Hello from chilly Colorado!

[ASherpa]

Hey everyone!

I am a totally new guy around these parts. I just recently joined this hobby and have found most of my friends/family 'don't understand' my attraction to these awesome critters. Regardless, I now have 5 slings of varying sizes and different species.

I started with a C. Versicolor and quickly realized I wanted more. Shortly after, I picked up an Avic Avic from ye'old chain pet store. My roomie works there and it was returned, so basically free for me to take. I couldn't resist despite the dubious practices of such places. Fast forward a few weeks and I scooped up a B. Smithi, G. Rosea, and P. Irminia. I am going to stop adding for a while and let these grow. I almost picked up an emerald skeleton a few days ago too, but I really need to maintain some self control and hold off for a while. I'd love to be active around here as I continue this journey, especially since nobody in my life is really interested in hearing about my new hobby.

Hope to learn a lot and strengthen my passion! Cheers, A.

 

[Konstantin]

Welcome to the hobby and this wonderful forum.
Here you will find lots of friendly people who share your passion.
Regards Konstantin

 

[Oursapoil]

Welcome to the Forum A.
Just a friendly warning, " I am going to stop adding for a while and let these grow. " never quite works as planned
Enjoy this great forum and your new addiction!

 

[ASherpa]

Thanks Konstantin! Looking forward to it!

@Oursapoil -- I have noticed. Before I got Ariadne (c. Versi) I said, just one and let it grow. Less than a month later, I have five. I have since adjusted my self imposed restriction to "done for the year" -- so if I can manage it, nothing until at least January. But I do have exceptions -- if I happen to find a pamphobeteus platyomma or basically any of a long list in that genus, I am done for.

 

[Oursapoil]

We have here many amazing breeders, like my favorite @Casey K.
Let them know what you are looking for and they might just help you break you good resolutions

 

[ilovebrachys]

Hello and welcome to the forum

 

[ASherpa]

HA! I'm sure you're widely considered a good influence around here with advice like that.

I have seen a lot of @Casey K.'s posts. I look forward to making friends! My wish-list is longer every day...

 

[Oursapoil]

HA! I'm sure you're widely considered a good influence around here with advice like that.

I have seen a lot of @Casey K.'s posts. I look forward to making friends! My wish-list is longer every day...

She is a wonderful lady to deal with and a wealth of knowledge, always happy to help out. There are many great people like her on the forum, making this place awesome and a go to for hobbyists.

 

[menavodi]

Welcome to TF. A good place to be and to learn! That is how we all started... with one

 

[ASherpa]

"Just one" seems to be a well intentioned lie we tell ourselves. What I didn't expect was for that lie to dissolve so rapidly. I feel the itch, and I want like 50 more. Trying to pace myself.

 

[Oursapoil]

"Just one" seems to be a well intentioned lie we tell ourselves. What I didn't expect was for that lie to dissolve so rapidly. I feel the itch, and I want like 50 more. Trying to pace myself.

I am at about 50 already
It is easy to get them, especially slings that are more affordable but beware as it is a time and financial commitment (my 9 years old son and I share the work). You'll start needing tons of enclosure of all sizes and shapes depending on the T's size and habit (burrowing, terrestrial, arboreal...). A single sling might require 3 to 5 different enclosures throughout its life as it grows up. You'll need mountain of substract, bark, hide, heater, lights.....needless to say that very soon space will be an issue as you'll have tanks all over the place. Humidity, airflow and temperature will be very important as well and you might consider if possible a T room just for them. Did I mention that you'll be raising roaches colonies very soon?
Please do not believe for a second that I am trying to discourage you, just sharing my personal experience for you to start prepping right away

 

[ASherpa]

@Oursapoil -- Thanks for this. I think it is important to see it on paper as a good reminder. I am lucky enough to be a multi-faceted hobbyist and I also keep ball pythons. I have a room dedicated to my more sensitive pets, which is kept higher in humidity and temperature than the rest of my home, year round. Ambient temp is between 80 and 85 all day every day. I have the ceiling fan on low 24/7 to keep air circulating in my snake racks and enclosures, and my humidity is around 30% in the room, but higher in my enclosures via misting. Temperature is automatically regulated, but I manage humidity on my own. Living in Colorado, humidity requires constant vigilance for both my snakes and now my T's.

I have a spare room where I do all my cage maintenance and store my crickets. This room will eventually become my T room and will have its own heat/humidity arrangements. I already have the shelving I plan to use! Also I'm looking for a larger property so that I can really grow and develop my Ball Python projects, extra space for T's is on the list of must haves. My buddy breeds rats specifically for me to have snake food, and my roommate has a bearded dragon and we have discussed splitting care of a colony of dubia roaches. I have been buying crickets until then but I already resolved to start a small roach colony if she decides against it.

So far I am LOVING building enclosures and have created a few arboreal setups that I can just drop into a new box when the time is right for a re-house. See attachments below for one I am proud of, substrate for photo only so I could see what it would look like. I don't think anyone I have now would like this one. But I do. =P

I have also been hanging onto a lot of marbles and other glass decorations which I made through the years which I plan to use as cage decorations down the road. Substrate however, I will need to figure out since I have been using some that was supplied by the local guy I got my versi from, and I'm almost out. I have always been a DIY kind of guy, and I find myself thinking "I could keep a tarantula in that" quite regularly. Tons of ideas for new enclosure designs!