Need help Pythons keep dying

[guardian00002]

Ok Ill briefly explain whats going on I recently purchused a ball python for my son along with a 20L tank, rock hide and a rock drinking bowl and us asphine for bedding. the first python we got was fine for few days then started acting real sluggish and dyed I took that snake back to the petstore we got him from and they gave us another before the new snake went in we steralized everything. this snake just did the samething My son real wants another snake but I don't know whats happening to these snake and dont want to keep killing snakes. Anyone have any ideas on whats going on? It has to be something on my end because they both died. Please any advise would be great..

[Beto510]

Do you have proper heating for them? they need a heat gradient 90 warm side 80 cool side they need a hide on each side and they shoudnt be handled for the first week teo allow them to adjust to their new home ...im sorry you keep losing them.. GL

PS also you should check the condition of the other snakes that are housed in the pet store...im assuming their housed together could be a disease
Hope i helped

[bamf64]

okayy..... one of the first things that you did wrong was buy from a pet store. NEVER buy from a pet store most of the reps and animals hav diseses. buy from a reputable breeder(i reccomend bhb).

and you should really look at these articles and videos they will include almost anything you need to care for bps, so you can see if you did anything wrong, and correct it
YouTube - Ball Python Care Video

YouTube - Snake Tips: Ball Python Care

http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/s...all-python.php

or just type in "Ball Python Care sheet" on google

Hope this helps!

[Prophet]

I noticed you didnt say anything about a heater, do you have at minimum a heat lamp but best thing is a under tank heater with thermostat.

[Vypyrz]

First of all, what are you cleaning the tank with? How are you heating the tank and controlling it? If you could post pics of the set-up, that would help.
Also it is possible that if the snakes are housed together at the pet store, one may have gotten sick and passed it on.
One last question. Have you been using any bug bombs or pesticides in the room you keep the snakes?...


Rob

[JLC]

It's possible that the pet store just has really weak and/or sickly stock. It's not uncommon for pet stored to bring in imported babies that aren't started properly, and right on the edge of starvation or dehydration and possibly infected with parasites as well...then throw them into display tanks and wait for unsuspecting customers to buy them and take them home. Poor snakes don't have a chance.

OR....there's something contaminated about the enclosure or room the snake is in. Your typical husbandry mistakes won't kill a snake that fast, unless its in a glass tank in a window full of sunshine....the tank could heat up like the inside of a car when the sun shines in and kill the snake that way.

What is "us asphine" that you mention for the bedding? There are some beddings sold in pet stores that are toxic to snakes, but again, I don't think they would kill a snake that fast. Any pesticides or chemicals or any other outside influences you can think of? What are you using to heat the enclosure and what are the typical temps the snake is experiencing in there?

My advice....research the source of your ball python carefully. I'm confident you can care for one just fine....but you want to make sure you get a healthy, hearty specimen to begin with. Also, be sure to check out our care sheet and set up the enclosure BEFORE bringing a new snake home....make sure it's running properly and maintaining the right temps and such before you put a new snake in.

http://ball-pythons.net/modules/Sect...warticle&id=59

Good luck!

[Vypyrz]

looks like everybody was typing the same thing at the same time...

[specialk01510]

Ill save myself some typing and say "what they said."

[West Coast Jungle]

Pet stores can have extremely neglected and unestablished snakes. I would stay far away from that petstore and contact a breeder directly who can give you

1) a healthy, established and feeding animal.
2) correct husbandry information because the pet store obviously doesnt have a clue.(Not your fault, most petstores dont know and just offer very basic, outdated and/or generic even poor advice)

My first snake came from a pet store as well loaded with parasites and illness. Never purchased another snake from a store again.

[rabernet]

okayy..... one of the first things that you did wrong was buy from a pet store. NEVER buy from a pet store most of the reps and animals hav diseses. buy from a reputable breeder(i reccomend bhb).

and you should really look at these articles and videos they will include almost anything you need to care for bps, so you can see if you did anything wrong, and correct it
YouTube - Ball Python Care Video

YouTube - Snake Tips: Ball Python Care

http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/s...all-python.php

or just type in "Ball Python Care sheet" on google

Hope this helps!

Of course, you forgot to mention our very own caresheet here:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/modules/...warticle&id=59

I watched the first video and two things I don't agree with - he plans to have 3-4 ball pythons in his 40 gallon eventually and he recommends changing the substrate every six months. With all the urine that he can't possibly get up - once a month would be more appropriate.

To the OP - I suspect that since both animals came from the same source, they were already sick. I would completely throw out the equipment and housing that you were using for these two and start over with a tub set up for a more economical solution and purchase a ball python from a breeder, either to be shipped to you or find a breeder that is local to you.

Edit - ok - the second video is very well done - I didn't see any glaring errors in that - he did a good job!