Questions about adoption

[cinderbird]

this is REALLY long winded. pardon me for the NOVEL of a back story.

So, i've had my girl for 6 months, and have DEFINITELY been bitten by the ball python bug (not the ball itself). I have one breeder around here, whom i got my girl from and she is great. i have not a complaint about her. But if i add another to my family i'd rather get an animal out of a bad situation or give one a forever home. Im only geared for ball pythons, corns arent really an option because they are far to active for my boyfriend ( poor boy is freaked out by snakes already ) and there is NO way i have the room or finances to care for an iguana.

My room mates recently adopted to cats from a local adoption agency. I do a little research on them, apparently they ALSO do reptile adoptions. So i do a little more research, and they have one ball python available for adoption. I start to perk up.

They have very little information on their website about their reptile adoption policies (except that to adopt any animal you need to be 21 or over, understandable).

So, i went there today to check the place out and talk to their "reptile specialist" about this little one (the site names the snake as two different genders..ill get into this later in the post).

The snake, who is listed as being one year 7 months is smaller than my ~500g, 11 month old female. This is why i think it is a he. the "specalist" told me he thought it was a female based on the lack of anal spurs (...) i am thinking about pointing him to this website to get a little more information about these animals. He said he had 3-4 of his own and he'd been keeping them for four years and everything else about the aftercare seemed fine except for that. But this little boy was very very healthy looking. He was full bodied, very clean, clear vent, eyes and nostrils, active and alert without being really freaked out etc, he'd just shed but he had a bit of a stuck shed on him and his humidity was much too low. his eye caps were dented both of them and he was a little head shy which i would expect.

the big problem with him is that he is strictly (for now) a live feeder. the previous owners claimed that they "tried for a year" to get him to switch. I dont even see how he could be a year old. Their specialist has been taking him home once a week to feed him at his house because the shelter technically is not allowed to feed live.

Now, im worried for the little guy. He seems healthy but his humidity is WAY too low. he has no belly heat they're heating him with a red bulb. AND he's getting moved once a week to be fed! I feel like this is REALLY just stressing him out and that is why its hard for him to switch over. are there some snakes that just never switch? I would love to add another to my family but Im having a tough time deciding if this is the boy for me. I have been told a variety of ways to switch live feeders to frozen/thawed. Im afraid to feed live, but to a snake that is experienced in doing it i have less of a problem ( i just feel like my own girl is not the brightest python in the box ) but this boy has been doing it for a while. There are petsores around where i can get feeders so that isnt an issue, i just prefer frozen/thawed for the ease and safety.

opinions, advice?
and again, sorry for the absolute wall of text.

[wolfy-hound]

It's up to you to feed live or not. I feed mostly live. I'm not going to debate it with anyone, btw.
He could be small because of poor husbandry, and might pick right up once he's in a good environment. Quarentine is paramount. If it's a snake from a rescue, then the original people probably just bought it at a Petco or something. That would mean 90% probabilty male. I think most of the balls sold in the big petstores are probably males, since there is slightly more demand elsewhere for females, but it's all guessing on my part.
If you want to get it, you have the enclosure for it, seperate and quarentined from your currant animal, and you are willing to at least start out possibly feeding live to it, then I'd say go for it. You might train him over without ANY issue, if he's got proper heat, humidity, and no stress. He might also just plain remain a live feeder. Who knows.
I guess it's not all that helpful. Sorry.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I can understand that you wish to feed F/T if that is what is more convenient for you however I would suggest you to feed the same type prey (Live) for 3 to 4 feeding before attempting to switch.

Once your new BP eats for you with consistency than attempt to switch him.

Remember getting your new snake to eat for you is your priority, switching is secondary.

Are there some snakes that just never switch?

Yes some will not switch, some will but it will take time.

Feeding live is always something that a snake owner should be prepared to do in case their animal did not switch.

[cinderbird]

It's up to you to feed live or not. I feed mostly live. I'm not going to debate it with anyone, btw.
He could be small because of poor husbandry, and might pick right up once he's in a good environment. Quarentine is paramount. If it's a snake from a rescue, then the original people probably just bought it at a Petco or something. That would mean 90% probabilty male. I think most of the balls sold in the big petstores are probably males, since there is slightly more demand elsewhere for females, but it's all guessing on my part.
If you want to get it, you have the enclosure for it, separate and quarentined from your currant animal, and you are willing to at least start out possibly feeding live to it, then I'd say go for it. You might train him over without ANY issue, if he's got proper heat, humidity, and no stress. He might also just plain remain a live feeder. Who knows.
I guess it's not all that helpful. Sorry.

It is helpful.

i have the funds to get him his own enclosure i already have a thermostat and an UTH and getting more hides and a water dish is easy. i have a separate place to quarantine him and a free vet exam and if i ended up getting him i'd get a fecal done as well.

Its odd as his growth just seems stunted..he's a thick little guy, short and thick but so tiny for the age they claim he is.

[cinderbird]

I can understand that you wish to feed F/T if that is what is more convenient for you however I would suggest you to feed the same type prey (Live) for 3 to 4 feeding before attempting to switch.

Once your new BP eats for you with consistency than attempt to switch him.

of course. i would figure i would get him to successfully eat 4 times, then maybe get a live mouse, and present the room with it. and offer a F/T with the live in the room and then the live mouse and see where it goes from there.

I just have no experience feeding live so im nervous about it? and i definitely know the snakes needs come before my apprehensions thats why im asking the questions. one of my room mates has some experience assisting feeding live so its not like theres no one around that understands.

im just a nervous nelly ( and to clarify. i have NOT yet adopted him, im just considering it).