I've had her for 10 years so far, so she's 11 now. Her tank is topped with a screen top (I make my own of wood & "hardware cloth" welded wire), & I cover much of the top to help contain warmth in colder months, but I don't let my house get real cold either...house thermostat is set to 70* in cool months, & 80* in summer. She uses all the areas of her cage...it offers her the options she needs.

Another plus for spotted pythons: they never need to eat rats! Nothing bigger than a small adult mouse.

[pretends2bnormal]

pretends2bnormal- Howdy there! Thanks so much! Haha you should have seen me preparing for getting chickens. I was reading books, drawing coop blueprints, etc...

Speaking of--does anybody have any favorite books on snake keeping?

I'll look up those rodent suppliers. The shipping does sound a little expensive BUT it could save me a lot of trouble down the line if something happens where I can't make it to an expo! I'm willing to learn about the new expenses of this hobby. I've spayed so many cats by now, it shouldn't be so bad XD

I'm so grateful for the warm welcome I've received today from everybody!

The shipping isn't too bad when you consider what 25 (or more) rats adds up to at $4 ea vs $2 ea plus $30 shipping. (That's $100 vs $80 for the same thing). It really depends what the expo vendors charge and even at shows in the same area for me that can be pretty different. Just worth running the math on it to know you're getting the best deal.

Also, not all rats and vendors are equal. The pictures below are one of the rats I bred vs one of the popular frozen thaw suppliers (can't recall which and I've gotten from a few; both pictured frozen). There are certainly worse quality rats than the "bad" one here, looking at how plump and stocky the build is vs the lanky, lean looking appearance of the other. (Seen a few at expos that were nearly emaciated rats being sold.. poor looking rodents are often fed poorly, amount or quality, which makes them lower nutrition for the snake that eats them later.)

One of mine


Identical weight one from a commercial seller


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[Bogertophis]

...
Also, not all rats and vendors are equal. The pictures below are one of the rats I bred vs one of the popular frozen thaw suppliers (can't recall which and I've gotten from a few; both pictured frozen). There are certainly worse quality rats than the "bad" one here, looking at how plump and stocky the build is vs the lanky, lean looking appearance of the other. (Seen a few at expos that were nearly emaciated rats being sold.. poor looking rodents are often fed poorly, amount or quality, which makes them lower nutrition for the snake that eats them later.)

One of mine


Identical weight one from a commercial seller


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Several things come to my mind in comparing these feeders. The scrawny "commercially-produced one" almost looks like it was sick, not just under-fed, & there's just no
way to know which. On the other hand, most domestic rodents are fed much better than wild ones, so they tend to make our snakes a little fatter than they would be
in the wild, where they'd also be getting a lot more exercise having to hunt & catch their own food. Like us, snakes are healthier when they don't over-eat, but I'd rather
lengthen the time between meals or feed smaller prey than feed rodents that look like that scruffy "commercial" rat, wondering about it's health & what it was exposed to.