Samantha Walters / A&S Reptiles

Ball pythons are known for being picky eaters, yes. But Brandy just publicly admitted her and Tom "fixed my basket case". But Dan is saying she still hasn't eaten. One of the parties is lying now. I saved the screen shot. So either Tom did treat her and Dan's setup messed her up again or they are lying. I really would like to know his setup.

As for mine. When the snake was in my posession I had a heated room. Probably an average 100sq foot room. It was pretty difficult to keep heated. Now my snakes are in a 25-30sq foot walk in closet with an actual door. Ever since then my mojave female has been slamming rats and my males are eating WHILE breeding. The mojave went from eating twice a month about to immediately after a male gets pulled from her tub. It has changed them dramatically. They wanted and needed that extra heat. So Dan should change his. Maybe back heat instead of belly heat and vice versa. Just an opinion from personal experince. This bickering can go on but if the snake's still refusing, it's worthless.

Originally Posted by ApexPredatorBoids

Very convenient that the feeding card has come up missing.

Funny that it's been a year. He lives two hours from me. I texted him when I realized I had forgotten to give him the feed card (this was before we made copies and gave them to customers. We learned) and he said it's cool, he didn't need it. So I tossed it. Lesson learned. But when a customer tells me he doesn't want it and I've never had a problem, I threw it away not needing it. Now we make hard and digital copies and give the customers the original copy while the snake was with us.

Dan I have quite a bit of experience with ball pythons. Even those that are great feeders will eventually go off of feed for various reasons. Hunger strikes are a big part of being a ball python owner. Those ball pythons that never go off feed are exceptions to the rule.

However, the whole thing with the ball python losing 1000 grams doesn't really strike me as plausible, even with parasites. I don't actually believe that the snake ever went through such a severe weight fluctuation. I think it was an exaggeration or an outright lie.

Originally Posted by meowmeowkazoo

Dan I have quite a bit of experience with ball pythons. Even those that are great feeders will eventually go off of feed for various reasons. Hunger strikes are a big part of being a ball python owner. Those ball pythons that never go off feed are exceptions to the rule.

However, the whole thing with the ball python losing 1000 grams doesn't really strike me as plausible, even with parasites. I don't actually believe that the snake ever went through such a severe weight fluctuation. I think it was an exaggeration or an outright lie.

ABSOLUTELY agree and understand that ball pythons are finicky eaters and can go off of feed, I've had one go off for a month and then back on and off and back on for no reason, I know it can happen.. thing about Sam's girl is that it went on a lot longer than a couple months and I had been in contact with her for the most part diligently throughout the entire time asking for help/resources on how to get it better.. always to no avail and some quick response about habitat, setups, etc. The part where this thread became less about the fact that it was a picky eater was when Sam started disclosing issues with the snake that she had never let us know in the first place, most of which all didn't add together and seemed a little too.. outlandish? .. and I agree I think a 1000g gram loss in one month and regain in 5 is very much an exaggeration or a lie.. the bigger part of that is the fact that for MANY pages Samantha was questioned about it and never seemed to help anyone make heads or tails of it.. instead focusing on the IDEA that she was an angel and nothing could possibly be wrong with the animal.

Now in regards to Samantha, I thought you were done with this last night? whats with all the calling out and stuff? let me put your mind to ease little girl, 1.) I came on here and replied.. because unlike you (apparently) I would rather not see my name in flames anywhere, especially for things that carry no weight to them at all. 2.) YOU my dear with your education yada yada that you seemed to want to rub in everyone's face last night, should read a little closer as I clearly on page 22 or 23, I can go back and screen shot that for you if you can't seem to find your way around your own BOI.. ANYWAYS, I clearly stated that "The snake is still a finicky eater..." oh and ALSO "however we have managed to get a couple pups in her belly...", so please.. Samantha before you keep trying to turn everyone off topic and off the fact that you're in ability to act like a mature person in this thread, recheck your facts before you start posting nonsense all over ANY FORUM that you intend to post on.. SAM PAY ATTENTION.. so far the majority of THIS BOI has been filled with your inability to get facts straight, take a minute to remember what everyone's parents hopefully taught them when they were kids and that is to "think before you speak" (or in this case post), I have no need to sit here and spend what little time I have with my family in the evenings after working all day to come home and try to remind you of things that you can clearly see if you would just look. As for my setup's never being questioned?.. Last I checked.. you did quite a lot actually, heck even Tom did before he came over and helped me as a friend, my setup's have constantly been upgraded as we can afford to get the best we can for our animals. As I am not a self proclaimed breeder... EVER, my setup is pretty amazing for a hobbyist just trying to get things going and no Sam, they are not setup on the floor in stacks with a space heater.

Originally Posted by A&S Reptiles

Ball pythons are known for being picky eaters, yes. But Brandy just publicly admitted her and Tom "fixed my basket case". But Dan is saying she still hasn't eaten.

He is? This recent post seems to tell a very different story than what you'd have us believe. From Dan's own post:

Originally Posted by shiacolyte

3.) The snake is still a very finicky eater, everything FAR BEYOND fine (the way you sold her? seriously.. I'm pretty sure you made it apparent to everyone reading this that your sell of this girl was everything far from perfectly healthy and amazing).. however we have managed to get a couple pups in her belly

Despite your apparent need to divert attention on to the Pecanics, their involvement is tangential, and does nothing to negate your own extremely high degree of culpabililty for this situation.

Originally Posted by A&S Reptiles

So either Tom did treat her and Dan's setup messed her up again or they are lying. I really would like to know his setup.

As you once stated:

Originally Posted by A&S Reptiles

...Over those 5 months I didn't considering her "feeding" because she had a rat here and there. That's not feeding in my opinion.

You're awfully willing to abandon your own ideas when it suits your needs. Even if Tom did manage to get it to take a meal, that doesn't equate to it being "fixed", no matter what Tom may choose to say. Again, you didn't sell Tom the basket case snake, you sold it to Dan.

Originally Posted by meowmeowkazoo

However, the whole thing with the ball python losing 1000 grams doesn't really strike me as plausible, even with parasites. I don't actually believe that the snake ever went through such a severe weight fluctuation. I think it was an exaggeration or an outright lie.

Quite possibly. Either way, it's pretty damning for A&S, as far as credibility is concerned. If it did actually happen, she's wrong for not having disclosed it. If it didn't, you gotta wonder what kinda person even thinks up something like that, and what she'd hoped to accomplish by saying it. Even without everything else that she's said, that alone would make it extremely hard for me to take her word very seriously.

P.S. Sam if you are so gungho finally about paying for things, follow the advice of other members here, prepay for Funk since you're all of a sudden now so willing, if she comes back clean bill of health I will retract publicly ANY POST I HAVE WHERE I HAVE SAID SHE WAS FULL OF PARASITES, however as I'm sure I'm not mistaken there won't be many .. if she does require more treatment for any situation, I'm certain that you would be willing to take care of that seeing as you are so willing to get her seen now. However said your call.

First off, please do not call me little girl. Tom and Brandy do it and I hate being talked down to. I may have an attitude but I do not call you little boy.

Pups in her belly? What does she weigh? She's a breeder sized female and you think pups are helping her? It give sher nutrition for maybe 24-48 hours and it's all gone. Pups aren't doing crap for her.

Why would I lie about her weight loss? I must be pretty fricken stupid to make that up. It makes me look bad.. whatever. Think what you want. But let me ask you all this: when you buy a snake, do you get their whole back story? Does a breeder tell you they had a twisted umbilicus when you buy it? No! Because it's eating. She ate three times, in a row, not refusing before I sold her. Same stipulations to feeding apply to babies and adults. Three feedings. She also weighed more when I sold her to Dan than when I got her.

Dan, you asked me once about her feeding habits 1-2 months after sale. I told you to feed smaller. You also told me you were going to start "force feeding" your 900 gram male because he lost 80 grams since you got him. I advised you not to because he's a big snake and 80 grams in nothing on a 900 gram snake. But you said "force feeding". I'll take a screen shot if needed. That showed you were still learning and hardly knew how to properly help a picky ball.

I did and do not call any ball a FEEDING ball when they eat every now and then. How would you like to inquire on a snake that says "feeding pin male.." and it turns out it eats like once a month. Hence why I NEVER called her feeding until she has the three in a row.

Lastly, stop bashing on my setup. It WORKS! My breeding snakes and my grow ups eat. They all eat but one dinker male I'm babysitting for my brother. Probably because he smells the breeding females as he is more than mature enough to breed. Serpents Den, along with several other large and experinced breeders, use ambient heat. You do you, and I'll do me. Funny thing is my stuff works. But hey, keep upgrading as it's definitely working. You had TWO picky eaters at the same time. Again I can't stress enough.. SETUPS.

Originally Posted by A&S Reptiles

First off, please do not call me little girl. Tom and Brandy do it and I hate being talked down to. I may have an attitude but I do not call you little boy.

Pups in her belly? What does she weigh? She's a breeder sized female and you think pups are helping her? It give sher nutrition for maybe 24-48 hours and it's all gone. Pups aren't doing crap for her.

Why would I lie about her weight loss? I must be pretty fricken stupid to make that up. It makes me look bad.. whatever. Think what you want. But let me ask you all this: when you buy a snake, do you get their whole back story? Does a breeder tell you they had a twisted umbilicus when you buy it? No! Because it's eating. She ate three times, in a row, not refusing before I sold her. Same stipulations to feeding apply to babies and adults. Three feedings. She also weighed more when I sold her to Dan than when I got her.

Dan, you asked me once about her feeding habits 1-2 months after sale. I told you to feed smaller. You also told me you were going to start "force feeding" your 900 gram male because he lost 80 grams since you got him. I advised you not to because he's a big snake and 80 grams in nothing on a 900 gram snake. But you said "force feeding". I'll take a screen shot if needed. That showed you were still learning and hardly knew how to properly help a picky ball.

I did and do not call any ball a FEEDING ball when they eat every now and then. How would you like to inquire on a snake that says "feeding pin male.." and it turns out it eats like once a month. Hence why I NEVER called her feeding until she has the three in a row.

Lastly, stop bashing on my setup. It WORKS! My breeding snakes and my grow ups eat. They all eat but one dinker male I'm babysitting for my brother. Probably because he smells the breeding females as he is more than mature enough to breed. Serpents Den, along with several other large and experinced breeders, use ambient heat. You do you, and I'll do me. Funny thing is my stuff works. But hey, keep upgrading as it's definitely working. You had TWO picky eaters at the same time. Again I can't stress enough.. SETUPS.

You honestly don't seem like a bad person or a bad reptile owner.

But there's really no way that a ball python could lose and then gain 1000 grams in such a short period of the time. There's just no explanation for that. Losing a few hundred grams over a period of months is reason for concern, but the numbers you are giving make no sense at all.

Originally Posted by A&S Reptiles

Why would I lie about her weight loss? I must be pretty fricken stupid to make that up.... She ate three times, in a row, not refusing before I sold her. Same stipulations to feeding apply to babies and adults. Three feedings...I did and do not call any ball a FEEDING ball when they eat every now and then.

This concerns me a whole lot...hope you didn't pay for that nugget of wisdom. I couldn't, even digging deep into the depths of all sensible rationale, draw a comparison between a newly feeding hatchling and a large adult who has lost and regained 1,000 grams in the span of 6 months in terms of "feeding". Plain and simple Samantha, you pushed off a problem snake while being vague about any possible/probable issues a new owner may face.

Originally Posted by A&S Reptiles

It makes me look bad.. whatever.

Yes it does.

She gained it ALL BACK. I am not a vet nor do I claim to be. She came to me and wouldn't feed. I got her from a friend who I had gotten 5+ snakes from previously. I know it wasn't his fault. She lost weight, fed every so often and gained it all back. Several pages back someone pointed out my numbers may have been from a full weight to an empty weight, hence the jump. Since it's been a year I honestly cannot remember. Her weight when I got her was more than likely full or had something in her because she pooped a week or so later. I cannot explain her weight loss but through it all she never looked deathly skinny. She was slender, as any picky eater will look.

Sarah, I really try with my snakes. To the point where I'm failing school because I'm more focused on them. Which is why we are temporarily getting out. I cannot explain her weight loss. I really can't. But she gained it all back. I would not sell a snake that lost that weight and never fully regained it. She came to me at about 1500-1600 grams and I sold her at close to 2000.