grapenuts wrote:Im going to my states reptile/snake breeder expo next month on the 17th and I'm looking to get my first snake!
Who knows if I'll purchase one then, but I've heard its a good place to purchase snakes, as they come from quality breeders and they're often sold for lower prices at expos! Is this true?
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I'm also looking for a beginner snake and I'm soooo fascinated by ball pythons and ball python morphs.
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I'm looking for more information on them, and possibly some experiences/tips with them?
I know a lot but I would also like some stuff from people that have actually owned a bp or bp morph! :D
(Long post oops I swear I didn't mean to go on a huge tangent!)
Expos are good for buying snakes, they are usually cheaper, but the breeders aren't always quality. But the good thing about expos is you can see the animals in person, see if they're healthy, ask questions in person, etc. You can also stand to the side (or across the room if you don't want to feel awkward like me LOL) and look up the breeder on your phone.
As for a beginner snake, ball pythons typically aren't recommended. They don't require extreme husbandry like some snakes and their size is manageable, but they are
very sensitive to their environment. So sometimes even just a few degrees off of the ideal temperature, too much open space, too much handling, a feeder that's too cold, etc. can all make a ball python go off feed. Once you've had a snake, you already have the experience and knowledge to know "doing XYZ will help raise the humidity" or "doing this or this will make the food more appealing", etc. but as a beginner, you have to do some trial and error to figure out how to fix something. Sometimes this can just make it worse for ball pythons (for example, if they're off feed, you don't want to keep trying every other day because too many failed feeding attempts can stress them out even more).
However, I'll play the devil's advocate and say that... I would rather someone get the snake they're interested in and dedicated toward rather than going for the most commonly cited beginner snake that they're going to have for 10+ years only to use it as a "stepping stone" in experience. And I speak from experience that I know even being told "don't get a ball python, they're not good beginner snakes", most people who have their minds set on it will do it anyway (like myself). I would still say go for corn snake if you're open to it (they have some cool morphs like palmettos or scaleless, which are much less expensive in corn snakes than in ball pythons!), but if you really just think you're going to get that snake, not love it, and may even only have it for a year or two, then at least take your time on researching ball pythons (don't rush it!).
My three biggest, overall tips:
1) no matter what snake you get, do LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of research. Don't assume that all your research is enough! Think of any problems you can encounter, do research, learn from other's mistakes, know how to fix it if it happens, know how to avoid it if at all possible. This definitely isn't a "I spent 10hrs on the computer today researching, and I'm prepared for a ball python" situation. I would definitely make sure you're still researching and still interested MONTHS later. Most snakes, specifically ball pythons in this case, live for 20+ years (some bps have been known to be 40yrs+, the oldest one being almost 50 years old!). That's all the way from diapers through college to owning your own house, getting married, and having children! If in a few months you find yourself losing interest, chances are you're not going to be interested in that snake 20 years from now. So take your time. Also don't just take "any" research and "any" advice. Look for the best. If you're not sure about something that one care sheet/person says, or two people conflict on their opinion, take it to another person/community and ask about it!
2) Get involved in multiple communities! This seems obvious, but if you ever encounter a problem, the first thing you're going to do is probably look up the issue and how to fix it. But just because someone is part of a community doesn't mean they give good and/or knowledgeable advice. Some communities are not open to other methods of keeping, some will shame/attack people for not taking their advice. I know of one community that will outright remove/ban people that disagree with them. Not all communities are great. So join a lot, get involved, figure out which ones you trust to be friendly and knowledgeable.
3) MOST importantly: don't be afraid to ask questions and be open to criticism. Even with all your research, no one expects anyone to be perfect or do perfect on their first try. Heck, I did research for at least half a year, got involved in 30+ communities, asked questions, got myself a sort of "mentor", and I still had trouble fixing the problems I completely expected I would have. Just know that no one is trying to attack you if you make a mistake, but when it comes down to it, your animal's welfare should mean more than your pride.
ANYWAY. There's too much to just tell you our experiences or give "more information" (I have no idea what you've researched, what you've learned, what you consider "good" or "bad", etc.), and tips--aside from the above--can... be about anything. If you have a specific question/set of questions, that would be a better place to start.
-fireflii
