Getting a new blood python

[dshin963]

So, heres the thing I am really attached to this red blood python they have at the local pet store. she is around 15 months old about 2 feet long but she looks in rough condition... her skin is very rough ( apparently she is just getting over mites) and had a really bad respiratory infection... i checked her out she seems like shes getting better but just in rough shape... hey eyes seem to be a little damaged as well... they almost look scratched... maybe retained caps... so my question is if i rescue her now whats the likelihood of getting her back to 100%? they seem to really want to get rid of her... willing to drop the price of her by $50-$100 depending.

[Lankyrob]

Personally i would put a deposit down and pick her up when it is 100% healthy. You can have no idea what issues it has until you buy it and take it to a vet and by then they could was their hands of any problems.

[dshin963]

True but I feel really bad for it... its only being fed a rat pup a week... and it needs much larger than that...
that being said it seem ok just seems like it needs time... ill get some pics next time I'm in and post them

[Jendee]

Blood are not easy keepers..its really really hard to get them back after a stint of bad care.

[Aaron_S]

I'll second what Jendee said.

I've found that bloods and short-tails who didn't get a good start in life usually don't do well.

I wouldn't feed it more than a rat pup a week. I was feeding my short-tail python just a rat pup when she was about 18 inches or so and a healthy robust size. You really have to watch these snakes weights as they are prone to being overfed by most keepers and becoming obese. This is a robust species, not obese.

Lastly, if it had an RI AND mites in a pet store what are you doing trying to support that pet store? Honestly, you need to NOT buy this animals purely so this bad store won't have more money to purchase even more animals and cause them to degrade into poor health.

[dshin963]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

I'll second what Jendee said.

I've found that bloods and short-tails who didn't get a good start in life usually don't do well.

I wouldn't feed it more than a rat pup a week. I was feeding my short-tail python just a rat pup when she was about 18 inches or so and a healthy robust size. You really have to watch these snakes weights as they are prone to being overfed by most keepers and becoming obese. This is a robust species, not obese.

Lastly, if it had an RI AND mites in a pet store what are you doing trying to support that pet store? Honestly, you need to NOT buy this animals purely so this bad store won't have more money to purchase even more animals and cause them to degrade into poor health.

I get what you mean its just i really feel bad for the Python and wanted to get it out of there... i really dont like major petstores... some of the small privately owned ones I can deal with... but majors ones irritate me...

[candyraver69]

My advice would be, if you are set on getting her, you need to go in knowing it may be a lost cause. Make sure and have lots of money set aside for vet bills. I can't tell you how many times I have been in a situation like this and felt the need to rescue the poor animal, most of the time they die anyways, and all you did was support the store that killed them by buying them. Not to mention the risks you put your current collection in by bringing home a sick snake.

I have adopted sick critters that turned out to be long lived loving pals, but that is not the usual case. I lost a rat just this weekend to terrible terrible RI, he was a pet store rat I just HAD to have, and tons of vet bills later, he still didn't make it. It's not a fun thing to go through.

It sounds like you already know you shouldn't get her but want to anyways. Maybe this will help. Think about how you could buy a healthy snake from somewhere, and keep that healthy snake from ending up in the hands of someone who would make it sick. You would be saving the healthy snake from poor care (someone terrible could buy it other than you), supporting a GOOD pet store or breeder with healthy animals, and in the end you get a much better chance of having a long lived healthy buddy.

[dshin963]

Originally Posted by candyraver69

My advice would be, if you are set on getting her, you need to go in knowing it may be a lost cause. Make sure and have lots of money set aside for vet bills. I can't tell you how many times I have been in a situation like this and felt the need to rescue the poor animal, most of the time they die anyways, and all you did was support the store that killed them by buying them. Not to mention the risks you put your current collection in by bringing home a sick snake.

I have adopted sick critters that turned out to be long lived loving pals, but that is not the usual case. I lost a rat just this weekend to terrible terrible RI, he was a pet store rat I just HAD to have, and tons of vet bills later, he still didn't make it. It's not a fun thing to go through.

It sounds like you already know you shouldn't get her but want to anyways. Maybe this will help. Think about how you could buy a healthy snake from somewhere, and keep that healthy snake from ending up in the hands of someone who would make it sick. You would be saving the healthy snake from poor care (someone terrible could buy it other than you), supporting a GOOD pet store or breeder with healthy animals, and in the end you get a much better chance of having a long lived healthy buddy.

You make a great point... I dont think I am going to pick her up... still feel bad for her... I went to see her again today and her skin feels soo loose... like shes underfed... however now I have another question...
I was reading up on bloods and from my understanding their care is very similar to that of a ball python, I was wondering if you feel a blood is appropriate for my SECOND snake... my current ball is doing great feeding almost instantly, still has a strong feed response and strike. I really feel that blood are beautiful amazing snakes and really want to get ahold of one. If you guys/ladies feel a blood is an adequate step up from a ball I am going to either pick one up from local breeders if they have any or I will wait until April for the Ontario Reptile Expo thanks you for the advice... still feel bad for her...

[Aaron_S]

I recommend getting a borneo short-tail python from Todd Peddle. My female was one of his and she was top notch! Very similar to blood pythons. Stay smaller too! Look up their care and if you do it right you'll be fine.

Key things are security, so hides, proper heat and humidity. It'll do fine. I used a mulch substrate with mine and she did well in it. Once she was about 30 inches she no longer needed a hide. I kept her on my ball rack in a tub. She had the best feeding response. I'm really missing her right now.

[dshin963]

Nice, Well my plan was a rubbermaid for this one. I wanted at least 2-3 inches of substrate, im not 100% sure how this is going to work with a UTH however...

I also kinda want a blood because of their size, I want to up my experience steadily.

Also I tried looking for a website for Todd Peddle count find one... do you have a link?

[Jendee]

Originally Posted by dshin963

Nice, Well my plan was a rubbermaid for this one. I wanted at least 2-3 inches of substrate, im not 100% sure how this is going to work with a UTH however...

I also kinda want a blood because of their size, I want to up my experience steadily.

Also I tried looking for a website for Todd Peddle count find one... do you have a link?

all mine are in rubber maids well not my 06 female shes a heifer lol I use UTH for my rubbermaids as well it works great

rubbermaids are great for security this is one of the upmost important thing for blood pythons!!


if you get this guy be sure to post pictures asap lol you should really go with getting a healthy animal though

[dshin963]

Originally Posted by Jendee

all mine are in rubber maids well not my 06 female shes a heifer lol I use UTH for my rubbermaids as well it works great

rubbermaids are great for security this is one of the upmost important thing for blood pythons!!


if you get this guy be sure to post pictures asap lol you should really go with getting a healthy animal though

I will absolutely have pics up ASAP
ummm what exactly do you mean security? as in they dont like being poked at basically?

also the UTH and rubbermaids you stick them to the bottom of the rubbermaid... does enough heat get through to get the hot spot to 90?

[Jendee]

Originally Posted by dshin963

I will absolutely have pics up ASAP
ummm what exactly do you mean security? as in they dont like being poked at basically?

also the UTH and rubbermaids you stick them to the bottom of the rubbermaid... does enough heat get through to get the hot spot to 90?

my babies especially have security issues, I actually have newspaper all the way up the sides of the tubs and then I put the substrate in the newspaper so they have like there own little "cave". plus a hide box. Ive had my bloods for a yr now. 2.2 of them were givin to me and I almost lost the babies at the beginning, they refused to eat. I had there set up alot like my boas :/ big mistake, no where near as confident as boas, in there cages or being held.
Sticking?? humm I dont know what your using. Mine doesnt stick on anything. The tubs just set on top of it, its a plastic sheet. Can you just not stick it and just place it under the tub?

[Aaron_S]

He doesn't have a site. PM me and I'll send you to the site where he lists his animals. Well when he has them for sale that is.

[dshin963]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

He doesn't have a site. PM me and I'll send you to the site where he lists his animals. Well when he has them for sale that is.

absolutely will do