Upcoming Show - tips for buying?

[Bogertophis]

It's nice to get a look around early in the show, so you know where you want to go back to, but the best deals will be later on- when vendors don't want to take everything home with them.

Also a good idea to see what vendors will be there ahead of time- so you can check their reputation & feedback- & avoid those that seem to have customer satisfaction issues.

Keep in mind that all vendors are not equal- some may have animals with issues (illness, exposure to illness, or mites) so look closely for clues about their health. (the snakes, not the vendor )

But don't expect to handle a snake until you're really serious about it- any vendor that allows too much handling puts their animals at risk from others in attendance (germs & even mites have been known to "hitch rides" on potential buyers).

Make sure you get all the information if you do buy a snake- the vendor's name & contact info, & info about the snake- hatch date, genetics, feeding (last fed, exactly what -ie. mice or rats, live or f/t, how offered- ie. drop fed versus wiggled from tongs, etc), & really TRY to avoid coming home with a snake that has mites, as it's a real set-back- usually interrupts the snakes feeding, & mites can spread diseases, they're not easily gotten rid of, & the treatment for them is not without risks depending on methods chosen. Mites like to hide around the eyes, mouth/chin, nostrils, vent, but can be under scales. Just one seen is an issue- there's always more, plus eggs for future family gatherings.

Much as you probably like that skull decor, I wouldn't use anything like that- snakes have been known to get stuck & greatly injured in those orifices- their scales are directional & a tight fit means they cannot back out. It's dangerous trying to cut into such decor with a snake that's stuck- truly better to avoid anything with holes that could ever pose an issue, no matter how much you like how they look. Some snakes get injured badly trying to get out of things they're stuck in when no one's around to notice until too late- so best avoided. (Never use those "castles" & such that are made & sold for tropical fish- they usually have sharp edges inside that don't bother fish, but which can cut up a snake that's trying to hide inside.)

Hides- BPs are very shy, & even if your previous snake did well for you in that set-up, most snakes prefer hides with smaller doorways (just bigger than their midsection with a meal on board), and only one doorway. They also like fairly low "ceilings", & hides that they feel fairly "snug" inside of. If you buy a hide big enough for them to grow into, you can always stuff some paper in it to make it feel smaller while they grow into it, if you don't want to keep re-buying different sizes.