Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a question. I was at petsmart today to by some frozen feeders and the one guy that was there told me he had a baby python in back that was free because some one found it in there back yard and it had a slice on it there vets stitched it up and they can’t sell it cause it was found in the wild he just started eating crickets cause he is still to small for small pinkies and he his having a really bad shed cause the humidity in there is bad in the tank and I don’t know what kind of Python it is I was wondering if I was to take this snake what would I have to worry about also what kind of stuff should I find out about it I never got a reptile like this I allways know about it before I got them this is new for me any help would be great
Thanks

Hmmmmm, well it's going to be a gamble no matter what if you take the snake, but you may be giving a stray animal a really good home which I myself have done. You definitely need to see the snake. Check for things like broken ribs (let it crawl through your hands and if it's got some "malformations" in the body structure, there is reason for concern). This may also give you an idea of its temperment (provided it's been housed with proper temps and fed properly). You also should have someone with some experience with herpetoculture or a herp vet look in the snake's mouth to make sure the gum color is pink. The gums may be a little pale right now because of emaciation due to what the snake has been through recently, but if the gums are really pale then there's a health concern there (worms, respiratory infection, etc.). You really don't know what you're buying unless you can take him to a herp vet and get him tested for infection/worms/whatever. You also really should know what breed of animal you're bringing home. Do you have room for a burmese python? If this animal is a reticulated or African Rock Python, the snake's personality may be less than docile and I don't recommend that herpers keep those kind of snakes unless you're really experienced. That is just my personal opinion. I myself have never raised those kind of snakes, but I have spoken with several breeders that do and most agree with me. If you really want the snake, perhaps you could ask the petsmart person about the possiblity of taking the animal to a herp vet before agreeing to give the snake a home. These are all just things to think about, in the end of course it is your decision.

Also, if you would like a slightly quicker response, I suggest you visit the general or specific snake forums rather than this one. THis is an excellent forum, but I've notice when I post questions about snakes in the snake forum, people usually get back to me within a couple hours. Have fun!