Stories of Frustration

[Minkness]

Needing a bit of a pick me up since I am currently experiencing some frustration with my ball python, Moko. I haven't had him very long and it seems like one thing after another happens with him. I hope this settles down soon now that I'm seeing a vet for him, but I could really use some inspiring stories of times you got frustrated with one of your reptiles and how it turned out.

[CK SandBoas]

I remember when I had picked up my very first snake, my normal male ball python, I was never told these guys can be a tad on the picky side when it comes to going off feed...Holy moly, the first time he did this, the utter frustration of offering rat after rat every ten days, and him ignoring it, just drove me up a wall....luckily a friend of the family reassured me it was typical for a male to go off feed during the winter breeding season...lol

[bigsnakegirl785]

Yeah, refusing meals is totally normal for these guys, they can be very picky and as adults respond to breeding season. I get irritated when mine does this, but I just offer weekly and he takes it when he decides he's hungry enough. It's usually because of stress or pickiness in eating, though, he'll eat throughout the winter if he's eating well.

[trailblazer295]

I'm hoping mine doesn't lol he is only a juvie and ate like a machine all winter. I've been told next year will be different. Good thing my hair is to short to grab. Or might end up bald.

[havoc_vulture]

My ball, Eggsy has been really weird about feeding lately also. He's been eating, but he doesn't have that want to eat. This happened recently, a couple months ago he was like boom let's go and strike mice like no one else's business , now the nice go up to him smell him and he seems to be scared of them. I did notice though that he will eat better inside his enclosure. I had to stop putting him outside of his enclosure and he's been actually eating. He still seems reluctant but at least he'll eat. Not sure if you feed Moko away from his enclosure but it worked for me feeding inside the enclosure

[Aaron_S]

I always find non-eating ball pythons peculiar. My males, the ones breeding included, hardly ever miss a meal. Let alone go off for an entire season.

[trailblazer295]

I always find non-eating ball pythons peculiar. My males, the ones breeding included, hardly ever miss a meal. Let alone go off for an entire season.

I hope mine does that lol I also feed slow and steady.

[Albert Clark]

Needing a bit of a pick me up since I am currently experiencing some frustration with my ball python, Moko. I haven't had him very long and it seems like one thing after another happens with him. I hope this settles down soon now that I'm seeing a vet for him, but I could really use some inspiring stories of times you got frustrated with one of your reptiles and how it turned out.

Mink, about 3 years ago my albino bp got severely burned by an unregulated thermostat. She acquired a secondary infection bc of the burns and became septic. OH! I thought I was doing a great job before all that happened to her. I really thought she was going to die. I couldn't let that happen to her. Of course she went on a food strike on top of all that which made her risks even higher to not survive. You talk about feeling guilty? She was placed on betadine soaks bid (twice a day). Baytril for the infection x 10 days, and sulfa silvadiazine for the burned areas. She then became dehydrated as a complication from inappetance and the side effects of the meds. But you know what? I knew I couldn't let her die! That is her baby picture in my avatar. Now, today she is alive but still scarred a bit but expecting her first clutch in about 3 weeks or less. I left out other details to avoid being lengthy, but we live and we learn and we stay positive in the face of adversity. Never give up the ship! Stay in peace and not pieces. Hope this helped. :shocked: I didn't really get frustrated so much, I got busy. Busy researching and trying to find ways to improve on her care, my husbandry and knowledge as it pertains to my reptiles.

[Aaron_S]

I hope mine does that lol I also feed slow and steady.

You should be!

As for stories of frustration. Just stay strong Minkness.

[trailblazer295]

You should be!

As for stories of frustration. Just stay strong Minkness.

At around 600g still feeding small rats. Be on those for awhile. But every week he pokes his head out before I get the door open.

[Minkness]

Frustration doesn't just mean BPs not eating. Could be any type of snake and anything that made you throw your arms up and want to scream. Chronic mites? A breeder that wouldn't breed, an aggressive one that would settle? Anything really.

For me, it's been a series of issues with the same snake. Not eating, then he started eating but had an awful shed that stuck in his head and over one eye, now it's the RI and so far....off feed again. (Going to try again tonight and see how he does...fingers crossed he doesn't waste a mouse).

[ARCH3R]

Mine is still ongoing unfortunately. My little hognose hasn't eaten since early March. I've had him since January and I have yet to see a shed. He was already under weight when I got him. The struggle is real.

[bigsnakegirl785]

I always find non-eating ball pythons peculiar. My males, the ones breeding included, hardly ever miss a meal. Let alone go off for an entire season.

Yeah that's how mine is most of the time. He was eating with even more ferocity than how my retic has shown herself (thus far, but it's only been two feedings). I introduce a small rat into the mix to get him off 2 jumbos biweekly, and now he has no interest. That, and the stress I mentioned. He's more of a no-touch animal because of his sensitivity. Aside from all of that, if he's eating well he won't miss a single meal, even during the winter.

He's always been a very reliable feeder until I moved for the first time with him, maybe 2-3 years ago. Since then, it's been off and on. He's the only one who reacts negatively to being put in a new enclosure or after a move. Everyone else goes on about their business like usual.

[lady_bug87]

want frustration?

Every time I clean my psychotic ATBs enclosure she immediately spills her water in her attempt to eat my face.

Every. Damn. Time.

[Albert Clark]

Frustration doesn't just mean BPs not eating. Could be any type of snake and anything that made you throw your arms up and want to scream. Chronic mites? A breeder that wouldn't breed, an aggressive one that would settle? Anything really.

For me, it's been a series of issues with the same snake. Not eating, then he started eating but had an awful shed that stuck in his head and over one eye, now it's the RI and so far....off feed again. (Going to try again tonight and see how he does...fingers crossed he doesn't waste a mouse).

I understand you, but all of what your mentioning is part of reptile keeping. IMO, you should just handle each issue the best way you can and let the pieces fall where they may. In your mind you did or will do the best you can. No one can ask for more. Best of luck.;)

[Minkness]

I know it comes with the territory of having anything from baby humans to a motorcycle. Gotta take the bad with the good, doesn't mean we have to like the bad though. People are allowed to be frustrated by the things they love (like kids!).

Also, Lady B...frustrating as that must be...the way you wrote it made me kinda laugh....I'm sorry for your 'pain' though! ^_^;;

[lady_bug87]

I'm happy my pain amuses you ♡.

And snakes ain't got nothing on preschoolers

[Minkness]

Thank goodness for that! Lop

[lady_bug87]

When it comes time to pair her this winter I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of posts outlining my frustration.

I'm sorry you're having a rough time with your bp.

[prairiepanda]

Not a snake issue, but I had a very frustrating experience trying to breed Phidippus regius(regal jumping spider). I had bred P audax(bold jumping spider) before without problems, so you'd think a species from the same genus would be a walk in the park for me. Far from it. I started with a 1.2 trio, but one of the females wasn't mature yet so she had to be shelved for a season. I introduced the mature female and male several times and saw no courtship whatsoever. So I cohabitated them. They were living together for 2 whole months before the male finally started dancing, and then the female suddenly decided she didn't like him. Miraculously, a couple weeks after breeding season should have ended, I saw 4 good insertions so I pulled the male out. That year, the female gave me a total of 8 beautiful egg sacs. Not a single one made it to full term!!! My girl would tend to them with full devotion for a couple weeks and then when the eggs got nice and big she ate them! After the 4th sac I started transferring them to an incubator. I tried 4 different incubation methods, but each time the eggs eventually stopped developing and decayed. The next spring, my other female had her maturing molt. THE DAY AFTER she matured, my male died. So I ordered a new male. Paired him with my younger female first, and she ate him, despite being very well fattened on crickets. Then no other males were available all year. My older female gave me a couple more sacs so I could watch them die. I haven't attempted breeding this species again since.

[jossh27]

Prairie, i always read your posts with the most outright respect but I'm sorry i laughed at the part where you said your female ate your male. Spiders scare the ***** out of me...i can't let one live when i see them In my house

[Minkness]

Oh wow Prarie! That IS frustrating! I'm sorry your ladies didn't work out for you =(

I have thought about a trantula once or twice...but just can't jump that hurdle. While I'm not exactly 'scared' of spiders, and find many to me amazingly beautiful and interesting to watch, the thought of purposefully keeping one in my home kinda weirds me out.

I'm happy people like you have a passion for them though! Maybe one day it will inspire me to take that leap and set up an enclosure with one. =)

[prairiepanda]

I'm sorry i laughed at the part where you said your female ate your male.
Cannibalism is always a risk when breeding any species of spider, so I was prepared for the loss, but it was quite a shock because in this case the odds of it happening were incredibly low! Not only was my female overfed, but jumping spiders in general don't have much tendency for cannibalism to begin with. They can even be kept communally with multiple species, if enough space is provided!

Spiders scare the ***** out of me...i can't let one live when i see them In my house
Okay, you're allowed to have your phobia. But you can't deny the cuteness of jumping spiders! Those giant eyes and floofy pedipalps are cuteness overload! Look at my girl "playing drums": https://instagram.com/p/pFdsztMzkI/ (that's the female who gave me 8 bad sacs)
By the way, I'm not offended when people like you say they kill every spider in their home. If you can't differentiate between harmless species and those with medically significant venom, you're better safe than sorry. I release spiders outside of they're not "hot", but I told my roommate to kill spiders on sight if I'm not home because some spiders here can pose a threat to my cat or reptiles. Any escaped pet spiders are an exception though, of course, and she knows them all :p


I'm happy people like you have a passion for them though! Maybe one day it will inspire me to take that leap and set up an enclosure with one. =)
Tarantulas are even more low-maintenance than snakes. They're also crazy cheap to care for and take up very little space. Feel free to message me if you ever decide to take the plunge; I'd be happy to help you get started. Just be careful; there are around 300 different tarantula species in the pet trade and they all have their own unique characteristics, so it's quite common for people to end up collecting them in crazy numbers! My collection included 21 Ts at one point, and even then it was considered to be a small collection. I've downsized quite a bit to make space for snakes.

[SnoopySnake]

Okay, you're allowed to have your phobia. But you can't deny the cuteness of jumping spiders! Those giant eyes and floofy pedipalps are cuteness overload! Look at my girl "playing drums":

That video was pretty funny, lmao.
Seriously though, who can deny these cuties? This one lived in my room all last summer.
http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac317/SnoopySnake/DSCN3691_zps7554b6f3.jpg

My most frustrating snake problem is getting my SD retic out without getting peed on and him trying to fly out of my hands...

[lady_bug87]

That video was pretty funny, lmao.
Seriously though, who can deny these cuties? This one lived in my room all last summer.
http://i911.photobucket.com/albums/ac317/SnoopySnake/DSCN3691_zps7554b6f3.jpg

My most frustrating snake problem is getting my SD retic out without getting peed on and him trying to fly out of my hands...


I can! Me! Right here! This guy... er girl? Well in any case Me.

[Wingbeats]

I can share a little story of frustration!

I got my very first snake, a little rainbow boa worm. Then, two days later, she promptly escaped! I was simultaneously both really worried about her, and also really embarrassed for losing her.

Luckily I found her this morning, and have put her in a much more secure enclosure. Hopefully I won't have to stress over it again!

[Minkness]

Congrats on finding her =)

My crested geckos seem to escape the most....but I always find them again ^_^

[trailblazer295]

Okay, you're allowed to have your phobia. But you can't deny the cuteness of jumping spiders! Those giant eyes and floofy pedipalps are cuteness overload! Look at my girl "playing drums": https://instagram.com/p/pFdsztMzkI/ (that's the female who gave me 8 bad sacs) .

I'll give you the fact that, that is a cool video and funny. BUT owning a palm sized spider and holding one well.............NO THANKS ( I can't type my exact wording) I don't mind looking at them from behind glass at the zoo or at stores I've fine then. But A I wouldn't hold want to hold one and B seems like a very boring pet even more then snakes how much movement can an animal do in a 12x12 box.

[Deva]

I actually lost my first snake - a milk snake. It was horrible. I had the snake for a year, not any problems. I moved the snake to a larger terrarium and one day I found the snake in the water dish. I picked the snake up, and it felt like someone had painted her/him with shellac! Completely stiff. This snake got into such a condition that it would not shed, there were three or four layers on it. Even though I took it to a vet, it was too late and the snake never recovered. It died a couple of months after the vet visit.

I didn't give up on snake keeping and got a Thayeri Kingsnake which I have kept for two years and is doing great.

Things happen with reptiles that are beyond the knowledge of the average person.

[SoPhilly]

Deva, wow, that is awful, poor little guy :(. That sucks.

The most frustrating thing for me when I started keeping herps was just getting humidity and temp gradients right. It can take a long time and a lot of money to figure that stuff out - no matter how many books you read or forums you go to, you still have to figure out what's going on in YOUR tank , in YOUR house, with YOUR weird forced-air heating or whatever. I used to have tanks with several different tropical species of lizards and frogs together, and working at providing the right zones so no one got stressed and ate anyone else was a challenge. But, That's also kinda why I went in that direction with my herps - I kind of like obsessively setting up intricate habitats, I guess. Go hard or go home! Lol. And it gets a lot easier as you do it more.... it all started in 2003 with one green anole, haha.

Ps - I'm really amused by how many "snake people" find spiders to be "icky" :rolleyes: C'mon guys! I'm allergic to spiders and
I still carry them outside, spiders are awesome friends who eat truly horrible bugs like mosquitoes! On whom I have no mercy.

[Minkness]

Lol. Loving these stories guys! Thanks a bunch!

Good news! Moko is officially healthy, has started eating regularly again, and is looking happier too. (Though the jerk still hisses and coils up when I open his tub). Still going be careful about handling and such for easily the next month, just in case.

Here's my frustrating jerk being all pretty!

[trailblazer295]

Is it just me or did the pic not load?

[Minkness]

Fixed it! Sorry about that lol.

[trailblazer295]

Lol angel infront of everyone once the camera is on. "I can't believe she would say such negative things about me, look how good I am"

[Minkness]

Lol so...very....true...lol

He's a bit of a Diva XD

[trailblazer295]

Sounds like my cat. Looks at you while doing something she shouldn't with a face like "what I'm innocent"

[Minkness]

I think that's all cats! XD

[trailblazer295]

Everytime I get off the couch I come back to a chubby body in my spot and a look like "what, you weren't just warming this for me? "

[Albert Clark]

Congrats Mink! BP looking well.

[SoPhilly]

Awww, the face :) glad your adorable jerk is feeling better!

[millertime89]

I've got a female retic that won't stop pushing. It's driving me nuts. Her face is all swollen right now.

[trailblazer295]

The little diva, but admittedly she had a very hard early life so she gets a free pass. The poor girl by the time she was 7 months old she had a litter of kittens, a broken tail and her first owner hung himself in a tree and hung her in a bag beside him. So she is a bit off but a suck for human attention. She hates other animals though, other cats especially she has no problem throwing down. She came home to my sister rubbing along the walls leaving a blood trail from a cut in her ear so she won the fight. I've watched her chase off a cat twice her size, the other one ran away she she rushed it. She stayed low until it got close enough then bam run. Seen her scare off a cat from behind glass they both hissed at each other and the other backed off and ran away. The little gangster in a tux that gives you the gangster quick chin 'whats up' jerk. She is a suck and a good cat really. I take care of her best I can .

[Minkness]

Wow...that is quite the story! Poor thing...glad she found you (or you her).

[trailblazer295]

She is 5 now and leads a hard life lol

[jossh27]

i find it frustrating when your snake defecates on its hide or in the water dish! seriously pick a corner and use it
like my dog :|