New Owner! . . . soon

[Leah844]

So I am finally getting a ball python at the end of the month! :yes: I'm going to Repticon in Gainesville. Does anyone have any tips on buying a snake for the first time? Or any specific questions I should ask the breeders?

[IDvsEGO]

I ask about what they are eating and what the feeding schedules are. Be sure to handle it. Also, at shows be sure you use hand sanitizer often. Just ask some basic questions and listen to what the breeder says. At the show I went to there were a few that told me some pretty dated practices so I passed on them. You have plenty of choices there for sure.

[phenyx]

I recently bought a Brazilian rainbow boa at Repticon and I'm very unhappy with the company I bought him from. I asked questions, but I got very vague answers that didn't give me enough information.

When you ask about feeding schedules, what size prey they're eating and whether it's live or frozen/thawed, make sure they're giving you info on the specific animal you are interested in and not just a general: "we start all our babies on pinkies every 5-6 days". I'd also make sure the baby has had at least 3-4 consistent feeds in a row.

I'd also ask about hatching/birth date: they should be able to give you a date. I was told that my BRB was "2-4 months old" but I now suspect that my BRB was only a few weeks old.

I also wish I'd asked about when my baby shed, but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have known that either. The people working the booth didn't seem to know much.

Above all, trust your gut. If the people working the booth don't know the answers or their answers seem too vague or non-specific, or if the babies are 2 or 3 to a small display box clearly meant to hold only 1, or if they can't tell you when a specific snake was last fed, then it's best to find another breeder no matter how enamored you are with the baby.

A lot of this may seem like overkill and, when you're dealing with a responsible breeder it might be. Unfortunately there are mega breeders out there who breed on such a scale that they can't possibly have specific records on each specific baby. You deserve to know exactly what you're getting.

[kudzu]

My suggestion is to, if you've not already done so, get your enclosure set up first to make sure you are set with proper temps & humidity. It doesn't have to be the long term enclosure, just make sure it is ready to go and comfortable for the snake before you bring you new friend home.

The above is written by someone who did not do this for her first snake. Things worked out. Nothing was dramatically wrong, but my snake's first days would have been better for him if I hadn't had to spend the first few days tweaking everything just to make sure the basics were right.

[craigafrechette]

Most reptile shows have a list of vendors on their website. Check out the list and research the vendors before you get there. This way you know which tables you want to hit and which to avoid.

[IDvsEGO]

Most reptile shows have a list of vendors on their website. Check out the list and research the vendors before you get there. This way you know which tables you want to hit and which to avoid.

yes, for sure. prep first if you can.

[Leah844]

Awesome! Thanks! I have the setup mostly ready, just a few last things to do. I did check the vendor list, and even contacted several of the Breeders I was interested in. Thanks for the help!