Need advice about bp's growth rate

[Manasha-Bogo]

Judging from that picture it sure looks super to me.

Awesome!

You remind me of my husband.

God Bless him, you haven't listened to a thing mentioned to you here yet, I forward your advise "Read all the posts"

oh ... You really made me laugh out loud. But not in a disrespectful kind of way. I just know all too well the mentality of communities online who take their pets and animals in general so seriously that they get worked up.

No hard feelings tho... I just think we misunderstand each other which is why I said to *read* my posts.

I was already on the road (as I said) when you guys told me they were mites. I was at dinner with the family and, after that, we went straight to the reptile place. They were already with me, so I just left them in the car while I entered the store.

I did google online about snakes living together. I did this before I went to get the 2nd snake (the male). I went to the store and talked to them at length about the risks of them mating while they were too young... the female getting egg bound, etc.. I don't think the cannibalism actually came up. What I read online had to do with undersized females becoming eggbound. I almost rejected the male (when they told me it was a male) because I didn't want them to breed. I asked for a female. But they assured me that "it would be OK". And I believed them.

My husband would probably want to shake your hand.. and I would probably want to lock you out of the house too. that's all I'm saying.

[ExotixTowing]

Seriously....

Its not taking our pets (Hobby) to seriously, its called being educated.

I have yet to fathom why you are driving around with your snakes, they are not a travelling type of pet, yet one that wants to be left alone in the security of there enclosure...

Being locked out of your home is fine by me..

but thinking about your mite issue... Would you send your kids to school with head lice ??

again, were not criticizing you, yet trying to educate you.. You just need to understand that

[Trochu]

OK, probably should stay out of it, but I'll chime in:

-Male/Female and Super Pastel/Fire: You've stated your not breeding and your happy with the colour and pattern therefore it doesn't matter. Why not just let it be?

-Keeping them together: As previously stated, this should not be done. A simple obvious example, both your snakes know have mites, if kept separately, only one may have mites;

-Travelling with your snakes: Not recommended unless necessary;

-Seriousness: Buying an animal, and thus assuming responsibility for its welfare, is serious! I likely wouldn't recommended anyone purchase an animal if they aren't going to take its care seriously; and,

Growth: As previously stated, all BP grow differently. As suggested, get the scale and feed prey items in the 10% to 15% of your BP weight range.

[Manasha-Bogo]

So am I to assume by what you're telling me that if you had a sick animal that would rather be left alone, you would not take it to the vet because it doesn't like to be on a car ride? Give me a break! I was trying to get advice on them because I am worried that the female is not growing. NOT because I wanted to go on a joy ride with my snakes!
I wanted to take her to someone who saw what size she was in January, and can see what size she is today and CONFIRM that it's normal (which is exactly what happened) instead of taking the word of a group of people who had not done either. Nobody here even mentioned the possibility that she may have parasites.

And no, I would not send my snakes to school with lice. They're too young and don't fit their itty bitty backpacks yet.

A little too seriously, yes. Especially when you Ass-u-me that the person asking the questions hasn't done ANY research before getting a pet and doesn't take the care of their pet seriously simply because they are asking the question in the first place. I get they should not live together. I COMPREHEND it. No need to repeat it. You seem to be assuming that I am rejecting that tidbit of advice by the simple fact that it keeps getting repeated and each time more angrily still.

If all of you gurus knew everything, they why would this message board exist? Just because a person who was not a member yesterday, joins today to ask a series of questions, does not automatically put them in the Ignorant Impulse Buyer Know Nothing category. I do know a thing or two about reptiles. I had a bearded dragon for 10 years and I took good care of it. Thanks to my eagerness to learn about my pets and nonstop quest for more information. He lived 10 years and was well cared for. He got new bulbs every 6 months, he got fresh food every day, he got a good habitat and NEVER got sick. Despite never getting sick, I took him to the vet now and again just to make sure he was OK. Being as reptiles don't talk and all......

Don't preach to me about what is important. Don't assume I'm an idiot. Don't talk down to me.

If you truly want to help these animals you claim to love, then don't antagonize their owners. If you drive me away from this site, then the only thing that suffers is those snakes.

Actually, you know what ? Screw you hippies. I'll go back to that "other" herp site for my advice, thankyouverymuch.

Ciao!

[Trochu]

Wow, impressive rant! Pretty sure I wrote travel isn't recommended "unless necessary". I'd be concerned if you don't consider taking an ill snake to the vet necessary.

I didn't think anyone's posts were overly harsh, especially mine, but OK, goodluck!

[SandoMan]

those poor snakes...

[Ashleigh91]

I've tried to resist chiming in on this thread ... but apparently I'm going to do it anyways.

I think the OP is being treated a little bit unfairly... First of all, they've stated that although they were originally told it was okay, they are going to listen to the advice on this site and put in a divider in the new tank for the snakes.

As for taking them to the store- is it ideal? Obviously not, but I've seen quite a few threads on this site where people have taken their BPs back to pet stores (Petco/Petsmart) for nothing other than a "visit." The OP took them to get a better informed opinion on an appropriate sized prey-item. And although posters said 10-15%, it was stated that the OP does not YET have a scale.

As a relatively new BP owner, I understand the conflict of "how big is too big." Even with a scale sometimes I feel uncertain, although I follow the 10-15% rule.

Obviously there have been some mistakes made here, but I don't feel that the OP has refused the advice given, or attacked any of the fellow posters. It seems that the OP wants to correct their mistakes, and help his/her pets thrive.

In my honest opinion, at least they are here seeking help.

Just my two cents.

[WingedWolfPsion]

People are being too hard on the OP, but the OP is being FAR too trusting of this local store that gave her dangerously bad advice, and sold her mite-infested snakes.

Honestly, no one has yet asked, 'where did the mites come from'? They probably had them when she got the snakes.

If they have mites, could they have other parasites? Yep. One possible explanation for the female's failure to grow is that she may have internal parasites. However, I think it's likely that they were simply being under-fed.

However, if they don't get their appetite back in a week or so of being cleared of mites, the parasite scenario should be considered.

Many ball pythons hate huge cages, so moving them into a split 75 gallon tank is completely inappropriate for this species. First, it's too large--these agoraphobic snakes spend most of their lives inside rodent burrows, and a lot of them refuse food when kept in a large enclosure. Second, keeping heat and humidity in a giant glass tank is an exercise in frustration. Ball pythons need 60% humidity, 80F air temperatures, and a 90F basking area. Warm, humid air rises...and floats right out of a mesh topped tank.

Please, stop taking advice from people who run a pet store and clearly believe they know what they're doing, because they've been getting away with it, but even more clearly DON'T have proper husbandry for their animals. They sold you snakes crawling with parasites. Why are you still listening to them? Just because someone has been doing things for a long time does not mean they've been doing them correctly.

For the record, I've spoken with a local herp store owner in my area who's personally witnessed ball python cannibalism. So, rare or not, it happens. When does it happen? Usually with hatchlings under one year of age. The smaller snake is definitely at risk.

The cannibal ball python I mentioned above survived and went on to eat rodents and do just fine. I also had personal experience, a couple of decades ago, with corn snakes--new hatchlings, right out of the egg. We were one bin short, so housed two of them together...a normal hatchling, and one that hatched with a missing eye.
They shed out, and the very next day, before they could be separated, suddenly there was only one fat snake in there....ironically, it was the one-eyed snake who ate its sibling. He also went on to thrive and was adopted out as a pet. His sibling was virtually the same size, but he had no problems digesting his overly large meal.

So, far from having time to worry about it later--this is the time you should worry about it most of all.

Also, every other reptile in your home may also have mites, now. Plan on treating everyone, if you have others.

[Manasha-Bogo]

Hey guys, just wanted to come back and apologize for blowing up. Whether it was deserved or not, I don't usually lose my cool over something like an online thread.

Anyways, I've been dealing with a live/death situation with 2 of my other pets (rabbits) and have been doing back and forth with the vet and trying to figure out what the best course of action is. I was a little on edge yesterday with the prospect of having to put down one of my rabbits , maybe both.

Anyways, I do appreciate the help I have gotten here. I am doing my best to head all the advice. Have already ordered the PAM. Will try to feed again today. So on and so forth.

I have 9 pets. I love animals. I do my best to keep them healthy and happy. I also have 2 human kids and try my best to teach them how animals should be treated.

That's all. I'll stick around if that's OK by everyone.

thanks.

[Manasha-Bogo]

They did not have mites when I bought them. It must have come either from the hoppers, or the bedding.

The herp store guy told me yesterday that changing out the bedding over mites was not necessary. Yea, I could tell by then that this guy is a little shady. Common sense tells me EVERYTHING needs to be disinfected and the bedding tossed. These snakes are literally crawling in mites.