outdoor snake pen - Page 2

mommanessy247 · 04-20-10, 03:39 AM

i wasnt intending to leave it outside unattended. i have abandoned that idea anyways so...yeah.

Will0W783 · 04-20-10, 08:49 AM

I know we all came down on you rather hard, and it's very exciting to get a new snake and you want to have all the fun things you can possibly think of, but really with ball pythons simpler is better. I hope you don't abandon this forum, because we really genuinely do want to help you, we just want to make sure you aren't adding too many variables that will make things harder than necessary for you. Honestly, I had more trouble getting my ball python reliably eating f/t and in a cage humidity/temperature that resulted in perfect sheds than I did getting my ETBs set up properly. Ball pythons are touted as great beginner snakes, but they really aren't, in my opinion. They tend to have bad sheds if things are not absolutely perfect, they are notoriously picky eaters and are quite susceptible to upper respiratory infections. My first ever snake was a 2-year-old "female" normal ball python who turned out to be a male. He's now around 7 years old and eating f/t medium rats and shedding perfectly, but it took me over a year to get everything perfect for him. They prefer smaller cages- I have him in a 3'x2' melamine cage and he's fine in there. He spends 90% of his time under his hide, unless there is food to be had...lol.
When I had him in a 55-gallon aquarium, about 6 months after I got him, he started having bad sheds and ended up with several stuck eyecaps- I was too green to notice until there were several built up and he was rubbing at them so hard one bled. He also would only ever eat two live white mice every other week, no more, no less and they had to be completely white or he wouldn't touch them. I had to go to the vet and several visits and $350 later, he shed again and got them off. I moved him out of my arid apartment and into my fiance's house in a 30-gallon breeder with half the screen covered with tinfoil and he started taking f/t and shedding better. A lot of the food pickiness can be alleviated if the environment is perfect, but ball pythons are really a pain in the butt. You are doing the right things by doing your research and asking questions and trying to learn now, before you get the snake, so you can have everything set up and ready for him when he arrives. Don't get discouraged, some people here may come across as terse and tough, but they are really only trying to help. It's hard when reading things online to know what someone's tone was meant to be. Try to take it as well-meaning advice and listen to people like Mykee and Citysnakes; they have a LOT of experience and have learned from it and can teach us a lot so we don't have to learn the hard way.

infernalis · 04-20-10, 11:21 AM

That was a nice thing to say Kim......

Will0W783 · 04-20-10, 12:53 PM

Well I know how hard it can be when you're just starting out and people come down on you like a ton of bricks; I've gotten mighty PO'd at people at times, but it IS hard to tell how someone meant something when you're reading it online. And it is very very easy to bite off more than you can chew when you're just starting out with snakes, especially BPs. They are deceptively calm and easy-going snakes and then, BAM, develop problems seemingly overnight. I've seen the train wrecks that result, but I also am new enough that I don't want to see anyone discouraged and hardened against asking for help and advice. It's hard to hear an idea you're really excited about shot down, but we do have to do what's best for the helpless animals in our care. I hope she is not too offended and that she takes it as simple well-meaning advice and comes back.

mykee · 04-20-10, 01:15 PM

I do apologize for how I come across to some people on forums, I tend to have a "way" about typing a thought out as opposed to when I am in person (ask Aaron), I'm just a wonderful, helpful, loveable teddy bear who is more than willing to piss way an entire afternoon chatting with someone about snakes.
I do get quite frustrated sometimes on the forums when I take the time to offer up a suggestion or allow someone else to maybe skip a few trial and errors to share what worked for me over the years.
It's one of the reasons I have limited my online forum time and posting over the last couple of months.

Quick story, I've been in the ball python game for over 11 years now and breeding for 8 seasons. It wasn't until two years ago that I finally built the BP racks (both adult and hatchlings ( the ones on my site)) that will be my forever design. Same deal with the rats; I recently built an entirely new design to the one that I have DIY'd on my website after 5 years for something that better suited my needs at this time.
I have spent tens of thousands of dollars on supplies, wood, bins, tanks, etc. in trial and error to get to where I am today where I feel, for me, everything runs like a nuclear clock.
If I can toss out a suggestion or hint that will save someone having to do it wrong, on their way to doing it right, I prefer to help out that way. God knows, I would have really appreciated it as I was coming up through the ranks.

**Aaron_S** · 04-20-10, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

I do apologize for how I come across to some people on forums, I tend to have a "way" about typing a thought out as opposed to when I am in person (ask Aaron), I'm just a wonderful, helpful, loveable teddy bear who is more than willing to piss way an entire afternoon chatting with someone about snakes.
I do get quite frustrated sometimes on the forums when I take the time to offer up a suggestion or allow someone else to maybe skip a few trial and errors to share what worked for me over the years.
It's one of the reasons I have limited my online forum time and posting over the last couple of months....

Hey! Don't drag me into this! Anyways I need to call you sometime in the next week or so. I didn't catch any locks between the two snakes by the way. There seemed to be interest from both parties though.

I would have to agree with Mykee's suggestion though. When I came back to this hobby I piggybacked off everyone else is hard work. Why should I make the same mistakes as other people when they already did it?

Someone once said fools learn from their own mistakes, wise people learn from others.

mykee · 04-20-10, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Hey! Don't drag me into this!

Fine.
Eff you then.

**Aaron_S** · 04-20-10, 02:37 PM

Now you've gone and done it! I'm upset and going to go talk smack about you on the BOI!

I really am. Go check there soon.

mykee · 04-20-10, 03:43 PM

Well I'll be!
I guess I should stop talking $hit about you then...
Thank you kindly Sir! (like I don't deserve all the accolades afforded to me..)

**Aaron_S** · 04-20-10, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mykee

Well I'll be!
I guess I should stop talking $hit about you then...
Thank you kindly Sir! (like I don't deserve all the accolades afforded to me..)

Back on topic... outdoor pens are a no-no.

Mykee is an a-ok guy! You can ask me

Will0W783 · 04-20-10, 05:41 PM

Hahaa, you guys are too much. I'd better watch my back, or you'll be talking smack about me before I know it...lol. I agree though with you both- why make the same mistakes other people already have if you can avoid it?

mykee · 04-20-10, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Hahaa, you guys are too much. I'd better watch my back, or you'll be talking smack about me before I know it...lol.

I can't speak for Aaron, but the reptile "community" where Aaron and I are, that's all there is is gossip, backstabbing and rumours. It's like a bunch of children at recess. It's a huge factor to why I no longer post to any of my old forums.

**Aaron_S** · 04-20-10, 07:48 PM

It's ok Mykee. No one really posts there anyways.

infernalis · 04-20-10, 08:09 PM

I know that one, I used to spend some time on a forum, It got so that every day there were threads debating religion, politics, do you like me, I don't like you, Liar liar pants on fire.... that kind of crap.

I hardly pop in there anymore, there's no useful threads to post in.

mommanessy247 · 04-21-10, 04:04 AM

i will apologize too for some of my reactions. i may have overreacted. due to the fact that im sick, im not as level headed as i usually am. i may have also seen a certain "tone" in what mykee was saying.
i was asked to not post anymore questions so i dont intend to, but i will be checking up on the current ones i have going.