Let's start with the good news:

My new pinstripe I got from Sloan Reptiles (99g) ate tonight! She arrived last Wed, so I gave her a week to settle in. She has been very skittish all week, hiding under her tail and retreating to her hide when I walked in the room at night. She sleeps all day in her hide, but comes out at night.

Decided I wasn't going to handle her until she ate. So I waited until this eve to offer her a live small mouse (10g). She seemed a bit scared at first, hiding under her tail. She tried to slither away, the mouse ran infront of her and she took it. Killed it and ate it, the process took about 5 mins. Once I saw she took it all down, I attached the lid back to the tank, and just let her lone. It was exciting to see her eat! Very relieving. Will try to start handling her Monday, seeing as she did eat

The bad news...

I went to the local pet store to pick out a mouse (I told the clerk I wanted a small mouse and they just grabbed one I made sure to pick one out that was about the size of my snakes girth). Well, there were 2 young guys (17-20 yrs old maybe?) playing with the BP's.

A different clerk told them that BP's were very mean and aggressive. And then he proceed to FLICK the snake until it bit him! Wtf?? The guys got a kick out of it and started doing the same! They thought it was so cool it was a "badass mean ass snake". My jaw was on the ground.

I got pretty upset. I tried correcting him and telling them that BPs are not aggressive at all, they were mistreating it etc. I also explained that the heat rock the clerk was recommending was a big no no Gave them the advice that I was given (UTH+Thermostat), proper hides, humidity, etc. They said it sounded like it cost too much money and left. The clerk got all upset because I cost him a sale! Then a manager came over and asked me to leave! So I just gave them the mouse back and left. And no this was not PetSmart or PetCo, but it was a petstore chain.

So, I went to a mom&pop pet store that I have never been to. Got a mouse from there instead. It was .25c more expensive, but.. oh well.

I hope I did the right thing by trying to educate them on ideal environment for a BP. I hate being confrontational, but I don't know.




Anyhow, back to good news!
She ate!