Alli_Draggy
Wadjet's family
Specifically, to rescue homeschool moms from the pet snakes their kids leave with them when they go off to college. There's a ball python currently available, and I'm really, really tempted....
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I'm starting to feel like a rescue...
- Thread starter Alli_Draggy
- Start date
Chip
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒ&
I made a rule that I won't take in anything that needs larger food than adult mice. That may or may not matter to you, just food for thought. I'd say if what you *want* is up for "rescue," then jump on it. If it isn't exactly what you want, steer far clear. I have an awful lot of special needs snakes that I feed and clean every week that I will never breed or "use" in any way, you'll probably want to avoid a similar collection!
Alli_Draggy
Wadjet's family
This is apparently a fairly old snake (his current owner has had him for 11 years, and he was an adult when they got him (and was a similar situation, where a child had gotten a snake at age 10-11 and rehomed it when in college), so it's likely he's 20 or close to it. Which does make me really want to give this poor old guy his forever home. Especially since he's described as being a "sit and hang out with you" snake, which is something that Wadjet isn't.
Alli_Draggy
Wadjet's family
Is there anything extra/special I need to know about setting up for a geriatric snake? Based on what the current owner has said, he really needs a new viv (according to her, this full-grown Ball python is in a 10 gallon tank!), and I'm planning to move him to something more like Wadjet has (she's in a 40 gal exoterra), with UTH on both ends) and lots of hiding places, but I'm wondering if I need to do anything special because of his age. I'm a little worried about scaring him half to death if I change his home too much, but I can't imagine a 4+ foot ball python in a 10 gallon tank having enough room to hide and feel secure.
I've found a couple of articles online that suggest that older reptiles benefit from more ground cover and slightly higher temperatures than younger ones, but they're focusing on lizards, not snakes.
I've found a couple of articles online that suggest that older reptiles benefit from more ground cover and slightly higher temperatures than younger ones, but they're focusing on lizards, not snakes.
daddio207
THUG FROG !
Chip brought up a good point. What is it eating ? If it is on adult rats live only and if so are you going to be ok with that ? Unlike corns and other colubrids that convert easily to FT, ball pythons tend to stick with a single food item especially older ones.
Ball pythons can be the most frustrating snake to take care of especially in a viv. Racks offer them security and better control of their environment due to their higher heat and humidity requirements. My viewpoint is skewed a bit do to the fact I live in Maine were it's harder to control those factors in a viv. I've owned and own dozen's of species of colubrids, boas and balls over decades and it's always the balls the needed the most care.
They can stop eating for no apparent reason. After eating FT for years they could all the sudden prefer live. They can shed in one piece and next time in pieces or end up with a stuck shed with no change in their environment. :headbang:
My daughters personal pet ball python was the most passive snake ever then one day it just started biting everything in site. A couple of weeks later it was back to it's sweet self.
Some Balls will lay in their water bowls to the point of developing water blisters. Hides can't have bottoms because some will urinate and lay in it causing urine burns.
Normally I would say there is always a reason for all the before mentioned problems with any snake but not with balls LOL !!
Ball pythons are the most bred snake with a huge following and that in itself gives the impression they are a low maintenance reptile.
I'm just giving a little "food for thought". Taking care of that Ball might be a breeze but be prepared to give it the additional attention it deserves
I think giving the Ball a forever home is very commendable !
Ball pythons can be the most frustrating snake to take care of especially in a viv. Racks offer them security and better control of their environment due to their higher heat and humidity requirements. My viewpoint is skewed a bit do to the fact I live in Maine were it's harder to control those factors in a viv. I've owned and own dozen's of species of colubrids, boas and balls over decades and it's always the balls the needed the most care.
They can stop eating for no apparent reason. After eating FT for years they could all the sudden prefer live. They can shed in one piece and next time in pieces or end up with a stuck shed with no change in their environment. :headbang:
My daughters personal pet ball python was the most passive snake ever then one day it just started biting everything in site. A couple of weeks later it was back to it's sweet self.
Some Balls will lay in their water bowls to the point of developing water blisters. Hides can't have bottoms because some will urinate and lay in it causing urine burns.
Normally I would say there is always a reason for all the before mentioned problems with any snake but not with balls LOL !!
Ball pythons are the most bred snake with a huge following and that in itself gives the impression they are a low maintenance reptile.
I'm just giving a little "food for thought". Taking care of that Ball might be a breeze but be prepared to give it the additional attention it deserves
I think giving the Ball a forever home is very commendable !
Alli_Draggy
Wadjet's family
He supposedly is on frozen-thawed rats, but is picky about size (he often will refuse a rat that was the same size he took the prior feed, but will accept a smaller one, so it's hard to predict what he'll take) and sometimes will go weeks or even a couple of months without eating, especially in winter. Humidity concerns me, because it gets dry here in winter (it's usually pretty humid in the warm months) as does heat.
daddio207
THUG FROG !
Yeah, I have walked away from some great deals on BP's !! Just can't bring myself to deal with them again. Just dealing with my daughters problems with her BP collection keeps reminding me not too.....
I built her a rack system and that cured most of the issues with shedding, feeding etc.
And another good point on the rats especially if your buying at the local pet store for five or six bucks each.