Advice on getting my first BP?

[BPSnape]

With my usual disclaimer of "I'm no expert, I've had my first BP about a month" I will say this. If you like that particular snake so much, and are willing to put up with/pay for potential vet trips, and can live with the idea he may not make it, get him. You have no other snakes health to worry about, so to me if you're okay with all the accompanying (potential) complications, go for it. I feel it's about the individual pet, not just how you can get a decent snake for the same price elsewhere. If you'd come here looking for information on choosing your first snake and knew of how to get one from a breeder before you'd fallen in love with that little guy it would be different. But you didn't, and to me the things you've written make me believe it's THAT snake you want.

Again, not flying in the face of the wisdom presented here, because I fully believe that a snake from a reputable breeder is going to be better most of the time, but sometimes you can get a good pet from a store. I got my Professor Snape from a sale at a local pet store, and so far he's been determined to disprove everything I've heard about them being picky eaters. I've kept him on small live adult mice, and he's refused nothing, and had no regurgitations. I fed him 3 days after getting him home, and last night DURING his shed.

Sometimes with pets you have to go with your heart. Of course I once bought a bird from a show with no upper beak, and that didn't turn out as well as Snape has, so I could be perceived as a bit of a sucker on the subject :-)

[Penultimate]

It can be very tempting to get a snake from a chain store, and I agree that it's easy to fall in love with the pet store snakes. It's incredibly important to get a pet you like. After all, you're going to take care of it for the years to come.

However, there's another side to that. You need to make sure that the entire experience is pleasant for you. What if the snake won't eat for you? Petsmart most likely won't do anything for you. What if it dies? Would you ever trust yourself to own another ball python? A ball python can bring so much entertainment and enjoyment to people, but it has to be the right python and the right owner.

Here's an idea. If you want to make sure you get a friendly snake as your first, and decide not to go with a chain store, how about you talk to a breeder on the phone and ask them to find a snake in your price range that is fairly docile? That might be the right way to go. If you describe the personality you want, I'm sure many breeders, though perhaps not all, would be willing to work with you.

[maudie]

hey listen man, regardless of what everyone is saying, I got my first ball python from a petsmart... a female normal. I've never had any problems with her whatsoever, she's the healthiest and NICEST snake ever. that was over a year ago. my second bp (a male champagne) I bought online from a reputable breeder, and he showed up unhealthy and overly aggressive... I shipped him back a couple weeks later. my advice to you... if the little guy looks healthy, nothing is better than buying IN PERSON. ESPESIALLY IF ITS YOUR FIRST SNAKE. it sounds like you really bonded with this little guy, so you should take a chance on him. how are you gonna bond with something you buy online? you don't know what the snake is going to be like when it arrives... if you really like this bp the whole situation sounds fine to me. honestly, even tho petsmart charged me $40 for a normal when I could have bought one online for $20... I would have paid thousands for her in the end. couldn't even imagine my collection without her... the eating thing isn't and won't be a problem, it's normal for ball pythons, so don't stress about that. you'd be doing a good thing for the little guy. best wishes

[GoingPostal]

I'd be more interested to know what your plans for a cage are for this snake, chain stores usually send people home with a fish tank, overhead heat lights, a useless half log hide and no thermostat, a bad overpriced setup all around that you will end up having to put a lot more money in to fix. I wouldn't buy from a chain store for the same reason I wouldn't buy from an expo, I like knowing the breeder and all info about the snake and don't want to risk illness or mites. There's no shortage of ball pythons around, you could find a normal for free to very cheap and there's many nice morphs that are inexpensive if you want to go that way. Just fully consider your options before buying, a snake is a pretty long commitment.

[Penultimate]

hey listen man, regardless of what everyone is saying, I got my first ball python from a petsmart... a female normal. I've never had any problems with her whatsoever, she's the healthiest and NICEST snake ever. that was over a year ago. my second bp (a male champagne) I bought online from a reputable breeder, and he showed up unhealthy and overly aggressive... I shipped him back a couple weeks later. my advice to you... if the little guy looks healthy, nothing is better than buying IN PERSON. ESPESIALLY IF ITS YOUR FIRST SNAKE. it sounds like you really bonded with this little guy, so you should take a chance on him. how are you gonna bond with something you buy online? you don't know what the snake is going to be like when it arrives... if you really like this bp the whole situation sounds fine to me. honestly, even tho petsmart charged me $40 for a normal when I could have bought one online for $20... I would have paid thousands for her in the end. couldn't even imagine my collection without her... the eating thing isn't and won't be a problem, it's normal for ball pythons, so don't stress about that. you'd be doing a good thing for the little guy. best wishes

I'm going to agree that you need to get a snake you like. Nobody should ever disagree with that.

However, the eating thing can easily be a problem with a baby. If a baby isn't eating, there is very likely to be an issue. A young ball python just doesn't have the extra weight to lose. It's normal for adult ball pythons not to eat for extended amounts of time, but it can be dangerous for a baby. Remember, baby ball pythons are growing. It's just so stressful, especially for new owners, to have a baby ball that refuses to eat and starts losing weight.

A ball python from a breeder might not eat either, please don't get me wrong. The difference is that the breeder is more likely to help the new owner than the pet store is.

[Fearyn]

Thanks guys. I called them and they told me they both refused to eat again.

In that case, any breeders anyone could recommend me? I don't care for color and would prefer a docile male. I live in Oregon if that matters.

[tbowman]

Since nobody has mentioned it, Purchasing a snake on the day it eats is probably not the best way to go about it. You don't want to stress an animal that is trying to digest.

I've had several good transactions with ralph davis.

[Mustang5]

Thanks guys. I called them and they told me they both refused to eat again.

In that case, any breeders anyone could recommend me? I don't care for color and would prefer a docile male. I live in Oregon if that matters.

I would try Garrick DeMeyer at Royal Constrictor Designs or Brain Barczyk from snakebytes and BHB reptiles. They are some of the best

[MidSouthMorphs]

I bought my boa from a store mainly because she is frigging super and the guy working in reptiles knew his stuff. I talked to him a few times before buying her. He also cared about the animals and their environment. But when I went to pick her up the main guy was at lunch so I got a guy that didn't work in that part of the store and knew nothing about snakes. He was scared of her - this beautiful, little boa, because she was coiled up. He thought that she was in striking position. He pulled on these heavy rubber gloves (like you would use for high pressure or temperature) to pick her up. I promptly took her from him, to examine, and showed him that she was easy to handle. He then put her in a tiny box for me to bring home. I rushed her home and put her in her nice, cozy enclosure and have enjoyed her since (over 4 months now).

They can know their stuff, but it doesn't replace the warehouses where they come from and the cruel treatment. I've always been torn between wanting to save the animals, but I can't support those companies by giving them my money. Look up where the animals come from, very very sad.

[MidSouthMorphs]

I would try Garrick DeMeyer at Royal Constrictor Designs or Brain Barczyk from snakebytes and BHB reptiles. They are some of the best

I second that for Garrick, he will go above and beyond for you. He's one of the best.