Rescue Royal

[Snakefood]

So I got a call from a friend, who knows someone who just moved into a new house on the 15th, apparently when they got there the previous tenant had left all thier animals there. A dog and cat, which the tenant decided to keep herself, and then a Boa and this guy. She found a home for the Boa (good thing too as I know nothing about Boa's), the new tenant knew absolutely nothing about snakes and when I got there, this poor dude was in a dirty tank, there was NO heat source at all and he was like an ice cube when I picked him up, other than breathing he wasn't moving at all, GOD I HATE PEOPLE SOMETIMES!!!

The new tenant was telling me that the landlords said the house had been empty for 2 months before they moved in on the 15th. He doesn't seem emaciated but is about the same length as my pastel boy, but only about 1/2 the girth. Once he warmed up inside my jacket, he started moving around alot more and seemed more curious about what was happening, I stopped at the petstore on the way home and picked up a heatmat and CHE with dome, and have him all set up now and plugged in to the thermostat.

DID I MENTION THAT I REALLY HATE PEOPLE SOMETIMES!!:unhappy:

Anyways thanks for dealing with my rant, and now help me ID this little darling, he is either a pretty normal, or a dark pastel.

And also there are these 2 little "horns" (can't describe them any other way) sticking slightly out of each side of the vent, now I have a female and a male, and I haven`t seen anything like that on my babies, so what do you make of that!!

19556

19557

19558

[DavethePython]

Looks like our big girl Tequila . I would say she is a normal . But I am not even close to knowing for sure. I am going to have both our bp's identified by an expert named Micheal Cole . Perhaps some of you have heard of him lol. I am also guessing the horns are spurs and what you have is a male. Our Burm we just acquired has the same thing.

[Ivalynfyre]

Looks like a normal to me. I like normal ball pythons, because their pattern can vary so much.
The things on the side of the vent are 'spurs', those are normal.

[Snakefood]

well I`m going to have to check Torruk, because I didn`t see them on him!!

[DavethePython]

Maybe your other was sexed incorrectly ? My little guy Dave has them too , just much smaller as he is still under a year old. But they are visible .

[Snakefood]

Nope, I went and checked and torruk (who is 2) DOES have them, but they are very light colored, so I guess, I just never noticed them before (not like I sit around looking at his vent!!LOL)

[DavethePython]

Lol snakefood , why not ? Isn't that what all snake owners do? Sit around checking out their snakes junk LMAO!!

[Snakefood]

LOL

You know, I`m new to the BP world, just had my corns before, and I was always told there was no `visual`way to sex a BP, so since these spurs are visible then obviously there IS a way to visually sex a BP???

and all these people saying they had to be popped or probed, when all you have to do is look for these spurs!!

[alessia55]

And also there are these 2 little "horns" (can't describe them any other way) sticking slightly out of each side of the vent, now I have a female and a male, and I haven`t seen anything like that on my babies, so what do you make of that!!]

You mean these?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/alessia55/IMG_0470-1.jpg

They are called spurs. They are the leftovers of legs through the process of evolution. They now serve to help lock male and female ball pythons together while mating. Both males and females can have them. ;)

[Snakefood]

YUP, that`s exactly what I am seeing on both this rescue Ball and on Torruk, except Torruk`s (a Pastel) are much lighter in color than the rescue ball`s spurs

OK, so BOTH males and females have them??? So this rescue Ball is not neccesarily male then???

I should go check Neytiri now to see does she have them!!!

[StudentoReptile]

Yes, both sexes have them. They can also be lost, torn off and regenerated, so there's no "males have larger spurs than females" bit either.

[mykee]

All ball pythons have spurs. Trying to sex a ball python by spur size is a myth. Pop or probe. Period.
Congrats on your cool looking normal.

[Snakefood]

Thanks Mykee he/she is pretty isn'nt it?? I'm not sure I am keeping it though, it is taking up the space I had planned for my Mojave!!

But I will keep it for a while, make sure it`s healthy (get it to the vet) and maybe have the local breeder sex it, then I may re-home it (or I may keep it and buy a new enclosure for the mojave), I really haven't decided yet. Either way it is out of that horrid conition I found it in!!

[DavethePython]

To many of these stories lately . Glad you got it . And like I said in my message if you do te home it let me know. I can find a good home for it right away. These are times where it is so important for us to work together.

[Snakefood]

Yes, I am keeping your offer in mind, but like I said, I want clearance from a vet that he`s A-OK, and maybe find out the gender when I run up to henry`s this weekend.

I`ll let you know before before you go home, but if I do re-home, the fee will be the cost of the vet visit.

[Snakefood]

So I think I am becoming attached to my recue!! I think I may keep him/her. I have made the vet appt and henry (the local breeder) said I could bring it up to him this weekend to be sexed.

[lance.schleich]

thats a beautiful ball i just got mine bout a month back and im curious how fast they grow?

[Snakefood]

I don't really know yet, I bought my pastel as a 2 year old, my baby as a baby, and then got this one which the vet pegged at about 2-3 years old today (and gave it a clean bill of heath!!)

I wonder though, is the Spider gene dominant or ressesive to Normal, could this "Normal" be het Spider?? I just ask because we fed it last night and this NORMAL did the head wobble!!!!?????

Still have to make the trip up to Henry's to get it properly sexed.

[lance.schleich]

is it expensive for the trip to the vet for a checkup

[alessia55]

is it expensive for the trip to the vet for a checkup

It depends on the vet, and it depends on what you need done.

[lance.schleich]

just a checkup

[DavethePython]

Depends on the Vet as well . I have heard some charge more for snakes and reptiles. Also research your Vet as well because there are a lot who do not know a lot about snakes . I know at home we have 2 or3 vet clinics and only in the last couple years one of them finally has a vet that knows snakes.

[DavethePython]

And be sure your snake is not a restricted animal in your area. Depending on the laws the vet may be required to report your animal if it is banned.

[lance.schleich]

dont think bp are banned in mi

[DavethePython]

I don't think they are banned in most areas . But I have heard they are banned in certain cities here in Canada . It is not a provincial ban but city bylaws that ban them .

[Snakefood]

My herp vet charcges $68 for a check-up and $45 for re-checks.

Taking him out later this afternoon to have him sexed!!, then I'll know what to name him/her/it??????

[Lankyrob]

is it expensive for the trip to the vet for a checkup


Checkups can be more hassle than they are worth, you are taking an animal that needs specific heat and humidity away from their ideal environment for a couple of hours, exposing them to other animals and stressing them out.

Unless you have specific issues then i wouldnt bother :)

[Snakefood]

ya but the condition this one was in when I rescued it, I really did need a vet to take a look.

off to have him sexed!!

[KSTAR]

Great job and power to you for the rescue

[Snakefood]

well couldn't get him out to be sexed yesterday as a huge storm rolled in instead, massive wind, rain, thunder and lightening. Whole trees being snapped in half and falling everywhere, so we have put it off for now!!

[Snakefood]

Great job and power to you for the rescue

Thank you!!

well we decided to keep her (It is a her, I found out today!) And we have now named her Eywa. The breeder I took her to said other than needing some weight put on her, she is a beautiful healthy girl (just what the vet said) and placed her at around 3 years old (apparently by the size of her head, who knew??)

We have her permanent viv set up for when she comes out of quarantine and she gets another meal this weekend. I am very pleased with her and am becoming quite attached to her (which is why I decided to keep her)

I never had any plans on getting or keeping a normal (I really like the looks of the morphs) but here we are and I love her so she's staying!! LOL:freakedout:

[AppleLovesCelly]

Wow! I'm so glad you gave him a warm happy home :) Sadly, when I first got mine he was at a local petshop who usually take good care of their reptiles but he was so freakin' cold the last time I went to visit and debate whether to get him he hung around my neck and I pulled my hoodie over him so he'd stay warm. We bought him that night and took him and a nice hot lamp and large tank home too. :( makes me sad to see people keeping snakes so cold. it's not like they can snuggle under a blanket and make their own heat

And yup, lil feetsies. I know on my little man they're a little sensitive if they snag on like my shirt or something so I try to not touch em.