Preparing for my First Snake

[Bogertophis]

Yes "mites happen"- often at reptile expos, where buyers handling snakes may inadvertently pass mites around from the sellers who brought them to the sellers & buyers that didn't. Pet stores too, often end up with mites, because they often 'buy low & sell high' to make a profit- meaning they're often buying from large wholesalers (plenty of mites to go around there) or from less than stellar sources for their lower prices.

Here's a pretty thorough write-up on mite treatments (from bcr-229)- ask yourself, does this sound like something you want to deal with?

https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...=1#post2771656

While there's a lot to be said for seeing the snake you're buying in person, & getting hands-on, there's also something to be said for buying from private breeders with excellent reputations (they're out there, ask around, shop around) and getting not only a clean animal (no mites), but one with a feeding record.

That last thing, for a new snake keeper, should be a deal breaker, & the pet store you were just visiting sounds like they're in a hurry to treat & sell, not make sure the snake is even eating. Doing it right (raising snakes from hatchlings/neonates) is not that fast- not if you care & have a reputation to protect. Snakes fresh out of their eggs don't eat that fast, & it's best they eat at least 3 times before they're sold. That likely means they'd be a month old- because they typically only eat once a week. New homes & new owners- are stressful for snakes- & if a snake is not feeding strongly, it can be harder for the new owner to get it to eat at all.

When I raised & sold some snakes, they had rather lengthy feeding records compared to what many others do. Rosy boas, for example- can be a little fussy, much like BPs- & mine all had feeding records of 10 or more meals with no refusals, & all taking f/t. That pretty much ensures that they'll do well for their new owner- it makes a difference.

[Homebody]

I just want to second a couple of dakski's suggestions.

I wanted to add one thing that I do not think has been said yet. Get a proper enclosure for your BP. If you are worried about temps and humidity and consistency, plan on a PVC cage with good heating element(s) and thermostat(s). In my experience, and I keep 7 snakes and 4 species, and two lizards and 2 species, those three things (proper tank - PVC for a BP IMO, good and correct amount/wattage, etc. heating elements, and a good thermostat) make a world of difference. I've been there with trying to care for a BP with a glass tank and skimping on the thermostat etc. It's not worth it for you or the snake.

The plastic bin you describe sounds o.k. to start, but you should start saving for an upgrade. I kept my bp in a sweater box with a UTH for the first year I had him, but then he started injuring himself pushing to get out. So, I built him a 3x2x2 plywood enclosure. I don't know if he hated the lack of security, the size or the heat and temp fluctuations, but once I upgraded, he stopped injuring himself.

Finally, I suggest getting a yearling, or at least a fairly established animal as your first BP. This way you know a little better what you are getting, health, and whether or not they are established on Frozen/Thawed (F/T) prey items if that's the route you want to go. As new owner, the last is important. Some BP's can be picky, and most switch to F/T, but if that's what you want to feed, easier to get one that's already happy with that then try to switch one, especially a young one that needs food.

Adults are less fragile than babies, and so, more forgiving of beginner mistakes. So, I highly recommend getting an adult for your first snake.

[Kryptic]

Bogertophis, I'm not getting my snake from that store. I was so close to pulling out my wallet that having that mite drop on my palm was no coincidence. You're warning me against it, my gut is warning me against it, and the Universe itself is warning me against it. I'm hard-headed, but even I'm not that dense.

Looking for more breeders, I noticed one fairly local to me with many reviews on MorphMarket, all positive, who I previously overlooked because the few snakes of his I saw on MM were way out of my price range. Not only does he have a few within my budget listed on MM, but he also has unlisted ones. We spoke on the phone, he sent me tons of pics of his collection to figure out what I liked, and we narrowed it down to two awesome snakes. I'm going to see them on Friday and if it all goes well, bring one home.



Homebody, I definitely plan to upgrade my enclosure. I started with the bin just to see if I could set up an appropriate enclosure for a snake before I bought one. Once I have my snake, my plan is to build a PVC enclosure myself. It's not cheaper than buying one, but I would be doing it for the fun. I already started planning how I would build it and researching the materials I would need. I thought plywood wouldn't work because of the humidity, warping and mold issues, but if you made yours out of plywood, I'd love to read about your build.

[Bogertophis]

Sounds very promising- I'm so glad you didn't snap up the first cute little snake you saw- believe me, I know all about temptation, but it's best to start with a healthy snake. The treatments for mites generally puts them off eating- it's just a bad place to be as a new snake-keeper with a hatchling snake. And the chemicals used to kill mites can also harm the snake, if it's done wrong or if the snake happens to be more sensitive to them. Best to avoid all that.

And don't be afraid to say "no thanks" or "let me think about it more" if you aren't completely satisfied this Friday, when you go to check them out. Listen to the snake's breathing- you don't want to hear whistling-crackling or faint squeaking sounds, or see the snake breathing with it's mouth open, with or without bubbles (this can be an RI- respiratory infection). The snake should not have any retained eye-caps or stuck shed- check the tail tip too. Look at the snakes cloaca- that shouldn't be red & irritated or have signs of diarrhea (stuck fecal material). The body should look symmetrical with no caved-in areas (broken ribs) or lumps. Look at overall coordination & body strength- does it grip well? And always check for mites... Ask for the hatch date & feeding record.

What morphs are you looking at, or just a "normal"? (a few morphs have genetic issues- wobbling & poor coordination)

As far as building an enclosure- I think there used to be at least one that sold a PVC kit to build your own- they ship flat so that saves money, & less labor for them. Plywood is very heavy- just saying- and would need to be well sealed (waterproofed). Besides moisture, poorly-sealed wood can absorb fecal material (germs!), & plywood off-gasses formaldehyde, which is unhealthy for a snake to breathe. (not good for you either). I've successfully converted some wood furniture cabinets to snake homes in the past, by the way (they were not plywood)- but haven't built any from "scratch". Many ways to go & using creativity to design your own is fun for some, & "too much work" for others. You do have options, whatever you decide.

[Homebody]

Homebody, I definitely plan to upgrade my enclosure. I started with the bin just to see if I could set up an appropriate enclosure for a snake before I bought one. Once I have my snake, my plan is to build a PVC enclosure myself. It's not cheaper than buying one, but I would be doing it for the fun. I already started planning how I would build it and researching the materials I would need. I thought plywood wouldn't work because of the humidity, warping and mold issues, but if you made yours out of plywood, I'd love to read about your build.

Sure. I didn't post about the original build, but I did post about the modifications I did to get it ready for my Children's Python: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-for-Antaresia. Some of the posts are hard to follow because I deleted the photos that they are referring to, but there are still enough photos for you to get the general idea. When you're ready to build, do what I did and post your plan beforehand. I found the community's input invaluable.

[Kryptic]

I'm very glad I took your advice to work with a breeder. I'm also very happy with the decision that I should go with someone local. This turned out to be the best of both worlds. I also appreciate your primer, Bogertophis, on what to look for. I used all the info in inspecting the animals.

I spoke with the breeder over my lunch break on Wednesday and we texted back and forth for hours after work. He was extremely helpful regarding my setup, what I should change up, and what I still need or should get. He has a lot of snakes, lots of different morphs, and helped me find many I liked within my price range. We narrowed that down to 2 males, a Mojave Pastel Gravel (born October 2021) and a DH Dreamsicle (born December 2020). We met up so I could meet the two and I decided on the younger boy, whom I tentatively named Twizzler.

We actually met up on Thursday because it worked out to be more convenient for both of us. I looked the snakes over, we spoke for a while about care, feeding, how to check its health and any issues, body language, sexing the animals, and more. As for feeding, he actually feeds most his snakes on Wednesday, including mine, but didn't feed either I was interested in, in case I took one home. He feeds live and assured me that his snakes are good eaters. He actually gave me a feeder to offer it later that evening after settling Twizzler in along with detailed instructions, including to text him. He assured me that if there was any issue like the snake not eating, he would happily exchange the snake. I brought Twizzler home, made some enclosure adjustments the breeder suggested, settled Twizzler in with no fuss, minimal handling, placed the lid on, and left for a few hours.

Later that night, I came back, saw that Twizzler was half out of a cardboard tube by the water bowl. I texted the breeder to let him know I was going to feed him and placed the feeder in the enclosure with him, having no idea what to expect. The feeder ran around the tub for a minute or so. At one point, it got a little too close to Twizzler. He so slowly and deliberately pointed his cocked head in its direction over a couple of seconds, then in an explosive movement, struck and wrapped his prey. I texted the breeder that he struck and sent him progress updates he requested every few minutes along with photos. I watched him eat, sent one last pic of the food bump, watched him move into a hide, then put the lid on and left.

I left him alone all day yesterday, only removing the lid about 24 hours after feeding to see where he was. He was in a hide over the heat map where he had crawled into after eating. Today, just over 36 hours after feeding, I finally went to take him out so that I could clean the tub (the feeder had dropped a couple of turds). I checked it all over, including the hides and enrichment, for any signs of a regurg or snake feces -- all clean. This time he was settled in a tube on the cool side. I removed the tube with him in it and placed it next to me, emptied out his tub, and cleaned it. He poked his head out, so I gently took him and placed him on my leg. He seemed fine with just laying there and looking around. I picked him up and took a few pictures, let him crawl around on my arm, including crawling up around my neck, left him there for a few minutes, then put him back. He didn't make any attempts to ball up or run away when I was handling him. I plan to check up on him again tonight at the earliest or otherwise tomorrow night.

I should be meeting the breeder next Wednesday to pick up some frozen feeders from him and one more live one. He assured me that plenty of people he's sold his snakes to have transitioned them to F/T and that he would help me out with any problems.

So far, it's been a great experience.

[Kryptic]

A couple more pics of his enclosure, empty, him slithering into a hide after I put him back, and the [edit: enclosure] with the lid on.

[Bogertophis]

I applaud you for doing some good research first, & for making what appears to be some great decisions! That's a beautiful snake, AND it sounds like you've bought from a very good breeder- one that CARES, & one that is willing to help you along the way. That makes it SO much easier, & helps ensure the best experience for both you & your snake. Way to GO! It also helps having one that's well-started in terms of age- they're not as skittish about handling & changing locations.

[Homebody]

I'm very glad I took your advice to work with a breeder.

Feel free to drop the breeder's name. These posts are read by hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people. You can help others in the community find a quality breeder and, at the same time, reward that breeder with more business.

[Homebody]

A couple more pics of his enclosure, empty, him slithering into a hide after I put him back, and the [edit: enclosure] with the lid on.

Congrats! Sounds like you're off to a great start. I wish you and Twizzler many happy years together. To that end, word of warning: Secure that lid. I started with a similar set up that my bp escaped from twice. Now mine was an adult, but once your baby has a bit of size on him, he's going to start pushing on that lid. Don't trust the locks that came with the tub. They aren't designed to keep in captive animals. I used these.