Exotic Pets LV

[TheSuppishOne]

Anybody heard of these guys or had experiences with them?

I may just be grabbing their last Dumeril's, so I'd like to know.

Their Yelp reviews are atrocious... That's why I'm asking here.

[lady_bug87]

Try the BOI on fauna...

[valid]

I don't know that I have ever heard anything good about any online reptile store at any forum. Generally seeing the reptile first hand is best. I know I have found dumerils at almost every exotics store in my area. They are not that hard to find. Don't rush Into anything... Just because it is the LAST ONE. Online stores are kind of a crapshot - sometimes they are great, and sometimes the animal is half dead.

[KORBIN5895]

Okay you need to slow down. You are acting foolish. You just found out about dums five hours ago and you are seriously thinking of buying one from a nefarious source? Bad call.

If you want one Google Bob Clark reptiles. He has a nice looking one for a decent price.

[stephanbakir]

You bounce around more then a hooker... seriously.. take a minute, breath, do some ACTUAL research... and in a few months buy a snake. Till then, take your time and find the one thats actually right for you, and get it from a good breeder. Its the difference between getting an animal you're going to love for 25 years and getting an animal you'll be stuck with for 25 years.

[TheSuppishOne]

I can't say I'm surprised by these responses. And to be honest, you're right. I am being impatient. It's one of my weaknesses.

Seriously, thank you for the bit of criticism. May I speak with you honestly, though?

I'm going to go ahead and purchase the Dumeril's from Ken. People over at Fauna were defending him against the attacks made. The BOI section actually reassured me a bit compared to Yelp.

Let me say, also, that while from all of your frames of reference, I look like some weirdo freak that's making the biggest impulse buy of my life (though, I have had impulse buys that turned out to be amazing decisions), I have been interested in owning a snake for YEARS. I've done a bit of research here and there, but nothing ever too deep, because it never seemed feasible, and more in depth research was simply torturous to me in its futility. Now, the opportunity is perfect, and I cannot contain my excitement. Hence why I joined these forums. As a last hurrah to learn exactly what I'm looking for and what I need to do. (Also, I feel obliged to say that every time one of you gives me an answer, I go on Google and do a relentless amount of cross-compiling of info. I sometimes feel like those Bing commercials about search-overload.)

Now, I still think all your comments are completely valid, but I have to say that I'm throwing in the towel. I can't wait anymore. It's already been 3 excruciating years toying with this idea, and now it will finally come to fruition.

Here are the determining factors:

1. Many of you have recommended Dumeril's as an overall calm-tempered, easy feeding, moderate size snake.
2. Many OTHER forums and people have said the same. Almost verbatim.
3. I like the way they look and just as importantly, so does my wife.
4. I want a snake that is between 4 and 6 months old. Too young, and I feel that I am not experienced enough to rear/father such a dependent animal. Too old, and I won't feel like I am a legitimate part of the snake's life. Like I'm the step-dad.
5. I am only getting a male because Dumeril's are in the bigger range of what I want.
6. They are reasonably priced.

I could go on. Yes, I was only told about Dumeril's about two days ago. Since then, I had a day off where I spent literally 12 hours researching any and all snakes, plus 2 days that I woke up at 8am, ate breakfast, read about snakes, and went to work at 6pm. Those are only 10 hour research days. I've read about BRBs, Dumeril's, Carpets, Balls, Corns, Kings, Sand boas, Regular Boas and all the various subspecies... Again, I could go on.

Is this still a bit hasty? Most likely. But I'm at my limits here. I don't want to wait months and months to wait for something. I could, but I don't think I can because I have no desire to continue postponing in hopes that something better shows up, which it may not. We also have no guarantee that the little guy in Las Vegas isn't a wonderful snake.

I welcome further thoughts on this. I just wanted to try to assure you that I'm not some crazy-*** who is diving head-first into an empty pool. =P

[stephanbakir]

If you plan to go through with this hastily, we cant stop you.
That being said, I'd make sure that you have your cage and thermostat/heat/humidity figured out PRIOR to getting him. In his first week AVOID holding him at all costs. Keep him on white paper towel for 2 weeks with almost no decoration for quarantine purposes, helps check for mites etc.
After a week try and feed him and don't handle him til hes eaten at least once, and digested the meal...

[TheSuppishOne]

Will do. I actually told Ken that if I buy him, I cannot have him shipped here until I figure out temps and humidity and everything, so I'm right with you on that.

It will be tough as heck not holding him. But if you say so, I will oblige. You know better than I do.

White paper towels! THAT makes sense! Much more sense than computer paper, lmao...

Thank you as always. =]

[stephanbakir]

if you mist the base of the cage then put your paper down, your paper will "stick" to the floor better and be harder for the animal to move it around, but still easy to remove/clean.

[KORBIN5895]

I just realized who you are buying from. I have tried to purchase a snake from him twice. The first time he asked if he could call me back with a couple of answers and I never heard from him again. The second time I was calling back about the first snake. He said " I sold it yesterday that's why I didn't call you back". That would've been fine if I hadn't waited two weeks for his call before I called. He then tried to sell me another boa without paperwork and said I should trust him because he bought it local. I told him fine as long as he guaranteed the genetics himself which he refused to do because he didn't produce it.

[Terranaut]

Also buying the last one means all the others were better. Kinda like at the grocery store. If there were 30 watermellons on a stand the last one usually has a bruise or is small or something. Be more patient. You wated years to get a snake. A few more days won't hurt for a pet that will live twice as long as a dog. I would back up to question 1 and start over fresh.... what kind of snake do you actually want? And why?

[TheSuppishOne]

I want a snake that has an extremely good temper and will prove to all of my friends and family that snakes aren't inherently evil creatures.

I want a snake that is easy to take care of. Feeds every time easily. Sheds well.

I want a snake that is fun to hang out with, so-to-speak. Again, a videogame chill buddy.

I want a snake that is not exceptionally big. Around the 5-6' range.

I want a snake that is beautiful to look at and displays well.

I don't want a super active snake that I will constantly have to worry about sliding away from me when I'm handling it or worry about it escaping.

I was lucky enough to find a woman that met all of my extreme criteria... A snake?

And in regards to Ken, when I talked with him yesterday, his associate took my number and said he would call me back because he was finishing a transaction with another customer. Sure enough, 30 minutes later, he called back. I have put a deposit to reserve the snake, but nothing is final right now.

[TheSuppishOne]

Oh, and I don't want to spend more than $300 shipped for a snake.

[Akuma223]

I got my imported roughneck monitor from ken. He was a hatchling and looked like he was in bad shape at first but he came through just fine, it was the shipping that took a toll on the little guy. Ken was interested as to how he was doing after I got him so we emailed each other a couple times with updates which was nice.

[Terranaut]

Funny but that totaly describes... a ball python. I hate to say it but based on what you said you want, that is what I would suggest.

[KORBIN5895]

Oh, and I don't want to spend more than $300 shipped for a snake.

I can get you one for that.......

@ Dan

He said he wants a consistent feeder. That's the only thing missing. Oh and he doesn't want a royal;)

[stephanbakir]

Does nobody have a issue with the term "video game chill buddy"... They can be your friend, but you will never be theirs. You're looking for a tolerant snake, not a friendly one. They simply don't exist.

[stephanbakir]

If you put money down to reserve a snake... It's final. The breeder can no longer sell it.

If you change your mind later and go with someone else... Your a toolbag and he will probably never deal with you again.

[KORBIN5895]

If you put money down to reserve a snake... It's final. The breeder can no longer sell it.

If you change your mind later and go with someone else... Your a toolbag and he will probably never deal with you again.

That and you lose your deposit....

[Terranaut]

I can get you one for that.......

@ Dan

He said he wants a consistent feeder. That's the only thing missing. Oh and he doesn't want a royal;)

But the rest of it is such a match. I saw he doesn't want a royal.. thats why I wrote it the way I did. :)

[Snakesitter]

The first sentence here cannot be overstated enough. The last one left is still there for a reason.

That said...good luck if you go forward, we'd all love to hear it turn out well.

[TheSuppishOne]

I agree that a Ball fits most of my criteria. However, my wife doesn't like the way they look and not only do I agree, but I'm also incredibly nervous about the feeding issues they have and that I have been told that they don't exactly show a lot of "personality," whereas boas do. (It's mostly that my wife doesn't like the way they look, lol.)

To the "last-one-left" comments, it's quite possible that he's the last one there because his coloration isn't as pretty, to be honest. He's more brownish than green. But then again, I like that. At a pet store, I'm not going to assume that his two brothers were bought by serious snake owners who checked the temperaments and everything properly. You're right, though, there is the potential that he's the meanest one. It's feasible.

And it wouldn't be about going with someone else (aka me being a tool-bag), it's about me going with a different snake. He has a Dumeril's that fits the bill, but if all of your advice here manages to sway my wife's opinion, and you start telling me that BP's really DO have more personality than boas, there's nothing wrong with making an informed decision in another direction. Kinda like how at the restaurant where I work, not every person that sends their food back is a douche.

You guys seem to be becoming more and more hostile towards me. I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions... I just like to know things. ='[

[lady_bug87]

You just seem to be jumping both feet first from one species to another. That's what is making them react

[stephanbakir]

You just seem to be jumping both feet first from one species to another. That's what is making them react

This... We see it all the time and it rarely ends well.

[Terranaut]

We are not getting hostile here but many people who jump from species to species or who aquire many animals quickly seem to have problems down the road of one sort or another. It happens a lot here :(

[TheSuppishOne]

I understand that. I'm only jumping because you guys are steering me in different directions. I originally started out wanting a boa. Then a bunch of you said Carpets would be a better fit. Then some of you said stick with boas, and my wife said she didn't like the carpets. Then many of you said BRBs, which I didn't really consider, then you said Dumeril's were good, and now you're saying go with a BP.

Do you see how confusing it has been from my standpoint, too, lol?

I've received so much input that I don't really know where to go. I said I wanted a Hog Island or Crawl Cay from the beginning, and I'll I've heard is to try different ones. So a Dumeril's fits the bill, plus there is one available that I find attractive and is the right age and price. That's where I am right now.

[stephanbakir]

The truth of the matter is, we can only tell you what we like... You need to do the sifting and the research to find out why one is better then another for YOU.

[stephanbakir]

Aaron likes ball pythons, I like retics and vipers, Shaun likes carpets,... I doubt Aaron would ever advise retics (even I probably wouldn't) .... Different people like different things so will advise you differently.

[KORBIN5895]

I understand that. I'm only jumping because you guys are steering me in different directions. I originally started out wanting a boa. Then a bunch of you said Carpets would be a better fit. Then some of you said stick with boas, and my wife said she didn't like the carpets. Then many of you said BRBs, which I didn't really consider, then you said Dumeril's were good, and now you're saying go with a BP.

Do you see how confusing it has been from my standpoint, too, lol?

I've received so much input that I don't really know where to go. I said I wanted a Hog Island or Crawl Cay from the beginning, and I'll I've heard is to try different ones. So a Dumeril's fits the bill, plus there is one available that I find attractive and is the right age and price. That's where I am right now.

BS. I said boas the whole time. What you need to learn is that you only listen to people who have opinions that matter..... that's me.

[Terranaut]

Actually I try to advise people based on what they want in a snake.
If someone says to me I want a small busy snake,I would say corn or pit or a king maybe. If someone says they want a lap snake to hang with in front of the tv I say royal. A bigger lap snake is a boa. A more active bigger snake is a carpet. If someone says to me they want a huge scary snake I tell them not to get one. Ect.
Although there are many many species to choose from there are a few that dominate out there and that are easily aquired. We mentioned all of them. You have decided on one and put money down. Now stick with it. Get your snake and enjoy it. No sense discussing what to get anymore.
I hope you love it. After you decide to get a second snake (and you will) then get a carpet or a king or a bullsnake.....or whatever you like.

As for giants...I would never recomend one to anyone. Why not? People are generally ignorant to the needs of a big snake and if they don't already know and understand it they should not be considering it or asking me. Giants are for experienced keepers who understand the cost and care of a big snake. Never for a novice. Kinda like buying a Hyabusa for a first bike= bad idea :(

[stephanbakir]

Actually I try to advise people based on what they want in a snake.
If someone says to me I want a small busy snake,I would say corn or pit or a king maybe. If someone says they want a lap snake to hang with in front of the tv I say royal. A bigger lap snake is a boa. A more active bigger snake is a carpet. If someone says to me they want a huge scary snake I tell them not to get one. Ect.
Although there are many many species to choose from there are a few that dominate out there and that are easily aquired. We mentioned all of them. You have decided on one and put money down. Now stick with it. Get your snake and enjoy it. No sense discussing what to get anymore.
I hope you love it. After you decide to get a second snake (and you will) then get a carpet or a king or a bullsnake.....or whatever you like.

As for giants...I would never recomend one to anyone. Why not? People are generally ignorant to the needs of a big snake and if they don't already know and understand it they should not be considering it or asking me. Giants are for experienced keepers who understand the cost and care of a big snake. Never for a novice. Kinda like buying a Hyabusa for a first bike= bad idea :(
Even those who are ready to work with a big snake generally get tired of cleaning up a few gallons of piss and a turd the size of a few wiener dogs...

[valid]

I honestly would go look around the exotics shops in your area and look at their dumerils... If not to buy one, to at least look at one to see how they should look,and get a feel for them. There is a whole world of difference between looking at pictures on the internet and actually owning one.

[Terranaut]

I honestly would go look around the exotics shops in your area and look at their dumerils... If not to buy one, to at least look at one to see how they should look,and get a feel for them. There is a whole world of difference between looking at pictures on the internet and actually owning one.

Exellent advise!!!
Then when yours arrives you will know what to expect.

[TheSuppishOne]

Kinda like buying a Hyabusa for a first bike= bad idea :(

Hahaha, nice comparison. When my little 18 year old brother said he was going to lease a BMW 338i for his first car, I advised against it. He has since received about 5 tickets and is 4000 over his mileage allotment in 6 months.

And there's a reason I'm not going with Burms or Retics, etc... I'm impatient, not stupid. I know that a snake that huge for a first timer is a recipe for disaster. =P

[Snakesitter]

I agree 100%. Always compare around.

[rocknhorse76]

I live in Las Vegas and I can say that Exotic Pets is a reputable store and Ken is a good guy to deal with. I actually looked at the baby male Dumerils last weekend and they are very good looking snakes. I have a 5'+ male myself and can say that they are awesome snakes and don't get overly large.

[smy_749]

There is far too much typing here for me to read. But I did manage to see that you wanted to have a video game chill buddy and that you weren't ripped apart for it.... surprisingly. In most definitions of the word 'pet' its actually a tamed or domesticated animal. In my definition, I don't think that most if not all reptiles are actually 'pets' because they don't nor will they ever care about you. They won't rescue you from avalanches, beat God of War 3 with you, or be your seeing eye tegu.

If your looking for a pet that you can annoy, hold, cuddle with, show off to your friends, take on walks, go for picnics and car rides through Vermont to enjoy the autumn colors, then buy a snake costume and throw it on your girlfriend. If you want to admire and appreciate some of the coolest animals on the planet, and appreciate them hands off for the most part, then go for it. But I feel like from your posts, your looking for the first not the second.

I feel as though this commercial is somewhat fitting as well: AT&T Commercial- It's Not Complicated More - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdofUBR3SJc)

[TheSuppishOne]

So, basically you were upset that I wasn't ripped apart and decided that you should make up for their lack of harassment towards me?

Look, I get it. Snakes are incapable of love. That doesn't mean they're unable to be pets. Actually, since you brought up YouTube, I'm curious if you've seen 1softkiss' channel. If so, what are your opinions? She seems to hold a great deal of affection towards her snakes, and seems to think they reciprocate that affection to a degree. That's a far cry from most of you who are telling me that snakes are essentially robots.

In the now month of owning the snake (yes, I realize that I have a VERY small data pool), I've noticed him getting healthier and stronger. So far, he seems to be aware of that fact and the fact that I have been the one that helps/feeds him.

Anyway, whatever. I'll see what happens when he gets older and I learn more.

[DeadlyDesires]

Whoa! read this whole thread lol... thats a whole lotta reading lmfao :P
My opinion? Just make sure you take care of the snake, it seems as thought that is what you want and nothing will change it really, I've been there and have done it, Others just dont want to see the reptile suffer, if you take care of it then you are already better than the others who are idiots and do an impulse buy and realize later that its too much and their animal dies. Really though, i dont know jack about Dum's but it was mentioned that Boa's are a good "hang in your lap" type of snake i have a BCI and I can't ever keep her still long enough to take a picture, let alone let her sit in my lap lol.. Shes an awesome snake and i have wanted one since i was a young girl, i waited about 2 months before i actually got one and honestly that really wasn't enough time for me because i realized there was stuff that i still didnt know so i had to ask questions.. ( doesn't help that i was also under the assumption and they were similar to BP's i have no idea why i thought that )... anyway. just make sure the snake is properly taken care of have it all set up before you get the snake and everything should be fine. make sure you have paperwork and everything you need just in case something is wrong *crosses fingers* i hope not though, as for not looking into BRB's those are one of my fav snakes i love their pattern and everything. that will be my next snake i am already getting money saved up to buy one and getting all the husbandry ready so when they are born (in like 6 months i think) i will be ready to have it.

[Snakesitter]

Look, I get it. Snakes are incapable of love.
So are politicians, and we keep supporting them. ;-)

I've seen several reptiles that showed positive reactions towards their owners, including snakes who when set down would crawl back to their owner. Not "Lassie"-type stuff, for sure, but pretty cool.

[Kettennatter]

[...]
I've seen several reptiles that showed positive reactions towards their owners, including snakes who when set down would crawl back to their owner. Not "Lassie"-type stuff, for sure, but pretty cool.

So does my CA King, and he comes toward me very consistently, yet he has proven one too many times that he considers me prey whenever he is in the mood.

[RandyRhoads]

I've been in there several times. They seem to have their stuff in order. And they have some really cool stuff...