Need advice on a ball python rescue

[Cheesenugget]

My first bearded dragon was a rescue too. And although I loved her, I regretted that decision. I did not have the experience to tell if the lizard was sick regardless of the number of articles I read on how to tell what health looks like. The rescue I adopted her from was actually from a local herp society and the foster mom who works as the lead herp keeper at a local zoo for over 15 years could not tell she was sick prior to her surrender. Long story short, I was financially and emotionally spent, and she was humanely put to sleep to end her suffering. She had long term egg binding where the eggs were rotting inside of her and she had yellow fungus, already spread to her liver and other organs. But you could not tell by her appetite, lack of lesions (Signs of a fungal infection) or other signs of illness. It was by coincidence that we found these problems during a vet check up.

Adopting a reptile is NOT the same as adopting a dog, cat or even a hamster. Mammals, even prey ones like bunnies, hide their symptoms well but with an experienced eye, you can tell something is off. Most mammalian pets show the first sign of illness by not eating, which is the opposite of reptiles. They can be sick and have good appetites. Best part of it is their ability to bounce back quicker than a reptile.

With that said, I highly recommend you not to adopt a ball python. Easier snakes like corn or kings would be a better candidate for adoption because they are so hardy and easy to feed. Ball pythons are not beginners snakes. Their husbandry requirement requires the correct equipment and diligence on knowing what your temps/humidity are and keeping them on point which is not easy to do if you live in an arid or too cold of an environment. Stress, inaccurate husbandry or other unknown reasons just because it is now an adult, can trigger a feeding strike that can last for months. Feeding strikes are extremely stressful for new bp owners, and it is no joke it is probably one of the most if not #1 complaint about these snakes.

I do think you have a good heart and you are trying to do the right thing. But by taking an animal who may have suffered months of neglect and even comes with mites and scale rot (Common with rescues), you may not be ready for and no number of threads and books will help you better than knowing what to look for yourself, how to treat it yourself prior to using the vet. Most exotic vets don't have enough snake experience and may do more harm than good, ie force feeding. Your lack of experience will put you at a disadvantage on what would be better treatment for your snake vs most vets who believe being aggressive with treatment is the way to go. Signs of illness are small and subtle and often overlooked, some can be minor and no need to address or it needs medication, ie a snake regurgitate its meal can mean you need to check its hot side temp to parasites.

Or you may get lucky and end up with a health bp. That is rare but it happens. You are gambling your time, money and emotional investment with this pet that comes with an unknown history (Most won't disclose everything in hopes of getting rid of it), with a possible chance of rehoming it again if it does not work out for you. This forum is useful but its purpose is served to give you tips and suggestions and not a replacement for medical advice.

If you want to do a good thing and get a bp, you can contact breeders for normals. These are usually passed off wholesale to chain stores where they receive less care, become ill or sold as feed. Although they are wanted as pets, morphs have been become so much more affordable now that most people would rather pick up a banana for less than $200 (Like me) than a norm for $25-45. At least you will start with a baby that is easier to work with and you have a better idea of where it came from. Your first time experience with such wonderful species should be a positive one. When you take on an adult rescue, it is a wild card of what you will get.

If you are able to read all this through, sorry for my rambling. If you still want that rescue, then please make sure you read the stickies completely through. I would start him in a tub to maintain humidity. Use papertowels. No substrate for the quarantine period. Stuff open space with newspaper or paper towel to make it feel crowded, add identical hides (I recommend 2 plastic large dog bowls with holes drilled in), and large water bowl for soaking if it wants to. Have PAM handy or other mite killing spray handy PRIOR to picking up the snake. Feed it what it ate before for 2 weeks. Weigh him at the start and check the feeding chart on what you are supposed to feed him. No handling until after it starts eating 2-3 meals, and short handling sessions only, no more than twice a week. Most snakes don't bite to be mean or vengeful, most bites are out of fear or they think your hand is food or think you have food. But like all animals with teeth, biting is a risk you must accept if you want to tame your pet.

Good luck!