Sometimes I'm like !*$&@

[darkangel]

My aunt came over for dinner last night. Her friend/neighbor has a ball python, so I took her upstairs to see the snake rack. She's freaked out by snakes but was fine with checking them out. So I slid Panndor's tub out (I call him the puppydog; he's the one I always take out when people are over because he is SO docile) and my aunt just gasps and goes, "He's just in that little thing!" She was absolutely shocked that he stayed in just a 41 qt tub with one hide and a water bowl. I explained to her that his needs are met, and he spends 98% of his time in the hide, and is perfectly content that way. She didn't mention any specifics about her friends husbandry, but given her reaction, I'm picturing a 50 gallon tank filled with all kinds of crap... whatever... So I'm chitchatting, holding Panndor and letting him do his thing, and suddenly she mentions, "Oh yeah, my friend walks around the neighborhood with her snake around her neck everyday." I must have such a look of horror on my face. She goes, "Oh the snake just loves it." I go, "No, your friend needs to read a book." My aunt was obviously kind of aggrevated by this, and kept insisting, "The snake loves it! He does!" We live in the scorching south, by the way. I was like yeah right, she needs to read a book about her snake, he's probably stressed as hell by that. Next, she asked if I fed mice. I said I fed rats weekly, and she was shocked as hell by this too. She goes, "My friend feeds once a month." I said wow, why in the hell does she do that. She insists the snake would never eat more than that, how could someone possibly feed more than once a month. I was sufficiently aggrevated but didn't want to put off a relative, so I just said again, "Yeah, she really should read a book."

I'm not sure if I'm more aggrevated with this woman's utter naivety towards a pet she's had for three years, or my aunt's constant validating of her friends "facts".

Anyway, yeah...

[Nate]

I think we need bp.net business cards for situations like this...

some snazzy catch phrase er something..

"go here...get educated...ball-pythons.net"

[littleindiangirl]

Its called "the herd effect"...

[darkangel]

I think we need bp.net business cards for situations like this...

some snazzy catch phrase er something..

"go here...get educated...ball-pythons.net"

You know that sounds like an excellent idea. "Stop being a DB to your snake -- Go to bp.net!"

[jkobylka]

I think we need bp.net business cards for situations like this...

some snazzy catch phrase er something..

"go here...get educated...ball-pythons.net"

Now THAT'S an idea!

Unfortunately many ppl don't even care enough to spend the time online to find out what they are doing wrong...

Justin

[NickP]

Aren't you supposed to have 2 identical hides?

btw, i didn't know snake around one's neck is bad for the snake. I've seen people doing that all the time with pythons and boas.

[JLC]

Aren't you supposed to have 2 identical hides?

Depends entirely on the setup. Most often, especially with someone starting out with a basic tank set-up, two hides is ideal. But if set up differently, they're not always needed. The enclosure itself, in a rack, acts as a hide because it is pretty dark and secure.

[Nate]

Now THAT'S an idea!

Unfortunately many ppl don't even care enough to spend the time online to find out what they are doing wrong...

Justin

That's true. Still might be worth the effort though.

Aren't you supposed to have 2 identical hides?

I think it depends on your set up. Most people with a rack system only have one hide. I typically only use one hide because the backs of the rack are already dark enough...

btw, i didn't know snake around one's neck is bad for the snake. I've seen people doing that all the time with pythons and boas.

I wouldn't say it's "bad". You'd be surprised at how tolerant some snakes are if they're used to the situation. I went to a club once and a girl was walking around the club with a ginormous red tail boa on her shoulders. I asked her how it ate and she said it's a beast every week during feeding time. The boa was very docile and appeared comfortable in a loud club. Now, I wouldn't condone that type of showing off, but I think it simply goes to show that snakes are pretty tolerant.

[darkangel]

Ever since I built my rack, there really hasn't been the need for a second hide. If my snakes prefer the opposite side, they just lounge openly in the other end of the tub. It's dark and quiet, and a very low-traffic room, so they are perfectly comfy.

I don't think it's a good idea to walk around a neighborhood in the blazing heat, with a good chance of dogs being around. And it is pretty much plain showing off. My red tail, funny enough, probably wouldn't mind it. My bp, however, won't eat if I take him out more than 3 times a week.

Nice thread title change too.

[Royalherper]

Depends entirely on the setup. Most often, especially with someone starting out with a basic tank set-up, two hides is ideal. But if set up differently, they're not always needed. The enclosure itself, in a rack, acts as a hide because it is pretty dark and secure.

yep, thats what I was thinking.