New soon to be owner (sorry its a little long)

[p03t]

Its been a while since i had a pet, and as a kid i always wanted a snake but mummy-dearest always said no, so now im on my own been in this apartment for over a year with a great steady job, and i am looking for a pet, i started googling and doing research on what would be a good starter snake, and though its not always #1 on the list the vast majority say a BP is good to start with, i dont currently have any hardware but i am studying the caresheet to learn proper care and maintenance, and coming up with ideas for a nice medium sized habitat, i just want to start with 1 for now so an aquarium is what im thinking (until i have the time to build a fancy wood one) the problem is, here in Campbell county wyoming the humidity isnt very high and im not 100% positive without having the materials before the snake that i can keep the humidity high enough. i guess you could say i have the new parent jitters, i dont want to get a pretty little bp and have her get sick. has this been a problem for anyone? aso my local pet store is an hour away 1 way so im gonna be looking into breeding feeders too, what is recomended mice or rats? i plan on getting a fairly young bp so i can learn as it grows. also what should i look for when choosing a snake at the pet store far as health concerns? i would actually prefer to buy from some of the breeders on here as you all seem to know your stuff very well, but i only see designer morphs and stuff and not many normals.

sory for the long post ill try to keep them shorter, but im sure you can understand my concerns.

p03t

[wolfy-hound]

If you use a tank, you'll probably have humidity issues. You'd be better off checking into a rubbermaid tub type set up.

Since getting feeders might be a problem, instead of trying to breed rodent for just one snake, you could make certain your new pet is feeding of frozen-thawed rodents and then just order frozen rats and keep them sealed in your freezer. Thawing out a single rodent once a week is much easier than cleaning up after a bunch of rats(remember you'll need a grow-out cage, and breeder cages, and you'll end up with extras, unless the rats don't breed... etc). Rats are generally better for growth than mice(and if you're breeding, they're better about not eating the babies and less grow up time for feeders).

Picking a snake out means looking for clean uncrowded cages at the store, with available fresh water, proper heat etc. No stuck shed, no underweight animals. No drool from the mouth, no popping or wheezing noises from ANY of the snakes, etc etc.

I'm happy to see you doing a lot of research prior to getting the animal. It makes the process of getting a new pet more enjoyable when you've got everything ready before the pet arrives.

[Homegrownscales]

There are a couple things youll have to fiddle with to figure out humidity. But that's something that you'll have to do when you have the set up in front of you up and running.
Now where to get your snake. Wait and find your nearest reptile expo. Or call up breeders. Everyone gets normals with some of the clutches. There for most breeders will have a few normals around. Don't I repeat don't go to a Petstore. It's just a heart ache and problems waiting to happen. I wish you the best with your future pet. I always recommend people getting the enclosure set up and running for at least a week or two before getting their new friend. That way you can work out any bugs before the animal comes into the environment.
Good luck


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com

[Cendalla]

wolfy-hound covered that well. I'll add that most breeders will have normals (especially now that lots of clutches are hatching) sometimes you just have to drop them an email and ask. Shows are a good way to get nice normals too. But stick with what wolfy-hound said about picking them out at shows too. Good luck with your hunt

[Eric Doane]

You can check kingsnake classifieds. I see normals for $20-30 on there. You will have to pay for shipping though.

[p03t]

If you use a tank, you'll probably have humidity issues. You'd be better off checking into a rubbermaid tub type set up.

in theory though couldnt it be solved via UTH and a mister? i plan on using a more earthy substrate instead of newspaper etc. id like to be able to see into the enclosure as it will be in the livingroom of my small 1bdrm apartment

[p03t]

also i was leaning towards an acrylic case so that i could both keep heat/humidity levels a bit eaiser and see the interior. has anyone on here used acrylics? im lookin at the ones on http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Acrylic-Cages

[wolfy-hound]

Instead of trying to mist and adjust, why not go ahead and get a sliding front enclosure? Something like Boaphile makes? That gives you the pretty to look at, but encloses the enclosure so humidity stays in.

Shows are the best way to pick out both enclosures and snakes actually, so if you have local reptile shows, you could look at the different cages available. The main thing is to make sure there's not a open top(wire mesh lids, etc) to let out all the humidity.

If you want a normal, they are available from most breeders and at shows or online(if you don't mind paying for shipping). But when you go to a reptile show you might see a snake you like better than a normal, or might find just the right normal for you.

[AtlasStrike]

A normal plus shipping is probably about the same price as a normal from a pet store. I don't think I've ever seen a BP for under $75 at any pet store, and if you buy from a breeder you have a better chance of getting a healthy animal and the additional support of some one invested in the well being of a snake they produced.

Good luck!