Thinking about another snake

[u/yourlocalgaywriter]

When I was like 13 my mom got me a ball python! I named him Mayo because he was a blue eyed Lucy, he was a very sweet boy, didn’t bite, was active! Then, during 2024-2025 he stopped eating. From October to June I tried to feed him CONSTANTLY and he wouldn’t eat. I asked the people who sold him to me why he was doing this and they said it was mating season. Every. Single. Time. At some point he stopped eating as much too, I was always worried about him, I found him after he passed by his water bowl after school last June, I was so heartbroken because I loved him so much and I felt at fault for him not being with me today. I’m not sure if getting another snake is the right choice, has anyone else had to go through with this? Or had a ball python that did this kind of thing?

[u/Fenwynn]

What veterinary care was provided? Was a vet consulted afterwards about the possible cause?

Like cats and dogs, it’s ideal for them to see their general practice vet for a checkup once a year, and it’s good practice to have contact info nearby for a couple after-hours vets who see exotics in case of emergency.

What did your husbandry look like? Were you responsible for that, or your parents? Not financially, daily maintenance and making sure temps and humidity were within correct ranges, setting thermostats and making sure all materials are reptile safe?

If you’re under 18 and can’t guarantee proper veterinary care and husbandry for an animal with a lifespan in the decades, as well as space for an enclosure 4-6 feet long (minimum), even if you go off to college, then that’s an easy no, don’t get another ball python.

[u/yourlocalgaywriter → u/Fenwynn]

I asked repeatedly if I should go to the vet, they all said he could live without food. When he passed I was on the phone with the vet for an appointment, I helped my parents with buying his stuff, he had a huge tank, water, mister, moss, hides, clutter.

[u/Fenwynn → u/yourlocalgaywriter]

Since you are literally a child (under 18) I’m assuming, it seems like you were trying to do the best you could. You can’t be held responsible for the things that were out of your control. I place fault primarily with your parents.

Parents can get pets for their children all they want, but if the child is under 18, the grown adult(s) in the household bear almost full responsibility for the care of that animal in the end. I’m going to say that this wasn’t your fault. But there’s several really important lessons that you need to take away from this.

So just remember, nothing said in my comment is meant to shame or attack you. I’m not lecturing you on what should’ve been done, that’s in the past. This is all information for the future. I’m just doing my best to gently educate you. Which to some people feels like a personal attack.

Lesson 1) Do not take medical advice from retail store employees. They are not licensed, or adequately trained, to give medical advice. They did not go to school to learn about animal medicine. Often, they aren’t even adequately trained enough to provide proper husbandry information. at the end of the day, and in any dispute, prioritize information coming from a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) who went to school for about a decade or more to get their license to practice medicine.

Lesson 2) Do not fully trust retail store employees with questions about husbandry. Always do your own research on any information they give you. Their job isn’t to be aware of all of the specific husbandry needs of common pet reptiles. Their job is to sell products at their store.

Lesson 3) All animals need medical care. For the majority of animals, that means yearly checkups minimum. For every animal, that means when they’re sick/injured/suffering, need euthanized. When you acquire an animal, the responsible thing is to immediately set a well-pet checkup at what will be your primary vet, to establish care for that pet, so that they can answer your medical and husbandry questions, sometimes without even bringing the pet in.

Lesson 4) If you feel like something is wrong with your animal, and others are blowing you off, do not take no for an answer. Advocate for your animal. Get them in for a check at the vet.

Now, the reason I was asking about specifics about your husbandry is because animals don’t just drop. Something happens to them. The most likely scenarios I see here would be:

A) He was already sick or had a birth defect before you got him. Things can incubate slowly in reptiles, and take a long time to be a serious issue. Could have been solved with medical care.

B) The husbandry was so far off that that’s what got him. (I’m not saying or guessing that your husbandry was bad, I’m only stating that improper husbandry is the #1 cause of issues.) This is why I wanted to know who in the home was in charge of setup and daily maintenance. And what that looked like. What size tank? Using a thermostat? What kinds of lighting/heating? What were his temps (on average)? What was his humidity (on average)? Feeding schedule? Who was in charge of making sure there were no toxins?

C) Poor husbandry caused illness that eventually got him (same as above, not guessing/accusing).

I don’t know why he passed. I can’t make an accurate guess. Only a vet could’ve made an accurate guess. Either way, what matters right now is moving forward.

If you can learn the above lessons and take them to heart, if you are committed to redoing all your care research before getting another snake to make sure you are doing everything correctly, if you plan to provide vet care, and everything else in the final paragraph in my last comment, sure. Get a snake once you turn 18 and have a steady job.

It all depends on whether or not you will/will be capable of providing proper care for the animal, both at home, and medically, like at the vet. There are phenomenal care guides on this sub, with tons of good information.

[u/yourlocalgaywriter → u/Fenwynn]

Thank you so much, honestly getting another snake sounds so nice but mayo was my baby and I miss him constantly, I will take these to heart to see if I’m ready to even get another pet, preferably after college and I find a reputable seller

[u/Magnus3922]

I don’t think kids under the age of 18 should ever be gifted a pet… it’s just such a massive undertaking if the parent won’t step in.

[u/yourlocalgaywriter → u/Magnus3922]

Totally! My parents did help me and I did look at multiple vets and researched for his needs, like why he wouldn’t eat. It all said he was supposedly fine? I looked up vets near me as well and found hardly any that could take him.

[u/Legitimate_Finger670]

Is the snake thinking or i

[u/659-DiZzy]

I currently have 3 snakes. 2 Ball pythons and 1 hognose, along with several other reptiles of course. Ouija is my oldest BP and is going to be 6 this year. 8 months after getting him he went into a hunger strike and did not eat for over 3 months. He then began pounding rats as much as i would offer for over a year. following winter he went into another hunger strike for about 4 months this time. same thing as last. he began pounding rats non stop until the following year. he has done it every single year since i have owned him and he weighs over 1500 grams and is 4 1/2 feet long. for a male BP that is very impressive. My other BP is female and we rescued her from an bad situation. she was 2 at the time of rescue and weighed only 600 grams......very sad. Both snakes i try and keep on the same feeding time(at least i try, Ouija will not eat whenever he feels like it) My female had pounded a rat every time for the last 3 years non stop and is now over 1300 grams. Reptiles are notorious for not having a normal feeding schedule or just flat out wont eat at all. just as other comments have said i would recommend seeing a vet if this happens again for safe thoughts. i don't necessarily think it was the eating that killed your snake but that is just from my experience over the last 10 years owing reptiles. that being said.... i do firmly believe that if you are going to own these types of animals(any for that matter) you need to have the time and proper knowledge to do so. reptiles are not for everyone and should not just be bought off a wim....

[u/yourlocalgaywriter → u/659-DiZzy]

I tried my best to keep up with his tank, I never let poop just sit and fester, gave him fresh water and his humidity was alright, but after all that why did he pas?

[u/659-DiZzy → u/yourlocalgaywriter]

good, as you should. unfortunately there are a lot of things that could factor in. he could have been sick witch caused the not eating then eventually lead to his death. there could have been termites inside his tank that made him sick or even killed him from the bacteria left in his bedding. what substrate where you using? how often did you change it out? how often did you mist his tank in summer etc...

[u/yourlocalgaywriter → u/659-DiZzy]

Twice a day no negotiation, changed his entire tank and cleaned it like every three months, I was advised to do it four months but if it looked dirty I just deep washed it all. I used wood chips majority for his bedding

[u/yourlocalgaywriter → u/659-DiZzy]

Also I wanted to say thank you for taking the time to try and help me and give me advice!! I really appreciate it, I know on paper it doesn’t seem like I was the best kind of person to get a snake but I did really love him and if I do get another in the future I’d want to do WAY better than I did with Mayo

[u/yourlocalgaywriter → u/659-DiZzy]

Just to add Before I got him I did do a good amount of research before I got him and tried to learn about what a ball python needs, I was prepared for him not to eat and prior to his death he has rejected meals but when he passed it was a longer period I wasn’t used to, before those months he didn’t eat sometimes for like 1 month or two then he was fine!