Used tank for ball python

Solid Snake · 05-15-03, 10:21 PM

Ok, i'm giving my California King snake to my friend because he loves that little guy so much(so do i). Now with the 40 Gallon tank. Theres still astro(sp?) bedding in there but i looked for poop and took'em all out. Is it ok just to place my Ball python in there once i get it? Or will he smell my old snake body odour(my king didnt smell) sent? Should i remove everything and wash all the vines, hiding rocks etc...

Thanks alot, i want my Ball Python to be happy when i get him, notice my other post saying i want one, well tommorrow i'm going there and i'm going to check it out first before i buy. What should i ask the pet store keeper about the ball python.

Thx in advance.

marisa · 05-15-03, 10:42 PM

You should definitly clean the entire tank, and get 100% new substrate/flooring. You don't want your new snake on the old stuff. Period.

Pet stores are really bad to buy BPs from specifically. But since you seem to be anyways you should ask to watch it eat. If this means waiting a few days and then going in to see on feeding day, then wait. You will be very upset and dissapointed to have to deal with a 6 month fast right after getting a non-eating snake. Check for mites and ticks. Any fluid near the mouth and nose.

Ask when it was hatched....obviously ask if it is CAPTIVE bred...make sure you make them know you won't buy unless its captive bred. Not a wild caught.

Good luck
Marisa

Solid Snake · 05-15-03, 11:06 PM

i dont understand, how can a pet store be a bad place to purchase a snake?? i've purchased about 4 kings/milks/corns from the same place...

well if i do ask those quetions and they say "don't know" i'm not going to guy, i usually like talking to the managers or the people who are specialised in the reptile section.

marisa · 05-15-03, 11:13 PM

How can a pet store be a bad place? Its almost the WORST place to buy a snake! Hardly anyone on the site out of all these keepers will encourage a pet store purchase.

Some pet stores are good. Most suck. And considering Ball Pythons are mass exported, and pet stores pick them up cheaper that way, they usually sell WC. It's nice you have gotten lucky with your other snakes but colubrids are bred in high numbers and are more likely to be from a breeder, also even if they are WC they are easier to acclimate to being captives than a Ball Python.

With Ball Pythons who can live 40 years, and are shy feeders to begin with (some) you want to start out the best you can. You can buy a pet store BP hoping to have such good luck as your other pet store snakes but the chance of having a ball that won't eat for months, needs vet attention (fecals and such) are high. Quite high from a pet store.

If they say they "don't know" the answers to simple questions than that should tell you something about that store. A good reptile specific pet store knows more about the snakes normally than the buyer (or should) and can answer ALL your questions, or will get the answer for you. If the pet store employees there have no answers, its up to you to decide if you want to take the risk of getting a "mystery" snake with god knows what hidden illness or problems. With a breeder you can be assured you have help even after the purchase mostly, the snake will be eating, healthy and CB....not ripped out of the wild and flown over here in a box with 150 other equally unlucky and possibly ill snakes.

In the long run we all want to buy what we want right away, but I learned the hard way and maybe you will too....buying "mystery" snakes from ho-hum quality pet stores is never a good idea.

Marisa

Solid Snake · 05-16-03, 12:01 AM

thanks.

do u have more quetions i should ask?

What i'm going to do is call the store up in the morning and ask while i read the quetions u give me.

and thanks so much, i know a bit more now

marisa · 05-16-03, 12:17 AM

hmmm well if I was you I would ask:

1. Is the Ball python CB or WC.
2. Is the Ball Python eating? Can I see it eat before purchasing?

And just make sure the ball pythons are housed in clean, proper conditions, have no mites or ticks, look relatively healthy...

marisa

killaclown · 05-16-03, 12:41 AM

I buy mine out of a pet store that only sells herps is that ok?

ThEmAdHaTtEr · 05-16-03, 07:30 AM

The best way to buy a snake is from a breeder. A good one. Go to a Herp Show when one comes around and there will be plenty of Ball Pythons straight from the breeder. www.bobclark.com or www.lllreptile.com (even tho ive eard lllreptile is known to send mites). Good luck in finding a Ball Python.

SD-SNAKE · 05-16-03, 10:19 AM

pet stores good or bad? i would go with not experienced with snakes. most pet store have a reptiles section but most employees would not like to deal with them. put it this way the other day i went to pet co and got some lights and a water bowl when i was there this worker was trying to grab a baby central american boa that had gotten out with a fish net. I saw it and simply reached up and grabbed it with my hand. They were like your not affraid your going to get bit. I told them i own 10+ snakes and bites happen but not that often. My point is(there is one) that in some pet stores have reptiles that are taken care of by people that dont care for them. So they are going to put little effort in knowing or understanding the reptiles that we all love. P.S. LLLreptiles sucks im from southern cali have been to there stores and was not happy with the way the people handled them selves or ran the store. the only thing they have are vision cages

marisa · 05-16-03, 01:43 PM

Um why anyone would want to buy a snake from a pet store that doesn't know what they are doing is beyond me. I am not sure I understand your post....

But put it this way, REAL herpers, people who are REALLY into snakes, don't want pet store quality animals. Not even for pets. Period. They are low quality, parasite ridden in some cases, and it plain "being cheap" to not buy a A+ speciemen from a top breeder.

Marisa

Sparda · 05-16-03, 02:04 PM

Hi I am fairly new to this forum and snakes period. I have only been keeping snakes for 5 months now and I would never ever buy any animal from a pet store ( except maybe feeder mice). The reptile shows are the best place, because you don't have to pay shipping, so if there is one near you soon I would head there. I just purchased my 2nd BP from a show for $35 (Regal Reptiles) and I know that pet stores charge way more than that, besides not knowing much on how to care for their reptiles. Their dogs are usually from puppy factorys, and who knows where they get their other animals. Try a reptile show, or look online for breeders. you can go to ************** and check their classifieds.

killaclown · 05-16-03, 02:37 PM

Duh nobody should every buy a animal from petco petsmart(even thow i buy my cages for real cheap there)because they are run by coprate people you realy think they know anything about herps. The pet store i go to are family own and operated and they care about there animals and customers when i was like 11 and i didnt know how to take the caps of my balls eyes they took out time to teach me thats why trust them and there animals

River side county Cali .

Lisa · 05-16-03, 08:41 PM

We got our first ball python from a pet store(reptilia), and would buy another from them no problem.

drewlowe · 05-16-03, 09:13 PM

any time you put a new reptile in a cage it should be cleaned out first even if your using it for the same species.

Pet stores are HORRIBLE specially PET CO you wanna hear a horror story from the pet co in my area. makes you mad they even sell animals.
I went there one day to pick up supplies and you know take a look at their reptiles. And what did i find 2 baby boas with unhindged jaws still in the cage for sell. a dead savana monitor, and maggots in the ferret poop. I asked to speak with the manager. Told her she need to take the boas to a vet and that the monitor was dead and about the ferret poo. She was so mad that i brought it to her attention but she said, she would fix the situation. We also exchanged a few words but i wont mention that here. I went back a week later and the boas were gone but the dead monitor was still there in the same exact place. I walked out and have never been back.

blito · 05-17-03, 09:20 AM

I think a general rule of thumb is to study the store and its livestock very carefully and be rather judgemental and cynical from the moment you walk in. I`m lucky that there is a small repitile specialist just a few miles from my own house.. his stock is first class (although not cheap) and he knows what he`s doing. Not so convinced about his aquarium gear or his rodents but from a herpers point of view its a good shop.
I got plenty of good advice from there when i bought my corn... best advice was to buy a corn and not a royal python (bp to the americans out there) as his RP`s were all "assist" feeders and would need rather more attention to keep succesfully.
I get my feed from him every week (buy it as i need it) and he always likes to know how his baby is getting on LOL
so there are good stores and bad stores... if you visit this site then i think you probably know how to tell which is which already