What are some things you wish you knew before getting your first?

[MootWorm]

Yes. Tank = pretty much any glass enclosure. People successfully keep BPs in these but it is a lot more of a headache

Agreed. I only use em for our hognoses since I don't have to worry about humidity and high temps.

[M&H]

• Save and buy the morph you WANT not the one you can afford.
  I wish I would have saved and bought the morph I wanted instead of the one I could afford. I went with a male normal thinking "Oh I will just have one it's silly to spend so much on a snake" and now I have a handful of snakes that cost more than the albino I purchased anyway a few months later.
  
• Racks Racks Racks
  I cannot save enough about racks. They are great, take up little to no room and honestly are perfect for all different types of snakes.
  
• Be realistic
  I went crazy once I bought my first snake. I had these big plans that were no where near realistic. I bought a bunch of basic morph ball pythons and had a million plans on how I was going to produce all these awesome snakes. However as time went on I realized I didn't really like ball pythons (sorry!). They sat in the back of the tub, didn't really want to interact, hardly ate, and drove me nuts. Eventually I sold most of my ball pythons and moved on to large constrictors which I love.
  
• Be prepared to eat crow
  I cannot list the number of times I have had to do this. I remember a post where I said I wouldn't spend more than a few hundred on a ball python morph. I have spent that on almost ever snake in my collection. I said I would feed outside of the cage forever, would never use paper towel, have a rack, the list goes on and on. There is a reason these practices are so widely done. While I am glad I came to my own conclusions I wish I would have saved myself the money in these things that wouldn't have been a hassle to try before I did it the long hard way.
  
• Do what you love
  As I mentioned above I found I didn't like ball pythons and for awhile I was keeping snakes I didn't really enjoy. However once I realized I was more interested in other species I found the joy in keeping snakes again. I don't mind cleaning twenty tubs, and taking photos of twenty snakes. I don't mind (as much) when Pumpkin (my quirky hognose) doesn't eat because I know he will once he sheds. I don't mind not having the latest morph. I have snakes that I just enjoy keeping with no breeding plans. They are in my collection solely because I like the individual snake or the species. You will enjoy the hobby much more when you love the animals you keep.
  
• Breed for you
  It's easy to get caught up in the latest morphs. It is awesome to think you can buy a $400 albino and a $700 pied and make a $17,000 snake. Or finding the best price for a certain morph. It's so easy to become caught up in the money aspect. The best thing you can do is breathe and breed what makes you happy. Find the snake that makes you happy, regardless what other people say, and breed it. If you are trying to make what is always popular or exciting you will always be behind. If you breed what you want to have and see you will always be happy. I have an albino and a het albino ball python that I will breed next year, hopefully. They are certainly not the hottest morph out there and even in my own collection I have more exciting things, however I love albinos. I am going to be happy when they breed just as much as I will my retics who are poss 4 gene snakes.
  

Sorry to be so long winded lol I hope you enjoy your new snake. I am sure it will not be long before you will have a rack full of snakes to enjoy

[bcr229]

Holy crap thats the truth i went from 1 to 11 in 10 months when i started.

I am in the same boat that others seem to be in where i have some empty tanks now and a lot of cheap gear i dont need... However i like being able to see the animals and I think the enclosure is cool even though i cant put any live plants inside though i would love to. Racks are great but if you want to see your animals more often than when you handle with them/deal with their cage tanks are helpful.

How about 25 in 11 months? And I definitely should have gone straight to a rack instead of tanks, though we keep a few different sizes on hand for QT as I like to keep a closer eye on them.

[cmack91]

I wish I would've known about places like this. I had my original male for about 6 years before I found this site. 6 years of tanks, unregulated heat, no thermo or hygro's, stuck and flaky shed, etc. I found this site because I noticed a dent in his eye, I posted about it, was told it was dehydration, argued that it was an injury, gave in and took the advice I was given and the dent was gone. After that I realised that the people here might know what they're talking about. I got a thermo/ hygro, set his temps and humidity to the recommended ranges in the caresheet here and started feeding him more than once a month. He started improving immediatly. His colors were nicer, he was growing again, he came out at night to hunt etc. Unfortunatly I was still was still arrogant in a lot of my ways, and I made a fool of myself at least a few times.

Not too recently I realised my arrogance, gave up my stubborness, and I forgot everything I thouht I knew. Since then I've been mostly lurking here, reading, and using this as reference to learn about new practices so I can put them into effect on my own snakes and see the real life results for myself. I feel like I've gained a ton of experience (with lots to gain) because of this site and the people on it, and I don't know what I would've done without it. It's definitely the best thing that has ever happened to me and my animal.

I've even learned a lot about myself with the help of this site. And I'd like to thank everyone here for the information you have put on this site and for being so helpful. I feel you have all indirectly made me a better person. So thank you everyone.

[Puck]

Yeah, I am so with people on the racks--and I only got my ball a few days ago! I've had Kingsnakes, who are easy enough in tanks (though he rarely comes out during daytime) because they take my normal room temps at night and are okay with the humidity in my house. So, deciding to get a ball, I ran off to the store and got another tank, genius that I am. Then I get my little man home and boom, it is hard as heck to get the humidity and temp right in that tank! I am currently in the process of trying to sell my two 20L terrariums on craigslist as well as a 60 gallon 48 inches L by 13 inches W by 18 inches D with a locking/folding screen lid plus 6 locking clamps, as I have just placed an order with Boaphiles for a four spot rack.

I also wish I had done a little more research before I bought my first ball python. I went to a reptile show with no clue about any morphs and got one that the guy said was enchi. He may very well be--he's young and his color may not have come in well yet--but he's definitely not a good example of the morph, with NO reduction in his pattern at all. Right now, at least, he looks like a normal, which I really hope he isn't since I paid $125 for him and normals were going for $30. Make sure you research morphs and get one you can actually tell is not a normal if you are going to pay more than $30 or $40! That was my biggest mistake, I think, even though I love him a lot. I just feel like I could have had a pretty much identical snake for a hundred bucks less, and I don't have money running out my rear, unfortunately. Hopefully he'll yellow up some more, but for now it gives me a frowny feeling that I paid that much and he may very well be a normal. Turns out the breeder I bought him from wasn't even the person who bred him, a friend did, so I am trying to get into contact with him now and see what my guy's parents looked like. The people I got him from at the reptile show don't even know when he hatched. So be sure to research not only what you need, but also what you WANT! If you love a morph, save for it. If you want a normal, don't pay a ton of money for it! They're lovely, but at reptile shows they're a steal.

[treeboa]

If you want to display your snake, most manufacturers that make racks also make plastic cages. They hold heat and humidity well and if you get more snakes later they are stackable. (Except the Neodeshas that need a rack) As was said, BPs usually hide all day anyway. I have my Carpets in display cages because they hardly ever hide and my BPs in tacks. Lots of good insight in this thread. I too wish I knew about their extended fasts. I could have saved some money and a lot of worry, too.

[Zuma22]

How about 25 in 11 months? And I definitely should have gone straight to a rack instead of tanks, though we keep a few different sizes on hand for QT as I like to keep a closer eye on them.

Hahah, how about 20 in 4 months Oops haha....

My best advice would be don't waste money trying to take the inexpensive way out. I can't tell you how much I've spent trying to find cheap solutions only to go out and buy the good stuff later. I started out with hides cut from paper bowls. Humidity and spilled water bowls quickly nixed that plan. Don't skimp on a thermostat. It really is your most important tool.

And just as everyone else has said, be prepared to get addicted...FAST! Like I said above, I added 20 snakes in 4 months. 14 of those have been in the last month and a half and I'm now broke, but happy hahah. My last piece of advice, which as been mentioned already: save up for your perfect snake. Don't settle just cause it fits your price range. Find the snake that makes you go, wow (even a normal!) and you know that's the snake for you.

And most importantly, make sure you share your new buddy with us! We love pictures!!

[bcr229]

Hahah, how about 20 in 4 months Oops haha....

Dang! That's hard core unless they hatched...

My best advice would be don't waste money trying to take the inexpensive way out. I can't tell you how much I've spent trying to find cheap solutions only to go out and buy the good stuff later. I started out with hides cut from paper bowls. Humidity and spilled water bowls quickly nixed that plan.

OTOH there are some inexpensive solutions that work. In a pinch I've converted cleaned-out margarine or cool-whip tubs over to humid hides. USPS small flat-rate boxes also work, just rip off the tab with the sticky tape. No worries if it gets nasty or wet after a while, toss and replace since they're free.

Don't skimp on a thermostat. It really is your most important tool.

QFT.

[Recreation]

I wish I had known how inexpensive and easily kpet frozen rats/mice were in comparison to going out spending time,money, and gas going to get live rats/mice. I wish I had known that an "aquarium" or terrarium was not the best idea for ball pythons, (for multiple reasons) and that I had known about this website (one stop shop for all your herp inquiries)

[Zuma22]

Dang! That's hard core unless they hatched...


OTOH there are some inexpensive solutions that work. In a pinch I've converted cleaned-out margarine or cool-whip tubs over to humid hides. USPS small flat-rate boxes also work, just rip off the tab with the sticky tape. No worries if it gets nasty or wet after a while, toss and replace since they're free.


QFT.

Nope...they weren't hatched....I went on a bit of a spree

And yes, I should have been more specific. You are exactly right. Good cheap solutions are out there. I've just spent a lot on cheap solutions that were really stupid or I came to realize there's a reason breeders and all of the hobbyists who came before me do things the way they do...cause it works! But yes, I've spent many hours roaming Target and Walmart searching for odd inexpensive things that could be converted into something for my snakes. It's fun to come up with creative solutions