Just For Fun: What Were Your Newbie Mistakes?

[Patricia]

I'm chuckling over in another thread about the newbie mistakes a couple of us made, which has me wondering what other newbie mistakes have been made.

Thank goodness our BPs aren't terribly fragile and survived our first few weeks of cluelessness. (This is week #4 for me, and I may well still be in that clueless mode, although not as bad as during week #1. I was downright paranoid and frazzled at the time!)

So, what were some of the silly mistakes you made during your first week or so of snake ownership that your patient snakey had to endure? (Would especially like to hear from longtime experts who once were newbies.)

One of mine was continuing to feed hopper mice, which the prior owner had been feeding. Am happy to report that Patriot is going from being shaped like an eel to being shaped like a round BP should be.

Next?

[mrshawt]

Long list:

bought bp from Petco (impulse)
didn't know what I was doing
no vet
bought snake kit from Petco
half log (one)
heat lamp
feed in separate enclosure
tank (haha)
mulchy substrate
dial thermometers
no tstat on UTH (it was on the side, so could never get hot)
no temp zones
climbing branches
Reptile Relief for mites
upgrade to 40g tank

Boy, was I a mess. Some of them I fixed relatively quickly, others took until I really discovered this site during this summer. I'd like to think I really improved in this year and a half since I first got her.

[PythonBreeder]

LOL! Here's some:

Put baby corn snake in a 29gal.
Used pine for 2 snakes
Covered a hole on top of the tank with duct tape and corn got stuck
Used a fish tank top for a corn and never seen her again
Never used thermometers
Bought animals from LLLReptile

That's just a few of them. This was all before I found this site.

[Danounet]

Ohh I get to post the whole list!

-I though I knew what I was doing, But I didnt!
-Bought sand as bedding.
-Bought a HUGE exo-terra rock water bowl thing. (But I think this actualy helped in the long run).
-UTH with no Tstat.
-Had no idea what a Tstat was.
-Had no Idea about hides.
-Bought a heat lamp.
-The UTH was running at full power. at the same time as the lamp was on. (this is why I said the rock water bowl probably saved her life. She would go in it).

Im probably forgeting some stuff...

Im glad she is alive and well now Wonderful BP!

[bootheballpython]

Long list:

bought bp from Petco (impulse)
didn't know what I was doing
no vet
bought snake kit from Petco
half log (one)
heat lamp
feed in separate enclosure
tank (haha)
mulchy substrate
dial thermometers
no tstat on UTH (it was on the side, so could never get hot)
no temp zones
climbing branches
Reptile Relief for mites
upgrade to 40g tank

Boy, was I a mess. Some of them I fixed relatively quickly, others took until I really discovered this site during this summer. I'd like to think I really improved in this year and a half since I first got her.

lol thats funny thats my EXACT story too!!! >-<

[Argentra]

It's been two years since my first BP, and sadly I had to sell her, but I've learned a ton since then.
I didn't make the same mistakes most newbies do, since I had cared for these snakes at the zoo and had done a TON of research, but let's see...

Used carpet for substrate
Picked out a rather undersized little snake
Fed in separate container
Fed hoppers for WAY too long
Used a rheostat for a long time
Used stick on thermometers

Tanks are NOT mistakes BTW...but they can be used badly. I didn't know at first about covering the top, or the back and sides.

But the whole point of sites like this is to learn...and keep learning.

[mrshawt]

Tanks are NOT mistakes BTW...but they can be used badly. I didn't know at first about covering the top, or the back and sides.

I kid, I kid!

[CoolioTiffany]

Oh man, here's my list:
-not knowing where the probe for the DT goes
-didn't know BPs need a lot of humidity
-didn't know I needed two hides instead of one for all of my snakes
-didn't know anything about dimmers, rheostats, or thermostats
-barely knew anything when I purchased my Dumeril's boa (though, when I got home I researched the heck out of Google lol)
-when I got my first Corn snake when I was 10 I had no idea how to care for it rather than giving it a heat lamp, a hide, a water dish, and Aspen Bedding.

The list goes on. But ever since I joined this site it REALLY helped me learn important things about some of my snakes I didn't even know, and I would love to thank you all who kindly helped me with my problems :']

And btw, I bought my first BP at Petsmart, and she's actually doing great right now. She's my favorite out of all snakes I have and would ever own. I love her to death, only if she could be a cuddly animal.. though, I did pass out on the couch with her for 2 hours one time xD

[twistedtails]

LOL! Here's some:

Bought animals from LLLReptile

That's just a few of them. This was all before I found this site.

I made that mistake recently. She only had mites but it still was a bad choice. I figured because they had a big name that they would want to keep it clean.

[LadyOhh]

Incubating eggs...

Didn't think that it was possible for the incubator to get TOO hot.

Lost a whole clutch of Pastels back when Pastels were $$$$. (Yes, that is FOUR digits... Do you remember when??)

Oh, and sexing... I sold a Female as a Male back when females were highly sought after. And I was looking for them...